Lady Bird: A Biography of Mrs. Johnson [Paperback]

Jan Jarboe Russell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 25, 2004

After three years of cooperation with the author, Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson ended her participation in this biography after an essay Russel published about LBJ's infidelities. Lady Bird covers the full spectrum of Mrs. Johnson's life, career, and ultimately her multi-layers, seldom-documented relationship with LBJ.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

After three years of cooperation with author Jan Jarboe Russell, Lady Bird Johnson ended her participation in this biography when she got a look at an essay Russell published about LBJ's infidelities in 1997. Russell paints a fascinating portrait of Johnson--a far tougher and shrewder woman than the dutiful image she presented as first lady in the 1960s--but she also unsparingly depicts LBJ as a mighty poor husband, something his intensely loyal spouse could never countenance. When she met Lyndon Johnson in 1934, friends couldn't imagine what smart, rich, 21-year-old Lady Bird (a nickname acquired in childhood) saw in a crude, impoverished young politician whose ego far outstripped his achievements. But she was used to overbearing men--her father was one--and the pragmatic young woman walked into marriage with her eyes wide open. She supported LBJ unquestioningly, not just emotionally but with the income from her business dealings, and quietly relished the exciting life into which he swept her. While making clear her distaste for aspects of the Johnsons' marital bargain, Russell nonetheless offers a nuanced account of a complex relationship in which Lady Bird played a more forceful, equal role than many realized. This revisionist biography has purpose and bite. --Wendy Smith --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

The career of Hillary Rodham Clinton aside, it is only recently that the office of First Lady has been understood as engendering political power. The past decade has brought books detailing the complex relationship between presidents and their wives, in particular Blanche Wiesen Cook's landmark biography detailing the enormous role that Eleanor Roosevelt played in U.S. domestic and foreign affairs. Russell's engaging new biography of Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson, written in part as a corrective to Robert Caro's multi-volume LBJ bio, Path to Power, is an attempt to move its subject out from under her husband's shadow. After extensive interviews with Mrs. Johnson, Russell presents a complex portrait of an intelligent woman trapped in the social conventions of a "Southern matron," whose idealization of her father colored her relationship with her husband and whose commitment to social justice helped shape LBJ's war on poverty. Russell's analysis is often insightful, as when she discusses how LBJ's class prejudice affected Lady Bird's fashion choices, or her conscious decision to distance herself from Jackie Kennedy's image as a decorator by identifying publicly with Eleanor Roosevelt as a "useful first lady." Focusing on Lady Bird's influence on LBJ's career and politics, Russell ends the book with the Johnson administration's final months, in 1969. Though it offers new and important historical information, Russell's effort, unlike Cook's brilliant work on Roosevelt, falls short of completely revising or illuminating our vision of the Johnsons' lives, politics and times. Agent, Jim Hornfischer of Literary Group International; first serial to George and Texas Monthly; History Book Club selection. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Taylor Trade Publishing (May 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1589790979
• ISBN-13: 978-1589790971
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #363,525 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Author's sloppiness detracts from book's potential, August 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lady Bird: A Biography of Mrs. Johnson (Hardcover)

After all the hype (at least in Texas) about "Lady Bird," and my own fascination with the Johnsons, I was really looking forward to this book. I must say it has not lived up to my expectations. Very little of Mrs. Johnson's gracious voice comes through, so a reader unfamiliar with her would not understand how eloquent she is. Many of the anecdotes seem lifted directly from Caro's and others' LBJ biographies. Finally, how did this book get onto the market with such sloppy editing? The author has Mrs. Johnson's mother pregnant at age 50 when she was actually several years younger according to the birth date and other dates the author provides; and alludes to the Johnsons' wedding and honeymoon in 1954, not 1934. There are numerous annoying typos and not a few awkward grammatical constructions. This book needed more of Mrs. Johnson, less previously plowed ground, and an attentive editor.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Telling It Like It Is, December 19, 1999

By 

B. Walsh - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lady Bird: A Biography of Mrs. Johnson (Hardcover)

As a fan of Jan Jarboe Russell's past articles in Texas Monthly magazine, I was not disappointed by her biography. The author proved to be honest and forthright as expected. I appreciated Lady Bird even more because she really showed true grit in a world dominated by men. Behind the scenes, she proved to be the influential guiding force in LBJ's political life. Her business savvy was amazing to say the least. For a woman of her time, she was a truly remarkable lady in every sense of the word. Thank you Jan Jarboe Russell for telling us about the real Lady Bird.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Gracious Lady Bird, November 3, 2010

By 

BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Lady Bird: A Biography of Mrs. Johnson (Paperback)

Lady Bird Johnson, (1912-2007) First Lady from 1963-69 was truly a gracious lady. This book does a fair to middling job of portraying her life, but the final chapters that cover her life after Johnson's presidency ended are sketchy and skimpy.

Lady Bird is known for her Beautification Project and it was largely her influence that spurred Johnson to pass many bills during his administration.

A decent book, but Robert Caro's biography is much better and much more in depth.