Review of 'Madam President' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
It's difficult to imagine in the modern television and Internet era that the United States president could suffer a massive stroke and his first lady would act as chief executive to keep the White House running for two years. But that's exactly what Edith Wilson did in the final years of her husband's presidency as a vice president more interested in his paid speaking career stayed away from the executive office.
The author provides a solid background into Woodrow Wilson's courtship of Edith Bolling Galt and the assistance she provided him after their marriage. Before the stroke, Edith functioned as his executive assistant or even as a co-president, receiving access to wartime briefings and discussing the course of action that President Wilson should take. It was an effective preparation for her to become steward of the presidency once her husband was incapacitated.
I did find the structure of this book …
It's difficult to imagine in the modern television and Internet era that the United States president could suffer a massive stroke and his first lady would act as chief executive to keep the White House running for two years. But that's exactly what Edith Wilson did in the final years of her husband's presidency as a vice president more interested in his paid speaking career stayed away from the executive office.
The author provides a solid background into Woodrow Wilson's courtship of Edith Bolling Galt and the assistance she provided him after their marriage. Before the stroke, Edith functioned as his executive assistant or even as a co-president, receiving access to wartime briefings and discussing the course of action that President Wilson should take. It was an effective preparation for her to become steward of the presidency once her husband was incapacitated.
I did find the structure of this book confusing as chapters alternated between the Edith Wilson "presidency" and past events in the lives of Woodrow and Edith. However, these flashback chapters did provide background for events that happened later, including the pre-stroke indicators suffered by the president.