First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies

Description

Holding one of the most underestimated and challenging positions in the world, the first lady of the United States must be many things: an inspiring leader with a forward-thinking agenda of her own, a savvy politician skilled at navigating the treacherous rapids of Washington, a wife and mother operating under constant scrutiny, and an able CEO running the private side of the White House. Drawing on a wide array of untapped, candid sources, Kate Andersen Brower, the New York Times bestselling author who covered President Barack Obama's first term, now tells the stories of the ten remarkable women who have defined the role for more than a half century. First ladies make up the world's most elite sorority, with members including Jacqueline Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama. With stories ranging from the heartwarming to the shocking and tragic, Brower discusses the first ladies' rivalries and friendships with one another-revealed in letters never published before-and explores everything from their political causes to their public and private relationships with their husbands. She also offers insight as to what Melania Trump might hope to accomplish as First Lady. This first group biography of the modern first ladies provides an inside look at life upstairs and downstairs at the world's most powerful address.

Kate Andersen Brower is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Residence and New York Times bestseller First Women. She is a CNN contributor and has spent four years covering the Obama White House for Bloomberg News and is a former CBS News staffer and Fox News producer. She has written for the New York Times, Vanity Fair, Time, the Washington Post, and Bloomberg Businessweek. She lives outside of Washington, D.C., with her husband, their two young children, and their wheaten terrier.

"[A] gossipy, but surprisingly deep, look at the women who help and sometimes overshadow their powerful husbands." -- USA Today Praise for The Residence:"The tell-all The Residence, featuring intimate anecdotes collected from past and current White House staff members, is absolutely delicious." -- The Washington Post "A juicy new book... A touching story." -- The Daily Beast "A highly readable ... deep look at the women who help and sometimes overshadow their powerful husbands." -- USA Today "A revealing look at America's first ladies, shining a spotlight on both their friendships and feuds." -- The Today Show "Superbly reported... A fascinating backstage account of the world's most famous residence." -- Judy Woodruff, anchor, PBS NewsHour and former White House Correspondent for NBC News "One of those rare books that is both elegant portraiture and highly readable, important White House history. The anecdotes are fresh and the analysis cogent. The stories about Kennedy, Reagan, Clinton, and Obama are irresistible. Highly recommended!" -- Douglas Brinkley, editor of The Reagan Diaries