Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities [Paperback]

Feather Schwartz Foster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 5, 2003

Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities is a book of voices. First Ladies between Martha Washington and Mamie Eisenhower tell their own stories—or, to be more exact, whatever they want—in their own words and in their own styles. Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities crosses boundaries between fact, conjecture, and, most importantly, centuries. Through dialogue-boxes, the ladies talk to each other across eternity, where anything is possible. The modern First Ladies, from Mrs. Kennedy through Mrs. Clinton, participate in commentary. They talk to the reader and they talk amongst themselves. And they sympathize, empathize, and quarrel amongst themselves. They talk about their husbands, their children, the White House, and the times they lived in. And, of course, politics. It’s chatty. It’s catty. It’s fun. It’s informative. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in history.

Product Details

• Paperback: 255 pages
• Publisher: PublishAmerica (August 5, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592863612
• ISBN-13: 978-1592863617
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,637,042 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Congrats Ms. Foster!, November 25, 2003

By 

MWLA Review (Oklahoma, Usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities (Paperback)

This book is a real winner with any history buff or someone that enjoys a good laugh. As I read this book I was amazed by how much history our former First Ladies are actually responsible for.
You have definitely done your research. I enjoyed the book and I am not a great history buff. LADIES was written with such great style that you really don't realize you are getting a history lesson. You have done a great job.

Recommendation: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Lynn Young is the Managing Editor of The MWLA review, a Reviewer and Editor

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a delightful book, October 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities (Paperback)

"Ladies - a Conjecture of Personalities" by Feather Schwartz Foster is a delightful treat for history lovers. When you read this book it will be like eating your favorite dessert: you just want more. She has created a minuet of short stories covering 138 years of American History through the eyes and ears of the forgotten First Ladies.

Throughout these well-researched and colorful short stories, you learn interesting facts such as: John Tyler's wife, Julia, was also famous for hosting elaborate White House parties just like Dolley Madison. She was also responsible for Congress establishing pensions for the widows of former U.S Presidents. Although this informative reading is for both men and women, the male reader who pays particular attention may learn something about how women actually think. The male reader will note Hillary Clintons' comment about John Tyler, "It seems no matter what talents or accomplishments a First Lady has, people always seem to make the biggest fuss about her clothes". This easy writing style transcends itself into creative commentaries throughout the book, and if you listen hard enough you can actually hear the voices of the First Ladies tell their story.

What a delightful breathe of fresh air on the arrival of this new historical writer with all her whimsical and humorous reflections. Yet all of this is done with just the right sense of flair and historical balance. This book is a delicious recipe for anyone's reading. Her book captures the spirit and flavor of times gone by, just like the backyard "Yarn" of Margaret Taylor.

Mrs. Foster's book resurrects little remembered or even known facts such as: Jeff Davis was Margaret Taylor's son-in-law, Abigail Fillmore helped educate her own husband and started the first White House Library. Let's not forget Mrs. Wilson's campaign to rid the Capital of squalid slums and Lou Hoover's responsibility for the purchase of what is today Camp David.

Please do yourself a favor and run out and by this book before they all disappear from the bookshelves.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Read, October 1, 2003

By 

Christy T. French "author" (Powell, TN, author, "The Bodyguard") - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities (Paperback)

"Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities" by Feather Schwartz Foster weaves fiction with historical fact for a fresh look at those First Ladies who are not as well-known as the more recent, much-written-about "modern" First Ladies, from Jackie Kennedy forward.

The book begins with this country's very first First Lady, Martha Washington, wife of George Washington, and ends with Mamie Eisenhower, who was married to Dwight Eisenhower, our thirty-fourth President. Each First Lady is given her own chapter to write about herself and her experiences while in the White House, with comments from other First Ladies colloquialized throughout.

These First Ladies were as diverse physically as they were in regards to personality, and the vast majority were intelligent, articulate women possessing great insight. It is interesting to note the steady idealistic progression of women throughout our history, as seen through the eyes of these First Ladies. Their differing views regarding slavery, suffrage, temperance, fidelity, and a woman's role in the workforce are fascinating to read.

Most of the First Ladies were very much in love with their husbands, although there were some who were not so enamored. Even though many of these women enjoyed their days in the White House, there were those who abhorred it. Some wished to stand apart and be remembered, while others desired only to return to what they considered their real home life. The conversations among the ladies are interesting and fun to read, especially the snippets between Abigail Adams and her daughter-in-law Louisa Adams, and Mary Lincoln and Julia Grant.

The only constant between this steady flow of women is that they were married to Presidents of the United States. It appears that more than a few were from the state of Ohio and that most of these First Ladies outlived their husbands. The majority never dreamed they would one day inhabit the White House, while there were some who strove to occupy that space.

An engaging, delightful read filled with historical facts and fun conversational tidbits among the First Ladies, such that at times, I felt as if I were in a room, listening to these women speak. This is a grand concept by this author and a book I highly recommend to all readers, whether history buff or not.