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Jul 16, 2002 | ISBN 9780385721882 Buy
Sep 22, 2010 | ISBN 9780307764225 Buy
Sep 18, 2001 | 347 Minutes Buy
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Available from:
Jul 16, 2002 | ISBN 9780385721882
Sep 22, 2010 | ISBN 9780307764225
Sep 18, 2001 | ISBN 9780739300015
347 Minutes
Kati Marton’s bestselling Hidden Power is an engrossing look at twelve presidential marriages–from Edith and Woodrow Wilson to Laura and George W. Bush–that have profoundly affected America’s history. Marton uncovers the behind-the-scenes dynamics of the ultimate power couples, showing how first ladies have used their privileged access to the president to influence staffing, promote causes, and engage directly in policy-making. Edith Wilson secretly ran the country after Woodrow’s debilitating stroke. Eleanor Roosevelt was FDR’s moral compass. And Laura Bush, initially shy of any public role, has proven to be the emotional ballast for her husband. Through extensive research and interviews, Marton reveals the substantial–yet often overlooked–legacy of presidential wives, providing insight into the evolution of women’s roles in the twentieth century and vividly depicting the synergy of these unique political partnerships.
An extraordinary work of history and original reporting that reveals the ways in which presidential marriages have affected the tone, character, and policies of twelve administrations, from Woodrow and Edith Wilson to George W. and Laura Bush.Each of the marriages that Kati Marton examines in this hugely appealing book offers up its own unexpected lessons about power and marriage, about the influence of presidential wives, and about the evolution of women’s roles in the twentieth century. Based on private White House documents and on interviews with the participants and with eyewitnesses to presidential events, Hidden Power explores how both the personal dynamics and public faces of White House marriages have shaped our history.We see Edith Wilson literally running the government when her deeply beloved husband becomes ill; how the combination of Franklin Roosevelt’s reassuring spirit and his wife’s humility guided the country through Depression and war; how Bess Truman’s loyalty, bluntness, and unpretentiousness were some of her husband’s greatest resources; the superb and necessary diplomacy of Jacqueline Kennedy.We observe Lady Bird Johnson retaining her own compass in the face of massive criticism of her husband; how Patricia Nixon’s estrangement from her husband fed his paranoia; how the Fords reassured us after the debacles of Vietnam and Watergate; Rosalynn Carter’s struggle to carve out new territory as first lady; the generally constructive role Nancy Reagan played, despite her frivolous reputation; the razor-sharp political instincts behind Barbara Bush’s grandmotherly image; how Hillary Clinton saved her husband’s presidency; and how Laura Bush provides emotional ballast for her husband.Here are the stories of the ultimate power couples—each one very different, but all of them informative, lively, and absolutely fascinating.
Kati Marton is the author of numerous works of non-fiction—Wallenberg, A Death in Jerusalem, andThe Polk Conspiracy—and fiction, An American Woman. She has written for The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Atlantic Monthly, Vanity Fair, and The New Republic. A former… More about Kati Marton
“Insightful. . . . Colorful. . . . A shrewd and illuminating look at the juncture where the personal and the political overlap.” –The Wall Street Journal“Irresistible. . . . An entertaining shot of history. . . . Scores of interviews and extensive research have turned up some revealing anecdotes and shrewd insights.” –The New York Times“Brilliant. . . . Delectable. . . . Marton has a deft hand with narrative. . . . It’s the intimate, keyhole view of these marriages that gives Hidden Power its allure.” –Newsday“Fascinating . . . well-researched.” –The New York Times Book Review
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