Chris' Fish Place

Dolley Madison is my favorite first lady.  I’m sorry Michelle, but she is.  The whole story of her marriage to Madison, her saving of the Washington Portrait.  The fact that she reminds of the Unsinkable Molly Brown as played by Debbie Reynolds (Look, I don’t know why, she just does).

                This book looks at the influence of Dolley Madison on the not only the role of the First Lady but on politics, the argument being that the role of women in the political system has been vastly overlooked.

                It’s true that there is some repetition of phrases that goes beyond the “repeat key ideas” rule, but it is a pleasant read that moves along at a quick place.

                While Dolley’s role in the rescue of key items from Washington DC is detailed, the focus is on Dolley’s influence in terms of greasing the wheels of politics.  This includes how and with what she decorated the White House, what she wore and so on.

                In other words, the intense gaze that lasers in on Michelle Obama and Hilary Clinton, just to name two, didn’t start recently. 

                Depressing, but true.

                And Dolley stayed in Gray’s Ferry.  I doubt she would recognize it now.

                It should be noted that the Madisons’ as slave owners is not whitewashed.  In fact, Allegor’s harshest criticism of Dolley appears here, and it is done in the terms of history and Dolley’s character.

                This book is an ideal read in addition to the work of Cokie Roberts.