I’ve been a fan of Jennifer Chiaverini’s Elm Creek Quilts
series for years. Her latest novel, Mrs.
Lincoln’s Dressmaker, is her first stand-alone historical novel and is an
incredible achievement. Chiaverini tells the story of Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley,
a woman who was born a slave but who ultimately bought her freedom and moved to
Washington D.C., where she established herself as a dressmaker in the years
immediately prior to the Civil War. She counted among her clients such notables
as the wives of Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis.
It was Mary Todd Lincoln,
however, who would become her most famous customer and a dear friend. As modiste to the First Lady, Keckley was invited into the
inner circle of White House life during the Lincoln years and this novel tells
of her perspective of President and Mrs. Lincoln, their children, and the Civil
War. While this takes up the largest part of the novel, the story continues to
share what happened after President Lincoln’s assassination and the difficult
years that Mrs. Lincoln faced.
Mrs. Lincoln’s
Dressmaker is a history buff’s delight. While it is a novel, it was very
well researched and is largely based on historical events. It is a wonderful
read for anyone interested in women’s history, African-American history, or the
Civil War era. It would also make a great educational experience for high
school or college students studying this time period.
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