Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini

All six of us were able to meet at Marcia's lovely home on Tuesday, August 13 for a meal and book discussion. Marcia had prepared a tuna salad that appealed so much to all of us that we had her share the recipe with us. What captured our attention the minute we entered her dining area was the artfully arranged display of antique sewing novelties -- all from her own collection!  It was a fun history lesson as we picked up pieces and learned their purposes for seamstresses.

Synopsis:
Elizabeth Keckley was a former slave who used her talent in dressmaking to make a name for herself among the elite of Washington D.C. in the mid to late1800's.  When Abraham Lincoln was elected as the sixteenth president of the United States, his wife, Mary, retained Elizabeth as her personal dressmaker.  Their relationship developed into more than professional as Elizabeth became a confidant for Mrs. Lincoln and an eyewitness to the sorrows and joys experienced by the Lincoln family.

Comments:
Overwhelmingly, we all agreed that the reported details of the Civil War bogged down the storyline.  One FAB member likened it to reading a Wikipedia novel.  Another reader said she felt like she had picked up an 8th grade history textbook.  The drawn out historical facts interferred with the main character's story.  Elizabeth appeared to be just an observer in her own life story.  We desperately wanted to see her character developed more so that we could connect to her as a genuine, real person from an important and tumultous time period in our American history.  However, each time the author added another long, unemotional reporting of historical data, it drew the reader away from Elizabeth and the connection to her personal story was lost. The last half of the story did improve and became a bit more engaging for the reader.

Mary Todd Lincoln proved to be a woman of both great strength and debilitating weakness.  Her excessive spending habits coupled with her deep depression fits the description of manic depressive disorder.  She did manage to bring to the White House some class and more modern furnishings, but with the treasury monies going towards war spending, her timing was terrible and stirred up criticism which lasted throughout her tenure.

Memorable Quote:
Still a true statement today and applicable to most cultures and races: "As the lowest among them fared, so everyone of their race would be perceived, and thus for their own sakes it was essential to forgo snobbery and raise up all colored people." (p. 104 - Nook)

FAB Rating: **1/2 (2-1/2 out of 5 stars)