Book Description
A vibrant social history set against the backdrop of the Antebellum south and the Civil War that recreates the lives and friendship of two exceptional women: First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and her mulatto dressmaker, Elizabeth Keckly.
“I consider you my best living friend,” Mary Lincoln wrote to Elizabeth Keckly in 1867, and indeed theirs was a close, if tumultuous, relationship. Born into slavery, mulatto Elizabeth Keckly was Mary Lincoln’s dressmaker, confidante, and mainstay during the difficult years that the Lincolns occupied the White House and the early years of Mary’s widowhood. But she was a fascinating woman in her own right, independent and already well-established as the dressmaker to the Washington elite when she was first hired by Mary Lincoln upon her arrival in the nation’s capital. Lizzy had bought her freedom in 1855 and come to Washington determined to make a life for herself as a free black, and she soon had Washington correspondents reporting that “stately carriages stand before her door, whose haughty owners sit before Lizzy docile as lambs while she tells them what to wear.” Mary Lincoln had hired Lizzy in part because she was considered a “high society” seamstress and Mary, an outsider in Washington’s social circles, was desperate for social cachet. With her husband struggling to keep the nation together, Mary turned increasingly to her seamstress for companionship, support, and advice—and over the course of those trying years, Lizzy Keckly became her confidante and closest friend.
With Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Keckly, pioneering historian Jennifer Fleischner allows us to glimpse the intimate dynamics of this unusual friendship for the first time, and traces the pivotal events that enabled these two women—one born to be a mistress, the other to be a slave—to forge such an unlikely bond at a time when relations between blacks and whites were tearing the nation apart. Beginning with their respective childhoods in the slaveholding states of Virginia and Kentucky, their story takes us through the years of tragic Civil War, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the early Reconstruction period. An author in her own right, Keckly wrote one of the most detailed biographies of Mary Lincoln ever published, and though it led to a bitter feud between the friends, it is one of the many rich resources that have enhanced Fleischner’s trove of original findings.
A remarkable, riveting work of scholarship that reveals the legacy of slavery and sheds new light on the Lincoln White House, Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Keckly brings to life a mesmerizing, intimate aspect of Civil War history, and underscores the inseparability of black and white in our nation’s heritage.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Well written, informative and compelling.......2006-02-16
After reading this book I feel as if I know the two ladies, their lives and their times.
Two for the price of one, dragging on, but ending nicely done........2005-12-14
Going back and forth between biographical chapters of the two ladies for a good portion of the book left me tireless and bored. Almost rejoicing when the book finally picked up after what seemed to be an ad infinitum of the two woman's seemingly ordinary lives, nothing really there to surprise from previous knowledge of both a white and black's reality of that particular time period, I in all honestly could have done without the meticulously detailed first half of the book. On the contrary I did find that the many similarities between the two such as same birth year and rather close birthplace, both in the south to be rather ironic in conjunction with their very different social standing and contrasting, perhaps even a bit complimenting personality traits. This is possibly the only helpful information I was able to take from the first half of the book.
Fleischner does appear to know plenty on each individual, but enough's enough, I picked up the book for an interesting read about such an odd friendship between the pair.
Forcing myself to get through these lackluster chapters, the meeting and companionship of the two very different women at long last appeared! Before getting to this point of the book I would have been generous in giving the book two stars, however after their first encounter, the day before Abe Lincoln's Presidential inauguration in 1861 I actually found myself enjoying my time reading it.
Keckly, a mulatto, grew up in a harsh life of slavery, eventually independently able to buy her way out and prosper in the seamstress business. Thus being the reason, lavish and somewhat peculiar Lincoln called upon the former slave for her distinguished dress-making skills. The last chapters did seem rushed, and I was left wanting more details on the actual societal aspects of the South in the nineteenth century. I enjoyed the mentioning of how times were back then, always being captivating to me. The prices, fashions, and entertainment of Civil War times really absorbed my interest, however short-lived those parts were. The association and reference of historical people and events i.e. W.E.B Du Bois, Cassius Clay, Bleeding Kansas allowed me to relate the reading to History class, always bringing unexpected excitement to a learning student.
The brilliantly unlikely friendship between Mrs. Keckly and Mrs. Lincoln did get its justice in Jennifer Fleischner's double biography. If you have patience for dullness, and are willing to stick it out for what turns out to be a great story of two apparently opposite woman who grow together in a historic tale of true friendship, then don't hesitate to pick this book up. Three stars for getting two bios for the price of one, the book might have dragged on, but turning out rather compelling, and nicely done.
Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Keckley.......2005-10-26
I was disappointed in the viewpoint of the author who seemed less interested in the relationship of the two women than in the social problems of a free Black woman who was the confidant of Mary Lincoln. I began reading the book in an attempt to understand both women and the circumstances in which their friendship occurred. The book, however, leans heavily toward Mrs. Keckley & portrays Mrs. Lincoln at her best as a spoiled White woman & at her worst as a lunatic. The final paragraph sums up the author's reasons for writing the book in a complaint that Mary is buried in the Lincoln vault with President Lincoln (where else would she have been put?)& Mrs. Keckley's unclaimed body lies in an unmarked grave..."like those of her mother, slave father and son". The book is not about Mary Lincoln or Mrs. Keckley; it is a social commentary.
Sometimes interesting, but often puts me to sleep.......2005-09-10
The characters in this book and their stories are interesting at times, but the author takes far too much time imparting their stories. I am reading this book for a church cirle book review, and I am having trouble reading it. If I want a nap that day, all I need to do is pick up this book and read it a while!
Interesting, but needs more detail! .......2004-08-24
I did enjoy reading "Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Keckly: The Remarkable Story of the Friendship Between a First Lady and a Former Slave." It rates a 3 out of 5 stars for me because of the lack of depth, particularly in the latter part of the book.
Like most people, all I had really heard about Mary Lincoln was that she had emotional issues and ended up being committed by her own son. This is true, and the book does a good job of relating the childhood events that warped the young Mary Todd.
Lizzy Keckly, the slave who buys her freedom and becomes Washington DC's leading "modiste", is a fascinating personage who well deserves the attention the book gives her life. I found the description of Lizzy's life in slavery to be very powerful. In particular, the passage where her master hires someone to "break her" made my stomach turn and the barbarity of slavery struck home anew.
The beginning of the book starts out strong. The chapters alternate between the lives of the two ladies. After Mary marries Lincoln, however, I feel the book loses steam. I craved more description not only of their lives but of the historic events that surrounded them. Maybe my perception of this book was hurt by having just finished David McCullough's masterful "John Adams", which is lavish in detail. Maybe there just isn't enough evidence out there about Mary and Lizzy's lives after they hit middle age. (I'm willing to buy that about Lizzy, but about Mary? It seems unlikely.) At any rate, by the time you hit the last few chapters, it seems as if the author is hurrying to finish up and I think it ends abruptly.
Average customer rating:
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Walking Integrity: Benjamin Elijah Mays, Mentor to Martin Luther King Jr.
Manufacturer: Mercer University Press
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Born to Rebel: An Autobiography
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Benjamin Elijah Mays: A Pictorial Life and Times (Voices of the African Diaspora)
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With Head and Heart: The Autobiography of Howard Thurman
ASIN: 0865546045 |
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The American Heritage Book of the Presidents and Famous Americans (Volume 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12)
Manufacturer: Dell Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LEK3OI |
Product Description
12 Volume Set
Book Description
Born the son of a sharecropper in 1894 near Ninety Six, South Carolina, Benjamin E. Mays went on to serve as president of Morehouse College for twenty-seven years and as the first black president of the Atlanta School Board. His earliest memory, of a lynching party storming through his county, taunting but not killing his father, became for Mays an enduring image of black-white relations in the South. Born to Rebel is the moving chronicle of his life, a story that interlaces achievement with the rebuke he continually confronted.
Customer Reviews:
Another great one.......2006-08-24
This was a wonderful book, its a wonder how Dr. Mays overcame all the things that was holding him back. This is one you should read.
Excellent!!!!!.......2001-02-09
Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays (1894-1984) was one of the most prominent educators, social reformists and civil rights and religious leaders of his time. This book magnificently captures a time in American history that is far too scarcely documented: the Post-Civil War segregation era, leading up to 1970. This book gives a very personal description of Dr. Mays's struggles for dignity, respect and integrity, while simultaneously touching upon the collective struggle of African-Americans. I recommend this book for anyone seeking a greater understanding of African-American and American history. Mr. Mays was a pioneer in social reform and civil rights, was the President of Morehouse College from 1940-67, was a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and held the honor of being the "First" to hold several important and powerful positions in private and public organizations. He was a giant among men. I assure you that this is one of the best autobiographies that you will read.
Book Description
America's most credible history magazine, American Heritage(r), joins forces with one of America's most esteemed and preeminent presidential historians, Michael Beschloss, to present a unique and extraordinary behind-the-scenes look at the forty-four Presidents and presidencies that have shaped this country. The Presidents: Every Leader from Washington to Bush offers a biographical profile of each man and a full account of the issues that shaped their presidency. This book will serve as an indispensable reference guide for many years to come, for seasoned observers, students just learning about the presidency, and readers interested in the men and issues that shaped America.
Customer Reviews:
The Best Overview of the Presidents. Scholarly yet Readable.......2004-09-17
In a review for a previous edition of this book, another reviewer praised this book and warned positively of "information overload." I agree. This book is excellent and is loaded with facts of presidential history.
I am a reader of American presidential history, and this is the best overview of the presidents I have read so far. The authors clearly are superb scholar of presidential history. This book meets the highest standard of scholarship while being very readable.
Too many other books on the presidents are too vague (even inaccurate) or targeted for junior high readers. Others have a rotten political bias. This book is neither.
This book does not subject you to watered down propaganda, recycled speeches, or overly-extended biographies covering the lives of the presidents before they were presidents. This book profiles the presidents in an unbiased way, with an emphasis on their acts as president, in scholarly detail. You will truly get to know the truth of every president in this book.
Highly recommended for pleasure reading and reliable reference.
Hey, Phil, I think it's pretty good.......2004-08-01
I haven't read the whole book yet, but I've found it has fascinating facts and anecdotes, especially about the early founding fathers and prexies. It personalizes and further brings into focus the incredible story of the first truly successful republic in modern history. The shorter bios. help give a flow and sweep to the historical periods that their tenures embody. No, you wouldn't want to read it in one or two sittings, but it's good in shorter snatches. They get amazingly complete and interesting details in each story; what an amazing life Andrew Jackson led, for example, in both his great and despicable qualities.
Just the facts, Jack.......2004-06-11
This book seemed more like a textbook than an entertaining read. It presented nothing more than the facts and I wasn't very entertained by it. Nevertheless, it is a good 5-second history reference and would make good use as a dust collector on your bookshelf.
Average customer rating:
- An Enlightening Autobiography
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The Autobiography Of William Sanders Scarborough: An American Journey From Slavery To Scholarship (African American Life Series)
William S. Scarborough
Manufacturer: Wayne State University Press
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0814332242 |
Book Description
An important autobiography that reveals the story of William Sanders Scarborough who rose out of slavery to become a renowned classical philologist and African American icon.
Customer Reviews:
An Enlightening Autobiography.......2006-01-08
This is an inspiring autobiography of one of the most successful African-American educators of his time. From about 1875-1925 Scarborough taught Greeek and Latin, mostly at Wilberforce University, where he eventually became President of the university. Scarborough gives an interesting and heartfelt account of his endeavors in education, classical literature, and the promotion of his race and faith. The book should interest the general reader, as well as professional classicists and historians.
Book Description
Every day our lives are affected by what the American president does. But there are some things we cannot know about presidents until many years after they leave office -- what really went on behind the scenes and how great their leadership was. That is the mission of this book.
American Heritage is known and trusted for its standard-bearing single-volume histories. Its various editions on the American Civil War and World War II, edited by such distinguished scholars as James McPherson and Stephen Ambrose, are recognized as classics and have together sold more than a million copies.
The American Heritage® Illustrated History of the Presidents is newly available in a richly illustrated and completely revised edition, with the preeminent presidential historian Michael Beschloss as general editor. This new book offers fresh and penetrating portraits of all forty-two presidencies, as rendered by some of America's most distinguished scholars.
From George Washington's reluctant oath-taking through Bill Clinton's turbulent leadership, we view forty-one ambitious and fallible men through the new lens of the twenty-first century. Where did they succeed? Where did they fail? What do we know now that we could not have known at the time?
The American Heritage® Illustrated History of the Presidents offers a biographical profile of each man and a full account of the issues and events that shaped each presidency, with pathbreaking new verdicts on the modern presidents -- Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton. In the tradition of other American Heritage volumes, the book will serve as an indispensable reference guide for many years to come, for both seasoned observers and students just learning about the presidency.
American Heritage is a trademark of American Heritage Inc. Its use is pursuant to a license agreement.
Customer Reviews:
The Best Presidents Review I've Read; Scholarly & Readable.......2004-03-19
I am a reader of American presidential history, and this is the best overview of the presidents I have read so far. It is loaded with details. The author clearly is a scholar of presidential history. This book meets the highest standard of scholarship while being very readable.
Too many other books on the presidents are too vague (even inaccurate) or targeted for junior high readers. Others have a political bias.
This book does not subject you to watered down propaganda, recycled speeches, or overly-extended biographies covering the lives of the presidents before they were presidents. This book profiles the presidents in an unbiased way, with an emphasis on their acts as president, in scholarly detail. You will truly get to know the truth of every president in this book.
Highly recommended.
Beware of information overload..........2001-12-12
If you've ever sat through a history class or finished a history book and been dissatisfied with the lack of "meat" on the "bone", you will love this book. It's very thick and packed with just about everything you could ever hope to learn about the American presidents, from George Washington to Captain (...)...uh I mean "William Jefferson Clinton". You'll learn where they were born, where they died, how they were brought up, who they married, how they were educated, their political agendas and snafus, who liked them and who hated them. There are also tons of pictures and illustrations.
Great book for your coffee table.......2001-05-27
"History buffs" will like this book. I used it as a sort of supplement for my dismal education in U.S. History. Beschloss did a decent job of gathering forty-odd synopses of the different Presidents, including very appropriate and interesting photos, and included a short biographical summary of each President (pertinent facts about immediate family and career). The book is also nice to help the reader assess the "big picture" of American History, from a renegade colony led by George Washington, scrapping for soldiers and supplies, to the world's most prosperous nation and only superpower.
Depending on your interest, you'll read the book differently. The economic perspective is what I looked for in the book, and I was not disappointed. You will definitely be made aware of the development of Industry, Jefferson's (and others') bad economic policies, and how different Presidents were affected by the ebb and flow of the economy over the last two centuries. Those who are interested in the wars will probably turn to Lincoln and FDR first, those who want to know more about the Founding Fathers will focus on the first several Presidents, and so on.
The book is more of a reference than something you would sit down and read from cover to cover, but is an excellent resource for most of us. By the way, the articles by and large are by no means tendentious. Beschloss and the writers undoubtedly went out of their way to be objective. If you have some extra time on your hands, give it a read. You probably won't be disappointed.
econ
Very good primer on all Presidents through Clinton.......2000-12-24
This is a very good reference book on all U.S. presidents up through the year 2000. There is even a section covering the year 2000 election. Each chapter which covers each president includes 10-20 pages covering the key accomplishments and/or failures of each administration. The book includes lots of pictures and other illustrations. Each chapter also includes nice tables listing key information about each president including date of birth, date of death, members of cabinet, etc. Good start for those readers interested in the presidency and those men who have served as president.
Customer Reviews:
Phenomenal Woman. Inspirational Story........2007-02-15
I haven't yet finished my copy of this first work but just today I heard Janis Kearney speak for the third time during a series of events here in Birmingham, AL- at both Miles College & the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. I have been overwhelmed with emotion by both the literal and symbolic convergence between myself and the author. I KNOW that each person in the audience today and the previous two identified with the author in one way or another. Her story is that of any person who has ever dared to dream AND BELIEVE that DREAMS CAN & OFTEN DO COME TRUE. For those individuals who have not ventured to imagine the possiblities let this bio of her early beginnings until today be something of a testimonial or road map to realizing the potential within you- and each of us. I highly recommend that you purchase this book but also make it a point to attend a Kearney speaking engagement if ever afforded the opportunity.
Amazing family story.......2005-02-23
This is a wonderful memoir - a very moving look at the life of an Arkansas sharecropping family - with a strong message for the parents of today who want to raise successful children.
Personal History.......2005-02-12
I am the niece of Janis Kearney. I can not tell you how blessed I was to read this book. In a family so large, it is hard to get everyone's "story." It brought tears to my eyes to read my aunt's memories, and through her words get to know a little bit about a grandmother I don't remember and an aunt whose death I can't forget. I hope that efforts like this will be taken up by more individuals, so that the generations that come behind us can benefit from the historian in us all.
Taking Us Back..........2005-01-15
Upon meeting Janis F. Kearney, one is presented with a combination of soft-spoken gentleness, wisdom beyond her years, and a quiet strength that isn't seen often in people anymore. I've had the pleasure of meeting Kearney, and now after reading her memoir, I've had the opportunity to learn a bit more about her and how she came to have the above qualities. COTTON FIELD OF DREAMS, her debut title, is a beautiful heart-felt tribute to her family.
It amazes me and touches my heart how such a large family with so few material possessions had so much that matters in life...love, support, and determination to succeed at all costs. How is it that an uneducated sharecropper with 17 children can inspire his children to learn and to reach for the greater things in life? How is it that those same children missed the first portion of the school year, but were still ahead of their class academically? How is it that each of these children grew up to surpass the confines put on their parents and other poor blacks of that time period? The book was so real to me, I shared in the family's happy times, their heartaches, their success, and the benefit of parents who inspired and instilled the importance of education. I cried over the deaths in Kearney's family, rejoiced in the yearly reunion, and celebrated a great piece of African-American history and family.
Kearney was the personal diarist to Clinton and also served in other positions during his campaign and years in office. In the foreword he points out, "From their parents, the Kearney children absorbed a powerful conviction: They were neither better nor less than any other human being. This conviction gave them the self-confidence to move far beyond their difficult beginnings." It is this conviction, this type of upbringing, that is missing in the majority of houses today.
COTTON FIELD OF DREAMS shares the lessons taught by our forefathers and brought to fruition by faith, trust, perseverance, and the desire to dream. The writing is soft and soulful, the shared memories are heart-warming, and the final outcome of the Kearney children was simply awe-inspiring. When one thinks of 17 children growing up in the South during the mid-1900s, it is unusual to picture them as lawyers, historians, and such in the present, but with the exception of one child, they all reached this level of success. It just goes to show that materialistic wealth means nothing when compared to upbringing. It all goes back to the parents, one of the most important aspects of a child's life. (RAW Rating: 4.5)
Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers
Cotton Field Of Dreams: A Memoir.......2004-12-31
I had a hard time putting down once I began reading. Many publications tell the story of survival of urban families. This book tells the story of survival and success of a african-american rural family. The writing was so mesmerizing that I was able to visualize each event in the life of the Kearney family.
Customer Reviews:
George Washington Carver was a true inspiration!.......2007-03-16
I bought this book for my 7 year old. She picked him for her class project and she needed to read his biography from a book, not from the internet. George Washington Carver was definitely an inspiration to his peers as well as all generations that came after him. My daughter really got into this book! She was fascinated by Mr. Carver because he invented peanut butter. I would recommend all school-age kids to read about Mr. Carver, he is truly a woven part of American history.
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