First Ladies

Betty Boyd Caroli's First Ladies observes the role as it has shifted and evolved from ceremonial backdrop to substantive world figure ... This [is a] expanded and updated fifth edition ... covering all forty-three women from Martha Washington to Melaniaand Ivanka Trump and including the daughters, daughters-in-law, and sisters of presidents who sometimes served as First Ladies. Caroli explores each woman's background, marriage, and accomplishments and failures in office. First Ladies is a portrait of how each First Lady changed the role and how the role changed in response to American culture. These women left remarkably complete records, and their stories offer us a window through which to view not only this particular sorority of women, but also the role of American women in general.--Provided by publisher.