Abigail Adams lived a long and active life; her account of her trip from Russia to Paris to join her husband John tells of what kind of women she was! And Dolly Madison's bravery and rebuilding of the President's home in Washington after it was burned is a very interesting account.
Elizabeth Monroe was less social, and less open in sharing her home (the president's home) with the other ladies of the Washington scene.
From Louisa Adams and others we learn that many of the same problems existed then as to the rearing of children and leaving them at home or bringing them to Washington or the foreign countries. Also the fact that breast cancer was known and treated by surgery then but without an anesthetic.
The 3 of us at the meeting Sunday August 28th at Amer's Deli on State Street in Ann Arbor gave the book a 4. A good read, not a must read. But you will learn many interesting facts of early American history, especially pertaining to women, that are not taught in schools.
The book is ''wordy'' and confusing at times but a list of ''who is who'', who is married or related to who, at the end of the book is good to refer to as you read it. And a bonus is the recipes from the ''ladies'' for remedies or goodies that appear at the end of the book. Some might be interesting to try.