Cokie Roberts’s number one New York Times bestseller, We Are Our Mothers’ Daughters, examined the nature of women’s roles throughout history and led USA Today to praise her as a “custodian of time-honored values.” Her second bestseller, From This Day Forward, written with her husband, Steve Roberts, described American marriages throughout history, including the romance of John and Abigail Adams. … the romance of John and Abigail Adams. Now Roberts returns with Founding Mothers, an intimate and illuminating look at the fervently patriotic and passionate women whose tireless pursuits on behalf of their families — and their country — proved just as crucial to the forging of a new nation as the rebellion that established it.
While much has been written about the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, battled the British, and framed the Constitution, the wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters they left behind have been little noticed by history. Roberts brings us the women who fought the Revolution as valiantly as the men, often defending their very doorsteps. While the men went off to war or to Congress, the women managed their businesses, raised their children, provided them with political advice, and made it possible for the men to do what they did. The behind-the-scenes influence of these women — and their sometimes very public activities — was intelligent and pervasive.
Drawing upon personal correspondence, private journals, and even favored recipes, Roberts reveals the often surprising stories of these fascinating women, bringing to life the everyday trials and extraordinary triumphs of individuals like Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Deborah Read Franklin, Eliza Pinckney, Catherine Littlefield Green, Esther DeBerdt Reed, and Martha Washington — proving that without our exemplary women, the new country might never have survived.
Social history at its best, Founding Mothers unveils the drive, determination, creative insight, and passion of the other patriots, the women who raised our nation. Roberts proves beyond a doubt that like every generation of American women that has followed, the founding mothers used the unique gifts of their gender — courage, pluck, sadness, joy, energy, grace, sensitivity, and humor — to do what women do best, put one foot in front of the other in remarkable circumstances and carry on.
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This book has had mixed reviews from book club friends. That said, I loved it. Told a story that should be told more and more. Without these women, our founding fathers would never have gotten things done. A wonderful story about love and partnerships in marriage and politics. Surprised me how active these women were in politics even with very few …
Cokie Roberts was a wonderful reporter and this book shows what a great researcher and writer she was. She has brought some of the great women who helped build our country to the forefront and I loved learning more about them. Thank you Cokie, wherever you are!
The biographies of the important women behind the Founding Fathers. It helped to fill in some of the gaps about the motivations and beliefs of this men.
At this time in American history…its very important to inderstand how we came to ba a nation. Cokie Roberts wrote a fabulous book from the women’s point of view. This is history one would not (generally) find in a traditional history book. Loved meeting the women!
I have always loved history and studied the Revolutionary War/founding of our country a lot in high school. It was just a time period I was interested in. So I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. It’s got me wanting to dig deeper into the lives of some of the women who were behind and supporting the founding fathers. I appreciated how much …
I was captivated by the women of the Revelutionary War. Finding what each of them endured and how they contributed to the war and it’s success. I don’t think we would have won without them.
A wonderful book that reads like a conversation with the author, Coki Roberts. The lives of women in the lives of our Founding Fathers and the influence they had is a fascinating look at how our country came to be.
I had to read this for a class I was taking. I shared the book with my students when some were researching women in the American Revolution. The students found it interesting and informative. Getting students to say they found something interesting is a hit with me.
This is definitely a good example of “behind every successful man is a great woman” adage. The reader will learn of the many women, beyond the Abigail Adams types, who really helped fuel the Revolution. Should be required reading in American History classes.
Love anything Cokie Roberts wrote.
Much needed biographies of the Founding Mothers, the women behind America’s founding fathers.
Very informative book, just not so fun to read. Well researched. Found Roberts writing style not to my liking.
Loved it
A fascinating look at our nation’s history and a revealing exposure of the difficulties and tragedies of women’s lives in the 18th century.
Cokie Roberts has written a wonderful book about the women who fought the Revolution as valiantly as their men, often defending their homes. While the men went off to war, the women managed their businesses, raised their children, and made it possible for the men to do what they did. Cokie has shown a light on the behind-the-scenes influence of …
Fascinating. Well-written. Inspiring.
Loved this book…and all the others by this writer.
Did not hold my interest when I first got it. Perhaps I will give it another chance this next year.
Very slow reading.
Great view of history from a woman’s point of view. Amazing women who preceded us!