The President's Lady

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Summary: The President's Lady: A Novel of Rachel and Andrew Jackson
Review: Just finished reading this for a class. Enjoyable and a fast read in historical fiction. I especially admired the skillful way Irving Stone mixes fiction and fact to breath fresh life into long dead characters. The story is told through Rachel Jackson's narrative and we immediately find out about her first marriage to an abusive husband. The after effects of this tragic marriage have diastrous consequences for the future political career of Andrew Jackson. Love triumphs and the tender depictions of the couples enduring love and intimate moments make the book a very human and readable. I'm not a history buff, but the book is interesting and historically accurate. The descriptions of New Orleans were appreciated. Rachel proves to be a more than capable homesteader, managing a large property and horses in Jackson's absence. A good perspective showing Americian politics hasn't really changed much at all.

Rating:
Summary: A great way to present history
Review: Reading history can be challenging. But Irving Stone makes reading history a delightfull and entertaining experience. This book is very well researched and presents an in depth portrait of an enduring love affair. A must read for students of American history and a delight for all.