Abigail Adams: A Life – Woody Holton
I recently finished a biography of Abigail Adams by Woody Holton. While it isn’t the most comprehensive biography of our second First Lady, it is still an interesting read. Abigail was a prolific writer, which has allowed us such detail into her life 200 years after her death. Abigail’s love match to a certain John Adams did alter the course of her life and our country forever. She witnessed an exciting and unique period in the history of the world as the wife of a Founding Father.
All the King’s Cooks: The Tudor Kitchens of King Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace – Peter Brears
I recently read All the King’s Cooks: The Tudor Kitchens of Henry VII at Hampton Court Palace by Peter Brears. Peter Brears is a food historian and helped develop the living history exhibit in the Hampton Court kitchens. This is a really interesting read that examines how food was acquired, prepared, and served in the Tudor era. If you plan to visit Hampton Court, All the King’s Cooks would be a great resource to take with you.
A Being So Gentle: The Frontier Love Story of Rachel and Andrew Jackson – Patricia Brady
I also finished A Being So Gentle: The Frontier Love Story of Rachel and Andrew Jackson by Patricia Brady. This was an interesting read about Rachel Donelson Jackson, wife of President Andrew Jackson. It covers her early life and her first disastrous marriage. Brady also discussed her elopement with Andrew Jackson, their marriage, and their life at the Hermitage. I really enjoyed this book.
Consuelo and Alva Vanderbilt: The Story of a Daughter and a Mother in the Gilded Age – Amanda Mackenzie Stuart
As many of you know, I’m a big fan of Downton Abbey. So of course I watched “Million Dollar American Princesses” on Smithsonian, which told the really story of American heiresses marrying English nobility. The almost too-outrageous-to-be-true story of Consuelo Vanderbilt, Duchess of Marlborough really intrigued me, so I bought her biography featured on the show. Consuelo and Alva Vanderbilt by Amanda Mackenzie Stuart is a fascinating read about life in the Gilded Age. If you love Downton Abbey, buy this book today. It’s absolutely worth it.
Defiant Brides: The Untold Story of Two Revolutionary-Era Women and the Radical Men They Married – Nancy Rubin Stuart
Another recent read was Defiant Brides: The Untold Story of Two Revolutionary-Era Women and the Radical Men They Married by Nancy Rubin Stuart. This is a dual biography of Lucy Flucker Knox, wife of General Henry Knox, and of Peggy Shippen Arnold, wife of General Benedict Arnold. It compares and contrasts the women and the paths their respective lives took over the course of the American Revolution. I found it very interesting.
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through this link, Extra Black Olives will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
