In Founding Mothers, Cokie Roberts paid homage to the heroic women whose patriotism and sacrifice helped create a new nation. Now the number one New York Times bestselling author and renowned political commentator—praised in USA Today as a "custodian of time-honored values"—continues the story of early America's influential women with Ladies of Liberty. In her "delightfully intimate and confiding" style (Publishers Weekly), Roberts presents a colorful blend of biographical portraits and behind-the-scenes vignettes chronicling women's public roles and private responsibilities.

Recounted with the insight and humor of an expert storyteller and drawing on personal correspondence, private journals, and other primary sources—many of them previously unpublished—Roberts brings to life the extraordinary accomplishments of women who laid the groundwork for a better society. Almost every quotation here is written by a woman, to a woman, or about a woman. From first ladies to freethinkers, educators to explorers, this exceptional group includes Abigail Adams, Margaret Bayard Smith, Martha Jefferson, Dolley Madison, Elizabeth Monroe, Louisa Catherine Adams, Eliza Hamilton, Theodosia Burr, Rebecca Gratz, Louisa Livingston, Rosalie Calvert, Sacajawea, and others. In a much-needed addition to the shelves of Founding Father literature, Roberts sheds new light on the generation of heroines, reformers, and visionaries who helped shape our nation, giving these ladies of liberty the recognition they so greatly deserve.

"In this entertaining follow-up to 2004"s Founding Mothers: The Women who Raised Our Nation, Roberts recounts the lives of first ladies, and their associates, from the John and Abigail Adams White House up through Monroe's 1818-1825 term. Though it's well known women at the time couldn't vote or own property, it's surprising how respected, and influential, Roberts's subjects were. As sitting President, Thomas Jefferson 'urged all the "heads of departments' in Washington' to read Mercy Warren's history of the American Revolution, which prompted Alexander Hamilton to declare, 'female genius in the United States has outstripped the male.' Other intriguing figures include Louisa Catherine Adams, wife to John Quincy, whose story takes her into the court-life of Russia and Austria; the sociable Dolley Payne Madison, known affectionately as 'Queen Dolley'; Elizabeth Monroe, a staid (and sickly) return to formality; and a host of children, acquaintances, advisors and socialites (including Federalist Rosalie Stier Calvert and Republican Margaret Bayard Smith, whose letters 'often read as a political point counterpoint').While Roberts' aim is to see the period from her subjects' point of view, she is not uncritical; for instance, Roberts casts blame on Mrs. Adams's uncompromising partisanship 'in the undoing of her husband.' With a little-seen perspective and fascinating insight into the culture of the day, this is popular history done right." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

In Founding Mothers, Cokie Roberts paid homage to the women who helped establish our nation. Now she continues the story of more remarkable women and their achievements in moving the fledgling nation foward, from the election of John Adams in 1796 to the election of Andrew Jackson in 1828. Roberts reveals the often surprising and compelling stories of determined and passionate woman who courageously faced the challenges of times and laid the groundwork for a better society, including: Rebecca Gratz, one of the most beautiful and gracious women in Philadelphia society, known as "the foremost American Jewess of her day," who devoted her life to helping the poor and the orphaned. Dolley Madison, the strong-willed woman whose bravery and insight shaped the new capital of Washington, DC, during peace and war. Thoedosin Burr, Aaron Burr's devoted daughter, a brilliant, independent, highly educated, and freethinking woman ahead of her time who was groomed for greatness by her doting fath

In "Founding Mothers," Roberts paid homage to the women who helped establish America. Now she continues the story of more remarkable women and their achievements in moving the fledgling nation forward, from the election of John Adams in 1796 to the election of Andrew Jackson in 1828.

Cokie Roberts is a political commentator for ABC News and a senior news analyst for National Public Radio. From 1996 to 2002, she and Sam Donaldson coanchored the weekly ABC interview program, This Week.

In addition to broadcasting, Roberts, along with her husband, Steven V. Roberts, writes a weekly column syndicated in newspapers around the country by United Media. Both are also contributing editors to USA Weekend, and together they wrote From This Day Forward, an account of their now more than forty-year marriage and other marriages in American history. The book immediately went onto the New York Times bestseller list, following a six-month run on the list by Roberts's first book on women in American history, We Are Our Mothers' Daughters. Roberts is also the author of the bestselling Founding Mothers, the companion volume to Ladies of Liberty. A mother of two and grandmother of six, she lives with her husband in Bethesda, Maryland.