Rating: 
Summary: I liked the original better
Review: I liked the original book, Founding Mothers: Women of America in the Revolutionary Era by Linda Grant DePauw 1975 better. (Wonder why Amazon is not offering it...)
DePauw gave a detailed portrait of all women of that era, including blacks and native Americans, Loyalist women and much more about the time and culture for women. Roberts just gives us a glimpse of the only culture she knows, that of elitist wealthy politicians' wives and daughters, like herself.
Rating: 
Summary: I read all this before
Review: I was very disappointed in this book. If you have read Benjamin Franklin and John Adams you have already read 80% of this book.It was just a review of the dozens of books on the Revolutionary War. It barely mentioned Dolly Madison and basically stopped with Martha Washington, Abigal Adams and a little bit about Benjamin's roomate. Big disappointment.
Rating: 
Summary: It's About Time!
Review: It's about time that a book was written about the extraordinary women who were obscured behind famous men throughout history. In this book Cokie Roberts does an excellent job in telling their much overlooked story and pointing out how important their contributions were to America. If you love history, I highly recommend it! Debbie Farmer, 'Don't Put Lipstick on the Cat'
Rating:
Summary: I like the way she makes up quotes and events and stuff
Review: It's true that almost everything we were taught about American history was about the men who fought the wars and served in government and built the nation. But the reason for that is simple. Most of recorded history, unfortunately, is about the men. But thanks to the whimsical imagination of modern day out-of-work television commentators like Cokie, we can now have a fascinating, yet completely fictionalized, account of the lives and conversations of these courageous women (I guess they were courageous) who lived in the shadows of their over-rated male spouses or fathers or sons or whatever. I especially loved the made-up spat between Abigail Adams and her philandering husband, after he foolishly tells her about how attractive the girls in France were. Cokie pretty much told the same story in her earlier book " we are our mothers daughters", but it's a great story and I never get tired of it. I predict her next book will be a history of great American wives, and she will again get to tell that great Abigail Adams story, and you better believe that I will be the first one in line at Borders to get it. Keep up the great work Cokie with the history of randomly chosen women and great randomly-chosen married American couples through the ages.
Rating: 
Summary: NO DOLDRUMS HERE.
Review: One of the problems with history is that it's male orientated. There isn't much about our "founding mothers." Roberts finds most of her information in the letters and diaries of these women. At the age of sixteen, Eliza Lucas (Pinckey) ran her father's three plantations, taught her sisters and slaves lessons and wrote Wills for her neighbors. Ben Franklin's common-law wife ran his print shop and her Sundry shop while he played politics. Pamphlets were the delivery system of the colonial era and it was Mercy Otis Warren, the wife and sister of revolutionaries, who bravely published pamphlets against the British government. _Founding Mothers_ is a fascinating read/listen. Those who consider history dull will discover this book has enough personal tidbits about our founding mothers to ward off the doldrums. Highly recommended for a personal read or for a school project. Brenda @ MyShelf.Com
Rating:
Summary: Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation
Review: Political correspondent Roberts has deep roots in American political families--her mother was a U.S. congresswoman from Louisiana, and an ancestor, William Claiborne, was a U.S. congressman from Tennessee in the 1790s. Here she offers a look at the women--mostly wives and mothers--who supported the men credited with creating the U.S. Lamenting the dearth of history about these women, Roberts primarily draws on letters and diaries to document their significant contributions. Among her subjects is Deborah Read Franklin, who was virtually abandoned for 16 of the last 17 years of her marriage to Benjamin, who held a post in England and left her to manage the home and businesses. She was forced to protect their home from a mob angry at her husband's position on the Stamp Act. Also among those profiled are Martha Washington, who used her considerable wealth to help finance the revolution; Abigail Adams, whose famous remark to her husband,ohn, to remember the ladies was thought to be a reference to women's rights; and Phyllis Wheatley, a former slave who earned the admiration of George Washington with her poetry. Roberts offers a much-needed look at the unheralded sacrifices and heroism of colonial women. -
Rating:
Summary: History Behind Our History
Review: The conceit of this book--historical revisionism, driven not by ideology or politics, but by the domestic drama behind the actual events--is fascinating. Obviously, wars are fought by men and history (mostly) written by men, so this look inside the personal lives of the Founders of the republic and framers of the Constitution adds a revealing layer of complexity. (Just what was it like to be Ben Franklin's wife?) The impact of family on war, revolution and political intrigue has been utterly neglected. Not a heavy, Caro/McCullough type of history, but readable, well-written and balanced. I am also enjoying "I Sleep At Red Lights: A True Story of Life After Triplets," by Bruce Stockler, a reverse history of marriage and parenthood and career, written by a sleep-deprived and insightful man.
Rating:
Summary: Better in the hands of Doris Goodwin or John Krakauer
Review: The concept of this book is what interested me. I was quite inspired by the women depicted here. Unfortuantely I found the work to be poorly written. I certainly could have done without the personal commentary Cokie threaded through the book. It was as if I was being directed what to think. I "get it" I wanted to scream. The content wasn't all that bad but the book is written for the reader young reader, perhaps of high school age. I would consider it for paperback if at all.
Rating:
Summary: Better in the hands of Doris Goodwin or John Krakauer
Review: The concept of this book is what interested me. I was quite inspired by the women depicted here. Unfortuantely I found the work to be poorly written. I certainly could have done without the personal commentary Cokie threaded through the book. It was as if I was being directed what to think. I "get it" I wanted to scream. The content wasn't all that bad but the book is written for the reader young reader, perhaps of high school age. I would consider it for paperback if at all.
Rating: 
Summary: good stories ruined!!
Review: THE STORIES IN THIS AUDIO VERSION ARE GREAT. I DO RECOMMEND THAT YOU "READ" THE BOOK AND NOT LISTEN TO THE AUDIO.
MS. ROBERTS HAS A VOICE THAT IS AKIN TO CHALK ON A BLACKBOARD. IT IS SO GRATING AND DISTRACTING THAT IT RUINS THE STORIES.
I GOT RID OF THE AUDIO AND CHECKED OUT THE BOOK FROM THE LIBRARY.
I WILL NEVER AGAIN BUY ANYTHING THAT SHE MIGHT NARRATE.
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