If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.
If it feels like there’s been some renewed interest or intrigue in American politics, you wouldn’t be wrong. Throughout the last few years alone, the scrutiny on the White House has reached a fever pitch, leading to even more curiosity about how the past has informed our present, and where it will lead us in our future. Within the first families who occupied 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, no other person has matched the same notoriety as the First Lady of the United States.
From Martha Washington to Dr. Jill Biden, the role of First Lady has changed over centuries, with each woman offering her own interests, pursuits, and style to the position — and there’s so much more to these women than just being the wives of the POTUS. Since the late 1700s, each FLOTUS has weathered pivotal moments throughout our history, ultimately setting the tone for their respective families. Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady during World War II and the recovery thereafter, for example, while Michelle Obama became the first Black woman to be First Lady, and Betty Ford worked hard behind the scenes to secure women’s rights.
As we celebrate National First Ladies Day today, June 2, we’ve gathered some of the best biographies and autobiographies about the women who strode through the White House and left an indelible impact on the nation. From the very beginning of democracy to the current administration, here’s our round-up of the best biographies and autobiographies about our most famous First Ladies — read on and fill your cart accordingly.
‘Martha Washington: An American Life’ by Patricia Brady
We can’t begin this round-up without going back to the start. Martha Washington: An American Life paints a very different portrait of our nation’s first First Lady. This revealing biography by Patricia Brady puts a focus on Washington’s role alongside her husband, as hostess, partner, and the woman who set the precedent for future first ladies.
‘Dearest Friend: A Life of Abigail Adams’ by Lynne Withey
Abigail Adams was many more things than just the First Lady of the United States. She was self-reliant, a confidant to her husband John Adams, and incredibly resourceful. In Dearest Friend: A Life of Abigail Adams, author Lynne Withey takes readers beyond the First Lady’s accomplishments and the intimate details of her relationship with her husband, her work at home, and so much more.
‘A Perfect Union: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation’ by Catherine Allgor
If you ask most people about Dolley Madison, some might remember her as the First Lady who saved a portrait of George Washington from the White House during The War of 1812. But there’s a lot more to this woman. In A Perfect Union: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation, author Catherine Allgor describes how Madison embodied the role of hostess and social innovator when she came to the White House. She ushered in a new era of politics and set a new standard for first ladies to follow.
‘The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt’ by Eleanor Roosevelt
Who better to tell the story of her life than Eleanor Roosevelt herself? In The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt, the First Lady gets candid about her life working alongside her husband from his time as New York Governor to their years in the White House. Roosevelt details her interests and pursuits as a champion for those too often overlooked in America, and living through such historical moments as World War II and beyond.
‘Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: The Untold Story’ by Barbara Leaming
One of our nation’s most famous first ladies, Jackie Kennedy ushered in an entirely new era. The young First Lady was stylish, interested in the preservation of our nation’s history, and gave a jolt of glamour to the campaign trail and beyond. But her life wasn’t always what it seemed. In Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: The Untold Story by Barbara Leaming, the picture-perfect veneer that shielded Jackie is stripped back, and we learn so much more about the woman who led a nation in mourning.
‘Betty Ford: First Lady, Women’s Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer’ by Lisa McCubbin Hill, Foreward by Susan Ford Bales
When Betty Ford inherited the role of First Lady, it was under extraordinary circumstances. But this woman from the Midwest was ready to take on one of the most important roles in the White House. Ford did so much behind the scenes of her husband’s administration, and in Betty Ford: First Lady, Women’s Aadvocate, Survivor, Trailblazer, we learn even more about the woman who set a whole new precedent for those who’d follow her.
‘The Triumph of Nancy Reagan’ by Karen Tumulty
The Triumph of Nancy Reagan by Karen Tumulty goes beyond the Hollywood marriage of Nancy and Ronald Reagan to their ascension to the highest office in the land. This biography notes the former First Lady’s multifaceted personality, and how she developed her confidence following a traumatic childhood. It’s an illuminating read, to be sure.
‘The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty’ by Susan Page
Few first ladies can claim they shaped two generations in politics. But Barbara Bush embodied the matriarch role, as revealed in The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty by Susan Page. The biography goes back decades and highlights significant moments in her life — and the political careers of her husband and sons.
‘Hard Choices’ by Hillary Rodham Clinton
Following her failed 2008 campaign to secure the democratic nomination for President of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton thought her political career would take a much different turn. But as she discusses in this intimate autobiography, her role as Secretary of State in the Obama administration would drastically change her life. Clinton covers those years and more in Hard Choices, putting the focus on a pivotal point in her life.
‘Becoming’ by Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama’s time as First Lady left an indelible impact on our nation. As the first Black woman to assume the role, Michelle knew that scrutiny on her and her family would be immeasurable. But throughout those eight years — two terms — Michelle handled everything with poise. In her autobiography Becoming, the former First Lady takes us all the way back to Chicago and how she became the woman we saw in the White House.
‘Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady’ by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff
Taking a different turn when it comes to biographies and autobiographies, this tell-all about former First Lady Melania Trump includes revelations that will shock you. From the unseen goings-on in the West Wing to intimate conversations with Melania’s nearest and dearest, Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady by Melania Trump’s former confidant Stephanie Winston Wolkoff is one you won’t be able to put down.
‘Jill: A Biography of the First Lady’ by Julie Pace and Darlene Superville
With Jill: A Biography of the First Lady, authors Julie Pace and Darlene Superville show readers every facet that makes this accomplished woman a unique First Lady. Dr. Jill Biden, like so many women who came before her, embodies the multifaceted nature of the role she’s currently taking on. She’s a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, a teacher, a working woman, an accomplished educator, and so much more. This new biography highlights every aspect that makes Dr. Jill Biden one of our most fascinating first ladies yet.
Leave a Comment