Secret Lives of the First Ladies: What Your Teachers Never Told You About the Women of the White House

By Cormac O'Brien and Monika Suteski

These collected biographies on the wacky secrets and scandals of the first ladies of the United States casts American history in a whole new light
 
Whether she’s a leading lady, loyal spouse, or lightning rod for scandal, the First Lady of the United States has always been in the spotlight—and in 2017 that was truer than ever. This revised and expanded edition from Quirk’s best-selling Secret Lives series features outrageous and uncensored profiles of the women of the White House, from Martha Washington to Melania Trump, it comes complete with hundreds of little-known, politically incorrect, and downright wacko facts. Did you know that:
 
• Dolley Madison loved to chew tobacco
• Mary Todd Lincoln conducted séances on a regular basis
• Eleanor Roosevelt and Ellen Wilson both carried guns
• Jacqueline Kennedy spent $121,000 on her wardrobe in a single year
• Betty Ford liked to chat on CB radios—her handle was “First Mama”

With chapters on every woman who’s ever made it to the White House, Secret Lives of the First Ladies tackles all the tough questions that other history books are afraid to ask: How many of these women owned slaves? Which ones were cheating on their husbands? And why was Eleanor Roosevelt serving hot dogs to the King and Queen of England? American history was never this much fun in school!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jul 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781594744785

Reviews for Secret Lives of the First Ladies

[scote23 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A quick overview of the lives of the First Ladies.

[oddandbookish · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this book for free from the publisher (Quirk Books) in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book! I love history, especially when it comes to topics that are not talked about much. So naturally, this book was right up on my alley. This edition of the book features profiles of all the First Ladies, including the most recent one, Melania Trump. It gives a short biography about each First Lady and her time in the White House, as well as some fun facts and stories. There are also some fun illustrations (which I loved). My biggest takeaway from this was that so many of the First Ladies had tragic lives. Many of them were upset and cried when their husbands became president. A lot of them had to endure a bunch of bad stuff (absent husbands, children dying, health problems, long travels, etc.) to help their husbands get to the White House. I had no idea that this was the reality for a majority of them. Their lives were not as glamorous as some may have thought. Hardly anyone ever talks about the First Ladies (especially the earlier ones) so it was really insightful to learn more about them. They deserve more recognition than they get. Overall, if you want a fun little history lesson on the First Ladies, then look no further, this book is for you!

[vivavoss · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is a highly readable, very informative collection of facts and stories about our First Ladies. Chapters are just the right length, and full of the kinds of things readers themselves might ask these historical figures. Learn about Mamie Eisenhower's terrible health, Julia Dent Grant's crossed eyes, Ida McKinley's fainting fits and Eidth Bolling Galt Wilson's harrowing stint filling in for Woodrow after his stroke. Fun, educational, and it has great pictures! Impress your friends with your first-lady knowledge, and learn something along the way.