Dolly Madison is one of the most intriguing women, indeed, one of the most intriguing people of either gender in American history. From the quiet rectitude of her Quaker upbringing, through the startlingly sudden romance of her marriage to James Madison, to her rise to a position of prominence and influence that created the role of the First Lady as we still know it today, through the tumult and chaos of the War of 1812, to the melancholy of her last years, marked by the bitterly disappointing career of her beloved son, her grace, personality, intellect and insight into people made her a captivating and, in her gracious and gentle way, formidable figure on the national scene.Her grand-niece, Lucia B. Cutts, knew, loved and respected Dolly Madison, and provides us with a revealing and very personal portrait of her from her own impressions, memories of members of her family and people close to Madison, and through Dolly Madison's own words, given in generous selections from her letters and other writings.While professional historians have objected to the bias introduced by Cutts' affection for Madison, less judgmental readers find much to enjoy in the personal warmth, love and respect Cutts brought to her work. |