monicamjw's review against another edition
4.0
Reading this book makes you appreciate the politically informed and engaged character of the women during the early days of the United States, and causes you to miss the voice of another extraordinary woman, its author Cokie Roberts.
judyward's review against another edition
4.0
I picked this book because I'm teaching a class on American women--you know, the wild and the wicked--and found it fascinating. The follow up book to Founding Mothers, this volume deals with the stories of American women from the Revolution to the disputed election of 1824 and the "corrupt bargain" that brought John Quincy Adams to the White House. The tone is gossipy rather than scholarly, which made for fun reading, and Roberts relies heavily on the letters written to and by the ladies highlighted in this volume. Thank goodness for the letter writers. They traded news, gossip, observations, etc. about the personalities and the issues of the day. Fascinating insights into Abigail Adams, Louisa Adams, Dolley Madison, Martha Washington, and countless others.
kristianspring's review against another edition
4.0
A fun look at how the women of the post-revolutionary era helped shape our country. Good stories and primary sources. I would like a bit more arc, or connection between them.
tracyzim's review against another edition
1.0
Honestly, this was boring and didactic and annoying. I appreciate the attempt to include women of color, but the whole freaking thing falls flat. The anecdotes are largely pointless and sometimes offensive, and the illustrations and layout are confusing.
libraryjen's review against another edition
3.0
A nice collection of strong women who made an impact on the country. There's nothing terribly exciting here, but it could be a springboard to a more in-depth study of any of these ladies, all of whom have interesting stories.
maidmarianlib's review against another edition
4.0
Brief sketches of a range of women, information is good and the illustrations add context
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