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Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities

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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

"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.

"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.

Lucy Hayes, wife of President Rutherford B. Hayes and Carrie Harrison, wife of President Benjamin Harrison, challenge the other First Ladies to speak in their own voices and write what it was like to be the wife of the President of the United States or whatever they want really. The book ends with Mamie Eisenhower, because we know about the later First Ladies. However, they are not left out, as they can't help interrupting the others' chapters. None of these ladies ever really learned to be silent!

What follows Lucy's challenge are twenty-nine chapters written in the Ladies' own voices. Feather has studied Presidential history for over thirty-five years and owns more than 1000 president-related volumes. She delved into the Ladies' lives and in her book they speak in their own voices with their own stories of experiences, hopes, dreams and thoughts.

Most of these women never intended to be First Ladies. Many found more sorrow than joy in the experience. The role of First Lady changed through the years as did the White House. Some were great entertainers and others wanted to stay to themselves. Some were ill or disabled. In this book, they speak from their own times, which influenced their lives differently than if they lived today. They usually talk about their whole lives, including the occurrences before and after they were First Ladies.

What is amazing is the diversity among these ladies. Their sorrows were great, as seventeen of them lost children, including Edith Roosevelt who lost sons to war. Four had husbands who were assassinated, and the Ladies tell of the scars these experiences left. Many wanted nothing more than to go home after their husbands' terms and sit with them on the porch of their home in another place and enjoy a simple life. Some did that. Many never got that opportunity.

They talk of feelings of wayward husbands, difficulties with in-laws, and their children's successes and failures. All of them are all delightful. They were all valuable people in the history of our country, some very much involved in the support of their husbands and their role as President, and others in the background, but all affected by their position.

Feather spent the first five years trying to make this work as a play. She says it was too confusing, and it was also about nine and a half hours long! The next two years were trying to figure out how to write it as a book. Once she got the basic idea of self-written chapters and dialogue boxes, the rest came a lot easier. Her viewpoints are fresh and unbiased, using the dialogue boxes where other ladies interrupt to add opinions and further information.

As a historical novelist, I truly believe in the value of learning history. Here the author teaches in such a delightful way, the learning comes with no effort. The reader learns more than dates and facts. Even if it is only conjecture, it is conjecture based on a great deal of study and thought.

When I picked up Feather Schwartz Foster's book, "Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities", I'm not sure what I was expecting. Short essays about some of the First Ladies -- woo, hoo. These women aren't "has beens", or even "almost has beens" -- they are the consorts of has beens. Who remembers Lou Hoover or Sarah Polk? How about Julia Tyler? Some of these names are so obscure as to have dropped completely out of public awareness. How interesting could they be?

Boy was I wrong!

First off, the book itself is creatively constructed -- each lady is given a chance to tell her story while the others comment. It's like a big hen party where the ladies mingle. I imagine them sipping Earl Grey and eating snickerdoodles in homey companionability. This approach makes even the dullest of the presidential wives amusing. We see them through their own eyes within the context of their own historical time -- but we also see them through the personalities, mores and historical perspectives of other First Ladies.

For example, Mary Lincoln, Jacqueline Kennedy and Pat Nixon's snotty remarks about Andrew Johnson's obnoxious behavior at his inaugeration are in sharp contrast to Eliza Johnson's insistence that her Andy wasn't a drunk. The technique demonstrates how blind we are to the failings of our loved ones -- and how quick we notice the faults of others. It allows characters long lost in the fog of time to become human again.

I have to say that I loved this book from the first page, but when the various ladies began to chime in with their own reminiscences, catty remarks, sympathies and empathies, I found myself reading -- and rereading, certain passages with new respect for the impossible circumstances these women found themselves in simply because they were married to presidents.

Clever, informative and amusing, "Ladies" is well worth the read.

Never before have I enjoyed a romp through history so thoroughly. From the introduction by Lucy Hayes to the author's epilogue claiming fictional, yet plausible, conjecture on the part of the "voices" who wrote their stories, a full and satisfying story is told. The reader feels what our First Ladies are re-living as they tell about their place in history-or lack thereof, about their husbands and about the times in which they lived.

I got the distinct feeling several of our First Ladies knew they would have made better Presidents than their husbands did, if the times had allowed. In reality, only the times have changed; we humans are as raw or refined, as wild or as tame, as selfish or as giving, regardless of the century we inhabit.

Through the many friendships and rivalries, the politics, and the "place" each woman was expected to inhabit, we learn how they lived and loved. To fully appreciate these women who were our First Ladies, we must allow them to live in our minds, to breathe and function, to grieve and rejoice. Feather Schwartz Foster brings the stage and the characters to us. All we need to do is sit back and enjoy the ride!

Feather Schwartz Foster, in her book Ladies: A conjecture of Personalities, has done exquisite research on the First Ladies of the past. It is a wonderfully unique idea to weave the lives, similarities and differences of this part of our history through each others experiences.
One can only ponder some of the ideas she presupposes. Having done a lot of research myself on many of the First Ladies, her "fiction" rings true-to-life. I was fortunate enough to spend one afternoon and evening with Ike and Mamie Eisenhower. Her description of Mamie and her eclectic tastes took me back to that memorable day in my own life.
Whether you are a history buff or not, this is a great read to tweak your curiosity.

"Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities" is a book filled with the voices of America's First Ladies. From Martha Washington to Mamie Eisehnhower, these vibrant, lively women speak from the past as modern day First Ladies comment from the sidelines.

The "moderns," as Lucy Hayes comments, already had their say.

Author Feather Schwartz Foster brings to life these fascinating women through dedicated chapters, written in the form of a letter from each Lady. Customs, houseguests, dinner, chores - no part of a woman's life is ignored.

Though this is a work of fiction, it is very much based on facts and filled with vivid details taken from over a thousand presidential history books. Readers will be lost in the past and feel as though they have seen a glimpse of each personality portrayed.

This book is unique in more ways than one. Comments from the "moderns" are interspersed throughout as they speak to one another as well as to the letter writers. They argue, compliment, agree and turn up their noses.

Particularly poignant is Mary Todd Lincoln's chapter in which the wives of other assassinated presidents speak with sympathy and empathy, while other wives in turn speak ill of her appearance and state of mind, even going so far as to malign her beloved son.

The wives of our presidents, both past and present, inherited by marriage a position of influence. From slaves to maids, to leaders of other countries, diplomats and friends, the influence of a First Lady can be measured only by the legacy she leaves.

"Ladies" will absorb the reader's attention from the first page to the last.

Wise, naïve, elegant, crass, refined and catty; all personalities are represented in this unique ode to the women who stood by America's presidents.

Feather Schwartz Foster's first foray into historical fiction is a stand-up clapping success. She is an accomplished song writer and has three decades of experience in advertising and public relations. Numerous links to her upcoming appearances and speaking engagements are listed, as well as links to interviews with Foster about "Ladies" [...]

"Julia Tyler, Frances Cleveland and Edith Wilson are the only 'Ladies' who married 'Presidents.' The rest of us-moderns included-married men. Just plain men. And probably at a time when the Presidency wasn't even a glimmer. Don't forget that!" Author Feather Schwartz Foster puts these words into the mouth of a character as she closes the introduction to this lively work of historical fiction. From Martha Washington's time through that of Mamie Eisenhower, the First Ladies of the United States of America lived in a society that limited their roles and did its best to stifle their voices. This book aims to give the First Ladies of the pre-women's liberation U.S. back those voices at last. Which, since these Ladies are all long dead, requires conjecture!

Even though this is indeed a work of fiction, and a very entertaining one (I chuckled often as I read it), it's important to approach it without imposing what a colleague of mine calls "presentism" on the Ladies whose words fill its chapters. "We must be judged according to the standards of our times-not your times!" insists Lucy Hayes, who has supposedly teamed with Caroline Harrison to sign the rest of the Ladies onto the project. Fictional or not, in this sentiment she is absolutely right.

The author has researched each of her characters thoroughly, and she demonstrates a solid grasp of the historical context of each Lady's life. Using "commentary boxes" to allow comments from other Ladies, including those whose stories aren't told because they came after Mrs. Eisenhower, she gives each chapter the intimate feel of a conversation among a few...I was going to say, "A few close friends." But that's not true, because often the commentary boxes contain pithy remarks that are decidedly not made by one friend about another! Yet the commentaries are always basically sympathetic, because they're offered with total understanding by the "on stage" Lady's peers.

This one hit all the right buttons for me. It's funny, informative, accurate, and poignant, as well as unfailingly respectful of its subjects. Highly recommended!

Ladies: A Conjecture of Personalities is such a pleasure to read and there is so much in it that is revealing, interesting, and enjoyable. The author has brought up points that make one rethink our history. I reccommend it to anyone and everyone who is at all fascinated with our country's past and why we are the way we are.