American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden

The first definitive exploration of the changing role of the twenty-first-century First Lady, painting a comprehensive portrait of Jill Biden--from a White House correspondent for The New York Times

Since the Clinton era, shifts in media, politics, and pop culture have all redefined expectations of First Ladies, even as the boundaries set upon them have often remained anachronistic. With sharp insights and dozens of firsthand interviews with major players in the Biden, Obama, Trump, Bush, and Clinton orbits, including Jill Biden and Hillary Clinton, New York Times White House correspondent Katie Rogers traces the evolution of the role of the twenty-first-century First Lady from a ceremonial figurehead to a powerful political operator, which culminates in the tenure of First Lady Jill Biden.

Dr. Jill Biden began her journey toward public life in 1975 as a twenty-three-year-old who caught the eye of a widowed Senator Joe Biden. Recovering from the heartbreak of her failed first marriage, she found a man who was still grieving. She knitted his life together after unspeakable tragedy and stood by his side through three presidential campaigns.

In some ways, her legacy as First Lady was set before she ever entered the White House: She is the first presidential spouse in history to work in a paid role outside the White House, a decision that blazes the path for future first spouses. But as a prime guardian of one of the most insular operations in modern politics, she is also a central part of her husband's presidential legacy.

Through deep reporting and newly discovered correspondence, American Woman is the first book to paint a full picture of Jill Biden while exploring how she helps answer the evolving question of what the role of the modern First Lady should be.

Author: Katie Rogers
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
Published: 02/27/2024
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.25lbs
ISBN: 9780593240564


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal Prepub Alert 04/01/2023 pg. 13

About the Author
Katie Rogers is a White House correspondent for The New York Times. She covers life in the Biden administration, Washington culture, and a mix of international and domestic policy.