Edith Kermit Roosevelt

Edith Kermit Roosevelt
Author :
Publisher : University Press of Kansas
Total Pages : 182
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780700626519
ISBN-13 : 0700626514
Rating : 4/5 (514 Downloads)

Book Synopsis Edith Kermit Roosevelt by : Lewis L. Gould

Download or read book Edith Kermit Roosevelt written by Lewis L. Gould and published by University Press of Kansas. This book was released on 2018-02-09 with total page 182 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Few first ladies have enjoyed a better reputation among historians than Edith Kermit Roosevelt. Aristocratic and sophisticated, tasteful and discreet, she managed the White House with a sure hand. Her admirers say that she never slipped in carrying out her duties as hostess, mother, and adviser to her husband. Lewis Gould's path-breaking study, however, presents a more complex and interesting figure than the somewhat secularized saint Edith Roosevelt has become in the literature on first ladies. While many who knew her found her inspiring and gracious, family members also recalled a more astringent and sometimes nasty personality. Gould looks beneath the surface of her life to examine the intricate legacy of her tenure from 1901 to 1909. The narrative in this book thus uncovers much new about Edith Roosevelt. Far from being averse to activism, Edith Roosevelt served as a celebrity sponsor at a New York musical benefit and also intervened in a high-profile custody dispute. Gould traces her role in the failed marriage of a United States senator, her efforts to secure the ambassador from Great Britain that she wanted, and the growing tension between her and Helen Taft in 1908-1909. Her commitment to bringing classical music artists to the White House, along with other popular performers, receives the fullest attention to date. Gould also casts a skeptical eye over the area where Edith Roosevelt's standing has been strongest, her role as a mother. He looks at how she and her husband performed as parents and dissents from the accustomed judgment that all was well with the way the Roosevelt offspring developed. Most important of all, Gould reveals the first lady's deep animus toward African Americans and their place in American society. She believed "that any mixture of races is an unmitigated evil." The impact of her bigotry on Theodore Roosevelt's racial policies must now be an element in any future discussion of that sensitive subject. On balance, Gould finds that Edith Roosevelt played an important and creative part in how the institution of the first lady developed during the twentieth century. His sprightly retelling of her White House years will likely provoke controversy and debate. All those interested in how the role of the presidential wife has evolved will find in this stimulating book a major contribution to the literature on a fascinating president. It also brings to life a first lady whose legacy must now be seen in a more nuanced and challenging light.


Edith Kermit Roosevelt Related Books

Edith Kermit Roosevelt
Language: en
Pages: 182
Authors: Lewis L. Gould
Categories: Biography & Autobiography
Type: BOOK - Published: 2018-02-09 - Publisher: University Press of Kansas

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Few first ladies have enjoyed a better reputation among historians than Edith Kermit Roosevelt. Aristocratic and sophisticated, tasteful and discreet, she manag
When Mother was a Little Girl
Language: en
Pages: 242
Authors: Frances Stanton Brewster
Categories: Amusements
Type: BOOK - Published: 1901 - Publisher:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The River of Doubt
Language: en
Pages: 442
Authors: Candice Millard
Categories: History
Type: BOOK - Published: 2009-12-16 - Publisher: Anchor

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • At once an incredible adventure narrative and a penetrating biographical portrait—the bestselling author of River of the Gods brings u
American First Ladies
Language: en
Pages: 492
Authors: Lewis L. Gould
Categories: History
Type: BOOK - Published: 2014-02-04 - Publisher: Routledge

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This volume presents thirty-nine interpretive biographical essays on all first ladies, from Martha Washington to America's newest First Lady, Laura Bush. This n
American Backlogs
Language: en
Pages: 294
Authors:
Categories:
Type: BOOK - Published: 1928 - Publisher:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK