Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Preface ix
4. Introduction: Powers Behind the Presidency 1
5. 1 Martha Dandridge Custis Washington 9
6. 2 Abigail Smith Adams 19
7. 3 Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Mann and Mary “Polly” Jefferson Eppes 26
8. 4 Dolley Payne Todd Madison 29
9. 5 Elizabeth Kortright Monroe 36
10. 6 Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams 42
11. 7 Emily Tennessee Donelson and Sarah Yorke Jackson 50
12. 8 Angelica Singleton Van Buren 52
13. 9 Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison 54
14. 10 Letitia Christian Tyler 61
15. 11 Julia Gardiner Tyler 66
16. 12 Sarah Childress Polk 74
17. 13 Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor 80
18. 14 Abigail Powers Fillmore 87
19. 15 Jane Means Appleton Pierce 95
20. 16 Harriet Rebecca Lane Johnston 101
21. 17 Mary Ann Todd Lincoln 107
22. 18 Eliza McCardle Johnson 116
23. 19 Julia Dent Grant 122
24. 20 Lucy Ware Webb Hayes 129
25. 21 Lucretia Rudolph Garfield 136
26. 22 Mary Arthur McElroy 142
27. 23 Frances Clara Folsom Cleveland 144
28. 24 Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison 151
29. 25 Ida Saxton McKinley 158
30. 26 Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt 164
31. 27 Helen Herron Taft 173
32. 28 Ellen Louise Axson Wilson 183
33. 29 Edith Bolling Galt Wilson 190
34. 30 Florence Kling Harding 196
35. 31 Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge 204
36. 32 Lou Henry Hoover 212
37. 33 Anna Eleanor Roosevelt 218
38. 34 Elizabeth “Bess” Virginia Wallace Truman 226
39. 35 Mary Geneva “Mamie” Doud Eisenhower 231
40. 36 Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis 237
41. 37 Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Taylor Johnson 244
42. 38 Thelma Catherine “Pat” Ryan Nixon 250
43. 39 Elizabeth “Betty” Bloomer Ford 256
44. 40 Eleanor Rosalynn Smith Carter 262
45. 41 Anne Frances “Nancy” Robbins Davis Reagan 268
46. 42 Barbara Pierce Bush 273
47. 43 Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton 278
48. 44 Laura Welch Bush 284
49. Appendix 1 Formal Education of the First Ladies 289
50. Appendix 2 First Ladies’ Birthplaces (by state) 290
51. Appendix 3 Ages on Becoming First Lady 291
52. Appendix 4 First Ladies’ Presidential Marriages (in chronological order of the presidency) 292
53. Appendix 5 Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson 293
54. Appendix 6 Rachel Donelson Jackson 297
55. Appendix 7 Hannah Hoes Van Buren 303
56. Appendix 8 Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur 307
57. Selected Bibliography 312
58. Index of First Ladies and Presidents 313
59. Subject Index 317
60. About the Book 327