Presidential Wives An Anecdotal History [Paperback]

InPresidential Wives, Paul Boller brings his gift for telling detail to bear on the women our Presidents married, and the result is a biographical feat--at once funny and poignant, dramatic and illuminating, covering every First Lady from Martha Washington to Hillary Rodham Clinton. Boller devotes a full chapter to each of his subjects, featuring an incisive biographical essay followed by a selection of revealing anecdotes. Through his portrayal of such a diverse group of women, Boller sheds new light on how much the institution of the presidency tells us about ourselves and our life as a nation.

First published in 1988, this second edition has been revised to include updated information on people such as Nancy Reagan and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, a new preface, and new chapters devoted to Barbara Bush and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

For anyone interested in a snapshot view of the presidency, this anecdotal history of American presidential wives...is important to read--and certainly fun....Boller's anecdotes are fascinating and amusing. --Letitia Baldrige,Washington Post Book World

Boller has splendidly fulfilled his purpose of producing a fascinating...account of what it has meant for a woman to be the wife of a president....This collective history of presidential wives calls attention to their significance in the nation's history. --Journal of American History

Boller's deep insight into [these women's] lives and personalities...[Adds] new historical detail to White House folklore. --Los Angeles Times Book Review

Boller excels at illuminating the pathos and tragedy that suffused the lives of...presidential wives. --The Chicago Tribune

It's a fascinating book that is easily read... --Ken Moore,Naples Daily News

Paul F. Boller, Jr.,is Professor of History, Emeritus, at Texas Christian University. He is the author of many books,lS¨