Celebrating America’s national holiday. Happy 4th of July!
On Independence Day, we hear a lot about the Founding Fathers, those who used their brilliance and talents to forge thirteen rebellious colonies into the United States, but we hear very little about the women behind them. In recent years, a number of books have appeared to remedy that. Patriot Hearts is different from most, in that it’s a novel and one which uses an unusual plot structure.
It’s 1814 and the British are approaching what was then known as The Federal City. Dolley Madison is nervously preparing to evacuate the White House. She is deciding what to take with her, not only personal possessions, but also those ‘belonging to the nation”. Each item belonging to a predecessor serves as a springboard for their stories. The segues don’t always work, but when they do, which is more often than not, the reader is transported to the early years of the country’s independence.
By necessity, this is not a book filled with sweeping battlefields and Congressional arguments, but rather one focusing on intimate scenes of domesticity. How great events affected family life, how the families dealt with danger, shortages and worries. It is also a study of the distinct personalities of four women; the meekness of Dolley Madison, the determination of Abigail Adams, the efficiency of Martha Washington and intelligence and sense of survival of Sally Hemmings.
We also get a sense of the relationships between each of these women and their world changing men. Abigail’s fierce support of the difficult John Adams, Sally Hemming’s secret love affair with Jefferson. Dolley’s attraction to “little Mr. Madison”, whom she said of a dinner conversation between him and Aaron Burr “Talking to the pair of them was like learning to juggle comets.” How Gen. Washington was not only a charismatic leader of men, but also had an effect on women as well, most notably the widow Martha Custis.
Thoroughly researched, this novel held my interest all the way through and the looming British invasion added an undercurrent of suspense. I was most interested in Hemming’s and Madison’s stories, as I was less familiar with them. In the end, I was quite impressed and amazed at these women and how well they dealt with the uncertainties, losses and tumult of not only their own lives, but the times they lived in.
Bantam Books 2007 430 pp. ISBN 978-0-553-80428-7
Happy 4th of July to you, Jackie.
I hope you celebrate it in appropriate American style.
The First Ladies have always had a prominant position in American politics contrary to European politics so I’d be very interested in knowing more about the early ones. Also I liked what you said about this being about the domestic aspect of life rather than the battlefields. I’ve always enjoyed visiting the kitchens and bedrooms etc in castles more than the state rooms.
Happy Independence Day!
” this is not a book filled with sweeping battlefields and Congressional arguments, but rather one focusing on intimate scenes of domesticity.”
Yes, I picked up on that line too, Mary. Really interesting review, Jackie.
I’ve been watching this American TV series called John Adams, starring Paul Giamatti as the big man himself and Laura Linney as Abigail, which is fascinating viewing, as I know almost nothing about the founding fathers. Will look for this book in the library.
Sounds like a good idea for a film, doesn’t it? Really enjoyed that, Jackie.
That series was on here this past winter and I watched it, despite thinking Giametti was complelety wrong in the part. But when Stephen Dillane appeared as Jefferson, it made it all worthwhile. He was fantastic and had much more chemistry with the lovely Laura Linney than Giametti did. It was a good show, except for that annoying leading man.