Dolley Madison

October 15, 2012

Dolley Madison (1768-1849) was a charismatic first lady who helped promote bipartisanship and bring together diverse political leaders, and the country, in many ways setting the standard for women who would hold that position after her. She has been the subject of many biographies, but this work by Allgor (history, Univ. of California, Riverside; A Perfect Union: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation) focuses specifically on how Madison used her magnetic personality and social skills to subtly but powerfully bring leaders of political parties together and encourage civility and a common vision of the developing nation. VERDICT Like other volumes in the "Lives of American Women" series, it provides an accessible and engaging look at its subject, making it a solid choice for undergraduate readers and a good companion volume to Allgor's new edited edition of the life of Dolley Madison by Madison's niece, Mary Cutt, The Queen of America: Mary Cutt's Life of Dolley Madison.--Theresa McDevitt, Indiana Univ. of Pennsylvania Lib.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2012
The latest entry in the Lives of American Women series is a compact biography of Dolley Madison that focuses primarily on Dolley's pivotal roles in crafting a national identity for the fledgling republic while, at the same time, instilling a sense of unity among the diverse and often contentious American populace. Long regarded as one of the most beautiful and gracious first ladies, she also exhibited extraordinary political savvy and possessed and exercised remarkableto borrow a modern phraseteam-building skills. Allgor digs deep beneath the surface of the Magnificent Doll, revealing the far-reaching impact Dolley Madison had upon both the political landscape of the early nineteenth century and the collective psyche of the American public for generations to come.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)