Mary's Reputation

[Donna McCreary]

(12-31-2012 12:35 PM)william l. richter Wrote:  Laurie, you and my sister. She managed to get James Garner to hold her hand once and has never washed it since. . . .

Your sister is a lucky woman. In my house, James Garner is known as "Mister pure sex in shoe leather."
Many years ago, during an interview, he told how he thought he would try acting for five years. At the end of the five years, life was good, so he thought he would continue for another five years. At the end of those five years, life was still good. Soon, 25 years had gone by, and he realized he had a career. James Garner is the best. I think I'll go watch The Notebook now.

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(12-31-2012 02:27 PM)Deb@Library Wrote:  I am preparing a program on Mary Lincoln for a public library and have read many of the sources that have been cited throughout this discussion (which has been great, by the way). Have any of you read The Addiction of Mary Todd Lincoln by Beidler and, if so, what are your views about possible addiction given her history of migraines, mood swings, medicine for childbirth, physical pain and grief, etc.? I am trying to give a balanced accounting of the First Lady and, as we see, it's a challenge. Thanks for any insight at all.

I have read this book, and I do not like it. The author manages a drug rehab program and is trying to force history to fit her agenda. Did Mary Lincoln use medications prescribed by doctors? Yes. Are some of those medications now considered more hurtful than helpful? Yes. Was Mary Lincoln shooting herion? No.

The author's purposes appears to be that if Mary Lincoln, a famous, highly educated, socialite in history, could be addicted to drugs, then it is logical for any normal, modern person to become addicted. It may help the author in her work, but it does not add to historical reporting or understanding about Mary Lincoln.
The book is also written in a format which reminds me of a high school research paper. The chapters are divided into sections which all have the same headings. For example each chapter has sections titled: "How Did She Feel," "How Did She Behave" -- those may not be the exact headings. They are offered as examples. It has been awhile since I read the book.