Queen Dolley
The Life and Times of Dolley Madison
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Queen Dolley, The Life and Times of Dolley Madison is historical fiction at its very best. Dolley Madison was one of the most influential and glamorous women of her time — raised a Quaker, she was still a hostess without equal. Dolley's romance and marriage as a 22-year-old widow to a man many years her senior — James Madison who would become the fourth President of the United States — is told with authentic and rich detail. Readers will be enthralled by the story of the enduring love between Dolley and “Jemmy” as it plays out during one of the most momentous periods in American history. Ongoing national crises, rare domestic interludes, and the triumphs and disappointments of Dolley's life are told with accuracy and poignancy. Among the many events detailed is the burning of the White House in 1814 where Dolley risks her life saving the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington and other priceless treasures. Chronicled throughout Queen Dolley is the life-long and fascinating relationship between the Madison’s and Thomas Jefferson who were close political allies and friendly neighbors. Wilson's thorough research provides a captivating and unforgettable portrayal of Dolley Madison and the times during which she lived.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A "biographical novel'' or ``fictionalized biography'' stands astride two distinct if not opposed genres and is likely to slump somewhere between. This one, by the prolific author of some 25 history-based novels, portrays postRevolutionary America in a pedestrian, reportorial style that gives it factual accuracy and smothers it in exhaustive detail but does nothing to provide the breath of life. President James Madison's regal lady Dolley is portrayed as a bustling, tireless whirlwind and sustaining force. We are told rather than convinced, that she is a charmer, an infinitely accomplished hostess and peacemaker. Stouthearted through the War of 1812, Dolley saves Gilbert Stuart's portrait of George Washington from the burning White House, courageously enduring the crises and ordeals of the infant nation. While hardly a standout, the book is well timed in anticipation of next year's Constitution bicentennial celebration. Reader's Digest Condensed Books selection.
