GDG- Wedding of Kate Chase

[Kathy Cronin]

I'm not certain that I would have warmed up to the Blairs either. 
 However, Salmon Chase seemed the only cabinet member who was actually 
obstructive to the aims of the administration.  Others disagreed with 
Lincoln at times but all except Chase came to admire, and even love, 
Lincoln.  They were quite a team.  I found the book an excellent study 
on leadership.

Most history books treat women as peripheral to the action; in this book 
they came alive as social and political movers and shakers.  Goodwin 
wove the story so that we get the essence of the political, social and 
cultural times as seen through these families.

Kathy Cronin  


James Cameron wrote:

> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
>
>
> << The Seward and Blair women were interesting studies too.>>
>
> Indeed.  I must also say that I found her treatment of William Seward 
> to be one of the most pleasant surprises in the book.  He comes across 
> as one of the most engaging characters of all.  No wonder Lincoln came 
> to like him so much.
>
> Salmon Chase, by comparison, comes off as elitist and humorless, a man 
> who seemed to regard the Presidency as his by right, but fated to find 
> it always just beyond his grasp.  It makes Kate Chase's devotion to 
> his aspirations and her subservience of her interests to his 
> advancement all the more tragic.
>
> Jim Cameron
>