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Rating: 
Summary: Beautifully Written!
Review: I got a copy of this book from a book fair not on purpose. As a non-native English learner, what strikes me is the ability of Keckley to express rich emotions in very simple words and sentences. I always like reading first person narratives, fictions or true stories, but seldom find one as captivating as this. A five-star from me and it's a pity she didn't seem
to have written other books.
Rating: 
Summary: Elozabeth Keckley's Diary
Review: I really had a hard time reading this. It's one of the worst diary writings I have ever read. I can understand why a publisher would think this book would be important.
However, even if a book is someone as interesting as Mary Todd. Some things quiet honestly should never be published.
There were a few interesting moments about Mary and Abraham Lincoln in the diary. That is really the only reason why I gave it two stars.
The person who published this book. Makes it seems like there is more info on the Lincoln's then there acutely is.
It's more about the hard times of slavery. I don't have a problem reading about such things. However, there are a lot better books out there written about the subject.
If your really new to learning about the Civil War, slavery, and the Lincoln family. Then this book would be relatively of help to you.
But for any long time Civil War book. skip this.
Rating:
Summary: Stepping back in time
Review: I was enthralled by every page of this book. I couldn't put it down and was disappointed when it ended. As I was reading the book, I felt like I was stepping back in time witnessing the ordinary, human, day-to-day life behind the historical events we studied in school. The story was simple and yet it presented a very intimate glimpse into the genuine personalities of Abraham and Mary and the life the author shared with them. Elizabeth Keckley was not writing to impress anyone with her "insider" position in the White House, she was just sharing her story. The stories about her life as a slave also offered the reader an opportunity to experience slavery through the eyes and heart of a slave. How lucky we are that she wrote this book.
Rating:
Summary: Stepping back in time
Review: I was enthralled by every page of this book. I couldn't put it down and was disappointed when it ended. As I was reading the book, I felt like I was stepping back in time witnessing the ordinary, human, day-to-day life behind the historical events we studied in school. The story was simple and yet it presented a very intimate glimpse into the genuine personalities of Abraham and Mary and the life the author shared with them. Elizabeth Keckley was not writing to impress anyone with her "insider" position in the White House, she was just sharing her story. The stories about her life as a slave also offered the reader an opportunity to experience slavery through the eyes and heart of a slave. How lucky we are that she wrote this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Major Disappointment
Review: I'm a big fan of Mary Todd Lincoln material and have never been less than fascinted reading about her...until now. The book, with small print and no photos, is very "light-weight." You'll read it in half-an-hour. And it concentrates only on one (minor) element of Mary's life (with Elizabeth), Mrs. Lincoln's auction of her clothes. Very disappointing purchase for anyone seeking to learn something about Mary and/or the many years that she and Eliz. knew each other.
Rating:
Summary: Major Disappointment
Review: I'm a big fan of Mary Todd Lincoln material and have never been less than fascinted reading about her...until now. The book, with small print and no photos, is very "light-weight." You'll read it in half-an-hour. And it concentrates only on one (minor) element of Mary's life (with Elizabeth), Mrs. Lincoln's auction of her clothes. Very disappointing purchase for anyone seeking to learn something about Mary and/or the many years that she and Eliz. knew each other.
Rating: 
Summary: Intersting...
Review: The story/diary it self I found wasn't written very good.However I found Ms.Keckley's relationship with Mrs.Mary Todd Lincoln and her family intersting.
She gave some insightfll thoughts about Mary and Abraham that was quite a treat to read.
Rating:
Summary: Suppressed Original "Tell All" Book Available Affordably!
Review: This book gives a first hand, up close and in person view of the marriage of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln during their White House years. Mrs Keckley, born a slave near Petersburg, Virginia, purchased her freedom and that of her only son. Like Mary Lincoln, she, too, lost a son during the Civil War, her only son. The book is full of wonderful quotations that have found their way into nearly every account of the First Couple. Her account of Willie Lincoln's death is especially touching. Mrs Keckley was a truly wonderful friend for Mary Lincoln, but the publication of this book ended their friendship. The reader is introduced in these pages to two remarkable women and made painfully aware of all the sadness they lived through. The reader will be grateful to have learned their story from someone who lived thru it, even though a ghostwriter assisted the former slave in her writing. The book never reached it's contemporary audience. Mary Lincoln's son, Robert Todd Lincoln, personally suppressed it. It is far more worthy to be read than the recently published "book" by the Lincoln's trifling Springfield maid, Mariah Vance, which is indeed a "Mammy"/"Aunt Jemima" diatribe if ever there was one!
Rating:
Summary: LOUSY !!!!!!!!!!!
Review: This book was VERY,VERY DISAPPOINTING!It had only 2 chapters on 30yrs.of being a SLAVE(if you can believe that!) and 13 CHAPTERS
on 4 yrs. in the White House!!
GO FIGURE!!!!! I am SO SORRY I had my daughter get this book for me for Mother's DAY!
Rating:
Summary: The Life Of A Slave
Review: This is my least favorite book on the Lincolns. It's the story of Elizabeth Keckley, who was a slave. Elizabeth eventaully becomes Mary Todd Lincoln's dressmaker and friend. This is a lot more about slavery than the Lincolns.I don't mind reading about the subject. I just didn't think it was a very well-written book on Elizabeth's part.
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