Louisa Thomas

This was an extraordinary look at the life of one of the most underrated US First Ladies. Louisa Adams was the first foreign born woman to become First Lady. This book chronicles her extraordinary story from her birth in England through her husband's various diplomatic posts in Prussia, St. Petersburg, and London, to her eventual residence at The White House, "a half-finished barn" as she called it.

The book reads almost like a novel. We are fortunate to have a large amount of Louisa's journals and letters as source material. Her volumes have even been published in their own right. And Louisa's life is one well worth taking a close look at. It was extremely interesting to read of her courtship and the early days of her marriage. I wouldn't say she and her husband were particularly well-matched, but they made it work. And her travels through Europe during tumultuous times was nothing short of heroic.

I'm taking away half a star in my review because of (to my mind) one failing: an appalling lack of pictures. Indeed, there is only one photo of Louisa that is shown to us at the very beginning of the book. That being said, I believe this has been my favorite book to read this year. It's got everything: adventure, romance, travel, politics, and even some poetry.

Very highly recommended!… (more)

I would just like to thank Louisa Thomas for compiling the life of Louisa Adams, diplomatic former POTUS’s wife extraordinaire and giving my blog a new name “The Adventures of a Nobody”. I can’t believe how much I related to a woman from the 1700s.

Its crazy how little the school system focuses on female historical figures. You would think they could add a little blip about them especially when they are so crucial for their husband’s successes. What I learned from this biography was that if it weren’t for Mrs. Adams being so likable, unlikable President Adams would not have won his title. And of course a few other tidbits of information that I would never have learned.

Louisa Adams was a reluctant feminist before feminism was even a thing something I related to so badly. But if there were more women that could have taken her under their wing them I certain she would have accepted it as much as I have.… (more)