Mrs Lincolns Rival

In Mrs. Lincolnandrsquo;s Dressmaker, novelist Jennifer Chiaverini presents a stunning account of the friendship that blossomed between Mary Todd Lincoln and her seamstress, Elizabeth andldquo;Lizzieandrdquo; Keckley, a former slave who gained her professional reputation in Washington, D.C. by outfitting the cityandrsquo;s elite. Keckley made history by sewing for First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln within the White House, a trusted witness to many private moments between the President and his wife, two of the most compelling figures in American history.

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In March 1861, Mrs. Lincoln chose Keckley from among a number of applicants to be her personal andldquo;modiste,andrdquo; responsible not only for creating the First Ladyandrsquo;s gowns, but also for dressing Mrs. Lincoln in the beautiful attire Keckley had fashioned. The relationship between the two women quickly evolved, as Keckley was drawn into the intimate life of the Lincoln family, supporting Mary Todd Lincoln in the loss of first her son, and then her husband to the assassination that stunned the nation and the world.

Keckley saved scraps from the dozens of gowns she made for Mrs. Lincoln, eventually piecing together a tribute known as the Mary Todd Lincoln Quilt. She also saved memories, which she fashioned into a book, Behind the Scenes: Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House. Upon its publication, Keckleyandrsquo;s memoir created a scandal that compelled Mary Todd Lincoln to sever all ties with her, but in the decades since, Keckleyandrsquo;s story has languished in the archives. In this impeccably researched, engrossing novel, Chiaverini brings history to life in rich, moving style.

andquot;Chiaverini does an excellent job of describing the lush landscapes of California wine country, while simultaneously painting a touching portrait of the difficulties faced by farming families who must tend to one another, as well as the earth.andrdquo;

andmdash;Publishers Weekly

andldquo;Chiaverini has an impressive ability to bring a time and place alive, showcasing the effects of Prohibition on farmers in Sonoma Valley.andrdquo;

andmdash;Romantic Times Book Review

andldquo;Together the two set out to make a new future for themselves in the wine country of Sonoma Valley in Chiaverini's emotionally compelling tale.andrdquo;

andmdash;Chicago Tribune

andldquo;Chiaverini has once again written an intense and beautiful bookandmdash;so much so that readers will almost hear the hollow echo of the fife and drum as they immerse themselves in every compelling page...Truly unforgettable.andrdquo;

andmdash;BookPage

andldquo;Jennifer Chiaveriniandrsquo;s strength is not only writing strong female characters, but also placing them in interesting lives and times.andrdquo;

andmdash;New York Journal of Books

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and#8220;Historyand#8212;and its colorful charactersand#8212;come alive.and#8221; and#8211;USA Today

and#8220;Required Reading . . . The story of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and Lizzie Keckley, a former slave who became Mrs. Lincolnand#8217;s seamstress and confidante. After the presidentand#8217;s assassination, Keckley created the Mary Todd Lincoln quilt and also a scandalous memoir. A new spin on the story.and#8221;and#160; and#8211;New York Post

and#8220;Jennifer Chiaverini imagines the first ladyand#8217;s most private affairs through the eyes of an unlikely confidante.and#8221; and#8211;Harperand#8217;s Bazaar

and#8220;Chiaverini has drawn a loving portrait of a complex and gifted woman . . . Mrs. Lincolnand#8217;s Dressmaker helps to illuminate the path on which her long and remarkable life led her.and#8221; and#8211;St. Louis Post-Dispatch

and#8220;An example of what Jennifer Chiaverini does so well in her enlightening new historical novel,and#160;Mrs. Lincolnand#8217;s Dressmaker,and#160;occurs late in the book, when a newly widowed Mary Todd Lincoln shares a letter of condolence from Queen Victoria with her dressmaker, a former slave named Elizabeth Keckley. . . . Mrs. Lincolnand#8217;s Dressmakerand#160;vividly imagines how the Civil War touched daily life in Washington.and#8221;and#160; and#8211;Washingtonian

and#8220;Mrs. Lincolnand#8217;s Dressmaker is a wonderful novel that covers many topics surrounding the events of the 1860s in Washington and the following decadesand#8230; Any reader interested in President Lincoln, Civil War history, or historical fiction should love this book.and#8221; and#8211;Bookreporter.com

and#8220;All the characters are brilliantly written, and readers will enjoy getting to know them. [Chiaverini] brings to life long-forgotten snapshots of Americaand#8217;s past with style, grace and respect.and#8221; and#8211;RT Book Reviews

and#8220;A compelling historical novel.and#8221; and#8211;Desert Newsand#160;

and#8220;Taking readers through times of war and peace as seen through the eyes of an extraordinary woman, the author brings Civil War Washington to vivid life through her meticulously researched authentic detail. Chiaverini's characters are compelling and accurate; the reader truly feels drawn into the intimate scenes at the White House.and#8221;and#160; and#8211;Library Journal

and#8220;Nuanced... a welcome historical.and#8221; and#8211;Publishers Weeklyand#160;

and#8220;A compelling fictional account of Keckleyand#8217;s life.and#8221;and#160; and#8211;Bookpage

“Required Reading . . . The story of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and Lizzie Keckley, a former slave who became Mrs. Lincolns seamstress and confidante. After the presidents assassination, Keckley created the Mary Todd Lincoln quilt and also a scandalous memoir. A new spin on the story.”  --New York Post

“Jennifer Chiaverini imagines the first ladys most private affairs through the eyes of an unlikely confidante.” -Harpers Bazaar

“Chiaverini has drawn a loving portrait of a complex and gifted woman . . . Mrs. Lincolns Dressmaker helps to illuminate the path on which her long and remarkable life led her.” -St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“All the characters are brilliantly written, and readers will enjoy getting to know them. [Chiaverini] brings to life long-forgotten snapshots of Americas past with style, grace and respect.” -RT Book Reviews

“Taking readers through times of war and peace as seen through the eyes of an extraordinary woman, the author brings Civil War Washington to vivid life through her meticulously researched authentic detail. Chiaverini's characters are compelling and accurate; the reader truly feels drawn into the intimate scenes at the White House.”           -Library Journal

“Nuanced... a welcome historical.” -Publishers Weekly 

“A compelling fictional account of Keckleys life.”  -Bookpage

Praise for Jennifer Chiaverini and the Elm Creek Quilts series

“Chiaverinis themes of love, loss, and healing will resonate with many, and her characters stories are inspiring.” —Publishers Weekly

“Chiaverini has an impressive ability to bring a time and place alive.” —Romantic Times Book Reviews

“Emotionally compelling.” —Chicago Tribune on Sonoma Rose

“Jennifer Chiaverini has made quite a name for herself with her bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series. From the Civil War to the Roaring Twenties to contemporary settings, these novels have offered suspense, romance, and, at times, in-depth looks into the social, political, and cultural differences that helped shape a nation.” —BookPage

“Chiaverini excels at weaving stories and at character development. We can relate to the residents of Elm Creek Valley because they remind us of folks we know—a cousin, an aunt, or a grandmother.” —Standard-Examiner (Utah)

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“Jennifer Chiaverini imagines the First Ladys most private affairs through the eyes of an unlikely confidante.”

—Harpers Bazaar on Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker

“History—and its colorful characters—come alive.”

—USA Today on Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker

"Required reading."

—New York Post on Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker

“Any reader interested in President Lincoln, Civil War history, or historical fiction should love this book.”

—Bookreporter.com on Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker

“Taking readers through times of war and peace as seen through the eyes of an extraordinary woman, the author brings Civil War Washington to vivid life through her meticulously researched, authentic detail. Chiaverinis characters are compelling and accurate; the reader truly feels drawn into the intimate scenes at the White House.”

—Library Journal on Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker

"History is front and center here...this solid effort won't disappoint." - Booklist

In a life that spanned nearly a century and witnessed some of the most momentous events in American history, Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley was born a slave. A gifted seamstress, she earned her freedom by the skill of her needle, and won the friendship of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln by her devotion. A sweeping historical novel, Mrs. Lincolns Dressmaker illuminates the extraordinary relationship the two women shared, beginning in the hallowed halls of the White House during the trials of the Civil War and enduring almost, but not quite, to the end of Mrs. Lincolns days.

Kate Chase Sprague was born in 1840 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the second daughter to the second wife of a devout but ambitious lawyer. Her father, Salmon P. Chase, rose to prominence in the antebellum years and was appointed secretary of the treasury in Abraham Lincolns cabinet, while aspiring to even greater heights.

Beautiful, intelligent, regal, and entrancing, young Kate Chase stepped into the role of establishing her thrice-widowed father in Washington society and as a future presidential candidate. Her efforts were successful enough that The Washington Star declared her “the most brilliant woman of her day. None outshone her.”

None, that is, but Mary Todd Lincoln. Though Mrs. Lincoln and her young rival held much in common—political acumen, love of country, and a resolute determination to help the men they loved achieve greatness—they could never be friends, for the success of one could come only at the expense of the other. When Kate Chase married William Sprague, the wealthy young governor of Rhode Island, it was widely regarded as the pinnacle of Washington society weddings. President Lincoln was in attendance. The First Lady was not.

Jennifer Chiaverini excels at chronicling the lives of extraordinary yet littleknown women through historical fiction. What she did for Elizabeth Keckley in Mrs. Lincolns Dressmaker and for Elizabeth Van Lew in The Spymistress she does for Kate Chase Sprague in Mrs. Lincolns Rival.

The New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincolns Dressmaker Jennifer Chiaverinis astute and lively novel of the politics of state—set against the backdrop of Civil War Era Washington

Beautiful, intelligent, regal, and entrancing, young Kate Chase Sprague stepped into the role of establishing her thrice-widowed father, Salmon P. Chase, in Washington society as a Lincoln cabinet member and as a future presidential candidate. For her efforts, The Washington Star declared her “the most brilliant woman of her day. None outshone her.”

None, that is, but Mary Todd Lincoln. Though Mrs. Lincoln and her young rival held much in common—political acumen, love of country, and a resolute determination to help the men they loved achieve greatness—they could never be friends, for the success of one could come only at the expense of the other.