The Velvet Glove: A Life of Dolly Madison

by Noel B. Gerson

Follows Dolley Madison's life from her humble Virginia beginnings through her marriage to the fourth President to her prolonged and active widowhood

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction

264 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Noel Bertram Gerson (1913-1988) was an American author who wrote 325 books, including several best sellers, among them two screenplay novelizations penned under the pseudonym Samuel Edwards, The Naked Maja, and 55 Days at Peking.

Aside from "Samuel Edwards", which would seem to have been his dedicated by-line for tie-in work, Gerson used the following nine pseudonyms in addition to his own name: Anne Marie Burgess; Michael Burgess; Nicholas Gorham; Paul Lewis; Leon Phillips; Donald Clayton Porter; Dana Fuller Ross; Philip Vail; and Carter A. Vaughan.

Reviews

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know very much about Dolly Madison before reading this book but my sister told me all about it so I picked it up. Dolly seemed to live a happy life! I giggled when I read about Napoleon's sister, Pauline, soaking her dresses in water so they would cling to her body which started a fashion trend. Really?! How uncomfortable! All that chafing! I laughed when I read that the US government paid for a concubine to be provided to a dignitary from Tunisia - apparently misappropriation of government funds is nothing new!! It also amazed me to read that Madison did absolutely no campaigning for either election that he won!! It saddened me to read that her son was such a horrible gambler and gambled away all the family savings and that Dolly lived her final years in "genteel" poverty. So sad!

[Ceri · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating woman! The book was a little slow at times, but such fascinating details. Definitely worth the read.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was okay. It definitely has some historical inaccuracies.

[Heather]

⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good book about a great lady. i saw a documentary recently on dorthea payne, who married james madison several years before he became the 4th president of the united states so i was keen to learn more about her.

his book went into a great deal more detail of the amazing life she led and how she was at the center of activity in washington for four decades. i walk away from this reading with an enormous amount of respect for her. she had impeccable integrity, and was admired by countless people on all sides of the political spectrum, not only in america, but by many foreign dignitaries who visited her in washington city or the madison estate in richmond virginia.

they don't make 'em like they used to, kids.

[Cws]

92M