Lincoln Discussion Symposium
Mary Lincoln: Southern Girl, Northern Woman - Printable Version

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Mary Lincoln: Southern Girl, Northern Woman - Susan Higginbotham - 07-04-2015 07:23 PM

Anyone read this book? The author, Stacy Pratt McDermott, is described as the Assistant Director and Associate Editor, Papers of Abraham Lincoln, so it looks promising.

http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Lincoln-Routledge-Historical-Americans/dp/1138786810/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436052039&sr=8-1&keywords=Mary+Lincoln+Southern+Girl&pebp=1436052042322&perid=1BJ9NDJ5XJ3MFS484577


RE: Mary Lincoln: Southern Girl, Northern Woman - Gene C - 07-05-2015 07:40 AM

Some one is sure proud of the hardcover version. $114 for a 214 page book
.Ouch!


RE: Mary Lincoln: Southern Girl, Northern Woman - Susan Higginbotham - 07-05-2015 08:45 AM

Yeah, it was definitely produced for the academic market. The publisher's prices for British history hardbacks are similar.


RE: Mary Lincoln: Southern Girl, Northern Woman - LincolnToddFan - 07-05-2015 11:55 AM

Awww...drat! I'd love to read it but I cannot afford it.

I do love the title-it's perfect.


RE: Mary Lincoln: Southern Girl, Northern Woman - Eva Elisabeth - 07-05-2015 02:55 PM

(07-05-2015 11:55 AM)LincolnToddFan Wrote:  Awww...drat! I'd love to read it but I cannot afford it.

I do love the title-it's perfect.
I absolutely agree on both!


RE: Mary Lincoln: Southern Girl, Northern Woman - Susan Higginbotham - 02-06-2016 10:55 PM

I got this from the library and just finished reading it. It's a concise overview of Mary's life, with an appendix containing a selection of her letters from the different stages of her life. I can't say that I found any dazzling insights or new information in it (and that wasn't the author's intention anyway), but it's useful either as an introduction to Mary's life or as a refresher about some of the details. It's well footnoted and has a good bibliography. Perhaps its best feature is its evenhanded approach to its subject; the author is sympathetic to Mary without glossing over her faults.


RE: Mary Lincoln: Southern Girl, Northern Woman - Eva Elisabeth - 02-07-2016 05:53 PM

Thanks for the helpful assessment, Susan. This one has always been on my wishlist, but now I think regarding storage and wallet, I will better save my space and pennies.


RE: Mary Lincoln: Southern Girl, Northern Woman - Donna McCreary - 02-09-2016 12:40 AM

I purchased a paperback edition of this book the last time I was in Springfield. I agree with Susan's review of it. It is a decent overview of Mary's life; is well footnoted; but not what I expected from someone who works at the ALPL and has easy access to such excellent resources.


RE: Mary Lincoln: Southern Girl, Northern Woman - Gene C - 05-20-2020 07:31 AM

Here is a review from last summer's The Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jala/2629860.0040.209/--woman-s-place-in-the-nineteenth-century-fanny-seward-a-life?rgn=main;view=fulltext

It sounds pretty good, so with Susan's and Donna's comments, I've added it to my wish list.
Unfortunately the price isn't much better than when Susan linked to the Amazon site almost five years ago, so I'm waiting.
It was about the same price on Barnes & Noble and Wal-Mart. Ouch!


RE: Mary Lincoln: Southern Girl, Northern Woman - Rob Wick - 05-20-2020 12:59 PM

There are used copies on Alibris for under $40, which still seems a bit steep for a trade paperback, but given that I've spent as much as $150 on a single title if one really wanted it, it might be worth it.

Best
Rob

https://www.alibris.com/search/books/isbn/9781138786813?qwork=28781319