A Perfect Union

"Delightful and discerning . . . In this evocative study a remarkable woman, creator of the ‘first lady' role, comes vividly to life."―The New York Times


When the roar of the Revolution had finally died down, a new generation of politicians was summoned to the Potomac to assemble the nation's capital. Into that unsteady atmosphere―which would soon enough erupt into another conflict with Britain―Dolley Madison arrived, alongside her husband, James. Within a few years, she had mastered both the social and political intricacies of the city, and by her death in 1849 was the most celebrated person in Washington. And yet, to most Americans, she's best known for saving a portrait from the burning White House.