This is a biography of one of America's most enduringly popular first ladies, Dolley Madison. We learn of Dolley's Quaker beginnings. We read of her first marriage to John Todd. Sadly, Dolley would lose him and one of their sons on the same day when they died of yellow fever. Dolley picked up the pieces of her life and eventually met and married James Madison, who provided her with a comfortable living. She also broke with the Quakers at this time. Her marriage to Madison catapulted Dolley onto the national stage and immortalized her forever.

One of the drawbacks of this book, I think, is the constant mentioning of her extended family. Dolley's family tree is huge and complex. However, we did not need to read about it here. The same can be said for James Madison's family. Too much. The book gets supremely interesting when Dolley moves to Washington and becomes a mover and shaker of society. Her saving of Washington's portrait from the British is excellent reading, as is the way she totally redefined the role of First Lady.

After Madison's death, Dolley strove to make sure his legacy endured. She went into near poverty paying off her son's gambling debts and keeping up her husband's plantation. The book is hurriedly ended. Barely a mention is made of Dolley's relationships with other first families. She maintained good relationships with a great many of her successors in the White House, but you wouldn't know it from this book.

A good book if you are looking for a general overview about the life of Dolley Madison, but it is far from complete. ( )