Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray

 

Raised on tales of her revolutionary ancestors, Frances Perkins arrives in New York City at the turn of the century, armed with her trusty parasol and an unyielding determination to make a difference.

When she’s not working with children in the crowded tenements in Hell’s Kitchen, Frances throws herself into the social scene in Greenwich Village, befriending an eclectic group of politicians, artists, and activists, including the millionaire socialite Mary Harriman Rumsey, the flirtatious budding author Sinclair Lewis, and the brilliant but troubled reformer Paul Wilson, with whom she falls deeply in love.

But when Frances meets a young lawyer named Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a tea dance, sparks fly in all the wrong directions. She thinks he’s a rich, arrogant dilettante who gets by on a handsome face and a famous name. He thinks she’s a priggish bluestocking and insufferable do-gooder. Neither knows it yet, but over the next twenty years, they will form a historic partnership that will carry them both to the White House.

Frances is destined to rise in a political world dominated by men, facing down the Great Depression as FDR’s most trusted lieutenant—even as she struggles to balance the demands of a public career with marriage and motherhood. And when vicious political attacks mount and personal tragedies threaten to derail her ambitions, she must decide what she’s willing to do—and what she’s willing to sacrifice—to save a nation.

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About The Author

STEPHANIE DRAY is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. Her award-winning work has been translated into ten languages and tops lists for the most anticipated reads of the year. She lives in Maryland with her husband, cats, and history books.

* Website: StephanieDray.com

 

My Review

This was such a great read, the author did a wonderful job of making Frances Perkins into the amazing woman she was.
There is a lot we sure need to thank her for, Social Security, being one of the main. We probably, take a lot for granted including the labor laws, my mother told me her mom only had a second grade education, and then went to work in the factory. She witnessed the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911, which made her even more determined to make the conditions safer and shorter hours.
I am so glad I chose to read this book, such an amazing woman, she was a woman that should never be forgotten.
Be sure to read the author's notes!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Berkley, and was not required to give a positive review.