“Kirstin Downey’s lively, substantive and—dare I say—inspiringnew biography of Perkins . . . not only illuminates Perkins’ careerbut also deepens the known contradictions of Roosevelt’scharacter.” —Maureen Corrigan, NPR Fresh Air One of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s closest friends and the firstfemale secretary of labor, Perkins capitalized on the president’spolitical savvy and popularity to enact most of the Depression-eraprograms that are today considered essential parts of the country’ssocial safety network. Frances Perkins is no longer a household name, yet she was one ofthe most influential women of the twentieth century. Based on eightyears of research, extensive archival materials, new documents, andexclusive access to Perkins’s family members and friends, thisbiography is the first complete portrait of a devoted publicservant with a passionate personal life, a mother who changed thelandscape of American business and society. Frances Perkins was named Secr

Following on the success of their recent collaboration DearMr. President, Dwight Young and Margaret Johnson join forces onceagain to produce this charming collection of correspondence to andfrom First Ladies during their time in office. A wonderful giftbook for any American, Dear First Lady reminds us that ours is agreat government "of the people, by the people, and for thepeople," which entitles us to make our views known to our leaders.Although some of these missives were written by the famous or theinfamous, most are from ordinary Americans who wished to connectwith their First Lady. Amusing, appealling, heartbreaking, andheartwarming, the letters appear as full-size facsimiles whereverpossible so readers can see for themselves the substance and styleof these intriguing exchanges. Dwight Young annotates each letter with biographical andhistorical stories that illuminate the context and provide broaderinsights into the public and private lives of presidents’ wives.Richly illustrated with arch