Former White House correspondent Kate Andersen Brower wrote First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies. In this book she talks about Jackie Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, Rosalyn Carter, Nancy Reagen, Barbara Bush, Hilary Clinton, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama. There is a little in there about Mamie Eisenhower too. Brower did a lot of research of records plus she interviewed family, friends, press secretaries, secret service agents, and White House staff. She not only writes about each former first lady but also of her relationship with the other first ladies that came before and after her. Only a first lady can appreciate the difficulty of being a first lady. Some of the women were helpful to others. Sounds like Lady Bird Johnson and Laura Bush were the most helpful to others. I also got the impression that all of the former first ladies with the exception of Michelle Obama enjoyed their time in the White House. The author insists that Betty Ford leaves the biggest legacy by founding the Betty Ford treatment for drug and alcohol abuse. I liked the book as a whole but found it somewhat disorganized. I was constantly jerked back in forth in time without knowing why.
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