book data
233 ratings,
3.64
average rating, 82 reviews
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published
April 8th 2008
by William Morrow
binding
Hardcover, 336 pages
isbn
006078234X
(isbn13: 9780060782344)
description
In Founding Mothers, Cokie Roberts paid homage to the heroic women whose patriotism and sacrifice helped create a new nation. Now the number one New
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avg 3.64
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
What history book tends to comment on what Mrs. M wore or how Mrs. Adams decorated her home for a ball honoring her husband's political opponent? This one does! Even better, through quotations of personal correspondence written by, to, or about a woman, we peek into the minds and hearts of America's leading families of the first quarter of the nineteenth century. I'd never known of Louisa Catherine Adams's harrowing adventure as she and her small son traveled from St. Petersburg to Paris (in ...more
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I finished this book last night. I do heartily recommend it to all whether your interested in history or not. As I mentioned in my early report while I was only a couple of chapters into the book, it is filled with quotes from letters written by the ladies of the times and so much more. Cokie Roberts must have read or had help reading hundreds of letters from those days. Plus she gives lots of information about women making a mark in their towns and cities around this growing nation, and for...more
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4 comments
I learned facinating things about the First Ladies of our country. Some things I didn't want to know about some of the men, however.
I did learn about one woman, who is mentioned in the book, that I have since decided to greatly admire: Isabella Marshall Graham, who began the first orphanages in NYC as well as organizing a relief society for young widows with children (which she had personally experienced). She wrote her own autobiography called The Power of Faith (which can be found i...more
I did learn about one woman, who is mentioned in the book, that I have since decided to greatly admire: Isabella Marshall Graham, who began the first orphanages in NYC as well as organizing a relief society for young widows with children (which she had personally experienced). She wrote her own autobiography called The Power of Faith (which can be found i...more
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Read in January, 2009
recommended to Trina by:
NPRrecommends it for: Heather Cummins, Leah Walker, Cindy Wilson
I loved this book and it's unique portrayal of political events post-Revolutionary War through the war of 1812 via the eyes of the prominant women of the time. Roberts quotes extensively from the women who wrote about current events and I was captivated. There's nothing like reading Louisa and John Quincy Adam's letters to each other to feel how real these people were and to get a sense of what it was like to live during those times. It was what I love most about history: a feeling of being conn...more
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01/06/09
Kathleen
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Read in July, 2008
Ladies of Liberty: Early America’s Influential Women, written and narrated by Cokie Roberts, produced by Harper Audio, downloaded from audible.com.
In her "delightfully intimate and confiding" style (Publishers Weekly), Roberts presents a colorful blend of biographical portraits and behind-the-scenes vignettes chronicling women's public roles and private responsibilities. Recounted with the insight
and humor of an expert storyteller and drawing on personal correspon...more
In her "delightfully intimate and confiding" style (Publishers Weekly), Roberts presents a colorful blend of biographical portraits and behind-the-scenes vignettes chronicling women's public roles and private responsibilities. Recounted with the insight
and humor of an expert storyteller and drawing on personal correspon...more
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I listened to this on my Holiday commute this year. Fascinating perspective on the ladies of the American Revolution--a spunky lot, I must say! Cokie Roberts was an excellent narrator as well.
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Read in November, 2008
Dense and a bit dry, but thorough history. I had no idea how much women were a part of politics and public life--women used to crowd in Congress to listen to debates! I would like to read Cokie's earlier tome, Founding Mothers.
I am thoroughly disappointed in the editing. First of all, the basic copy-editing is appalling. There are dozens of silly errors, like sentence fragments, misplaced prepositions, unclear pronouns, etc. Second, the content and organization could use a lot...more
I am thoroughly disappointed in the editing. First of all, the basic copy-editing is appalling. There are dozens of silly errors, like sentence fragments, misplaced prepositions, unclear pronouns, etc. Second, the content and organization could use a lot...more
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08/10/08
Sarah
marked it as to-read
It's so much fun to start this book within just a few months of finishing the first (Founding Mothers). It's like we're back visiting with old friends...
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Read in August, 2008
recommends it for:
anyone who enjoys reading about American history
Women in history, especially American history, are often overlooked. Cokie Roberts seeks to right that wrong by giving us an inside look at the women who mattered in revolutionary America: how they affected powerful men and, hence, public policy, as well as the contributions and sacrifices they made to allow the great men of America to be great men. For instance, conventional history tends to treat Louisa Adams, wife of John Quincy Adams, as a weak, unhappy woman. But one only has to read the ac...more
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The book was a disappointment due to the fact that it was limited from John Adams presidence to John Quincy Adams presidency and to the society of Washington women within that time period...
It was fascinating for the information that has not been revealed up to now except in historical societies or on their websites that are putting diaries online to examine -- to learn that a Jefferson daughter had married into the Bonaparte family -- the undercurrents of the families and what the women t...more
It was fascinating for the information that has not been revealed up to now except in historical societies or on their websites that are putting diaries online to examine -- to learn that a Jefferson daughter had married into the Bonaparte family -- the undercurrents of the families and what the women t...more
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Read in December, 2008
I picked up this book primarily to research a historical novel that I'm in the process of researching, but I found myself reading every word. Clearly Roberts had a lot of help researching this book--and she also clearly draws on the work of other historians--but she's done a deft job of weaving together the life stories and letters of a group of pretty fascinating women who have too often been overlooked by historians.
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A nice read depicting women with uncommon political influence. Cokie Roberts has a light narrative that follows a historically significant timeline. When it stands alone, the Robert's text is charming. Bottom line, though, Ladies of Liberty pales when juxtapositioned with Gail Collin's "Americas Women: 400 Yrs of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines".
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Read in May, 2009
I read this book as a follow on to the first book, Founding Mothers. While this does continue to educate based on the female point of view, this book did not pull together as well the stories of these women. The last two chapters were the better parts of this book.
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Read in June, 2008
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Roberts includes all sorts of interesting stories and tidbits of historical information about these women and the country in this period and she does so in a style that feels almost like reading a fun fictional novel.
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Read in May, 2009
This book was an interesting foray into the contributions of women to American ideas and institutions, but it made for somewhat tiring reading at times since it was more of a history book and less of an analysis. I respect Cokie Roberts' research, expertise and experience, and I recommend the book. However, I do think readers should pace themselves - perhaps alternate reading this along with something else. Cokie Roberts
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Read in July, 2008
recommends it for:
anyone interested women in American History
Cokie Roberts is an excellent writer. I enjoy historical writing and Roberts draws on actual letters and documents written during the time post-American revolution up through the beginning of John Quincy Adam's presidency--in 1825. From a Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Dolley Madison to Louisa Adams, it's an amazing thing to read about how in so many ways we're connected to our past. The thought of these women and their families traveling across the sea to Russia, London, France and Sweden as...more
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Read in May, 2009
I had no idea Abagail Adams was such a pepper and that Dolly Madison was such a hostess. I enjoyed learning about the role of women in the early days of the United States. I learned that in politics, some things NEVER change!
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Read in September, 2008
Although at times it read a bit like Genesis (a lot of so-and-so begat so-and-so, had a fling with so-and-so, marched to Boston with so-and-so), this book was terrific. These astonishing stories of the many brave, educated, and strong-willed women, our founding mothers, deserve to be told and re-told to our own children.
I'm an avid library user, but I am very tempted to run out and buy this one! It would be a good re-read, I think, especially for those nights when you need something...more
I'm an avid library user, but I am very tempted to run out and buy this one! It would be a good re-read, I think, especially for those nights when you need something...more
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Read in May, 2009
Excellent insight into the women of early America - lots of quotes from letters and highly educational about politics in Washington from the beginning of our history. Loved it.
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This was a fantastic read! So much history and a fun glimpse into the personalities of these women. I'd highly recommend it to one and all.
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