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Publisher: Publish America 
Release Date:  October 2003
ISBN: 1-59286-361-2 
Awards:  
Format Reviewed: Paperback 
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Genre: Fiction/historical 
Reviewed: 2003
Reviewer:  Beverly J. Rowe
Reviewer Notes:  

Ladies:
A Conjecture of Personalities
By Feather Schwartz Foster


      Feather Schwartz Foster makes a stunning debut as she weaves fiction with historical fact, giving us a whole new perspective on the women who were married to our Presidents. Each First Lady tells her own story, beginning with Martha Washington and ending with Mamie Eisenhower. However, there are also some off-the-cuff commentaries by the later First Ladies Barbara Bush, Betty Ford and Nancy Reagan.

      Author Foster has combined years of research with her vivid imagination and puts us right in the room with this diverse group of women from our historical past. Each one comes through with a believable voice. The differing views on everything including slavery, suffrage, alcohol abuse, fidelity, and a woman's role in the shaping of our country is mesmerizing.

     The only thing these ladies had in common was the fact that they were married to Presidents of the United States. Some wished they were not, but most were happily married, and enjoyed their years in the White House. Each was a woman of her time, and we can thank some of these ladies for making a difference in how women are treated in America today.

     This innovative book defies category. Partly fiction, it isn't a novel, but it isn't short stories either. It's best described as conversations with dear friends as they take on every subject imaginable. This book would make a wonderful gift for your favorite history aficionado.