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L Verge · (This post was last modified: 10-26-2014 06:19 PM by L Verge.)

I finished American Queen (biography of Kate Chase) today and loved and learned from every page. My opinion of Salmon Portland Chase - which wasn't high to begin with - went down a notch or two. The only thing that I did feel sorry for him about was his losing three wives and four of his six children.

As for Kate, I have new respect for her. She was a lady ahead of her time, but managed to handle life's situations the best she knew how. Her background was very similar to Mary Lincoln's while growing up, and both ladies were very intelligent and well-read for their day. Somehow Kate managed to retain her dignity and stay one step ahead of her adversaries - while Mary Lincoln let her emotions become too public.

The book is very well-written with lots of quotes from primary sources. It handles the political angles very well by making them understood instead of poli sci lessons. Great section of photos. I came to detest the three main men in Kate's life, however: her father, her husband, and her one acknowledged lover. All of them used her and abused her in their own way.

(10-26-2014 06:15 PM)L Verge Wrote: I finished American Queen (biography of Kate Chase) today and loved and learned from every page. My opinion of Salmon Portland Chase - which wasn't high to begin with - went down a notch or two. The only thing that I did feel sorry for him about was his losing three wives and four of his six children.

As for Kate, I have new respect for her. She was a lady ahead of her time, but managed to handle life's situations the best she knew how. Her background was very similar to Mary Lincoln's while growing up, and both ladies were very intelligent and well-read for their day. Somehow Kate managed to retain her dignity and stay one step ahead of her adversaries - while Mary Lincoln let her emotions become too public.

The book is very well-written with lots of quotes from primary sources. It handles the political angles very well by making them understood instead of poli sci lessons. Great section of photos. I came to detest the three main men in Kate's life, however: her father, her husband, and her one acknowledged lover. All of them used her and abused her in their own way.

I also never knew that Kate had four children, including one with special needs whom Kate tended to and did not use the Victorian way of sending her away or keeping her under lock and key. Kate's oldest child, her son Willie, committed suicide at age 25.

(10-26-2014 06:15 PM)L Verge Wrote: I finished American Queen (biography of Kate Chase) today and loved and learned from every page. My opinion of Salmon Portland Chase - which wasn't high to begin with - went down a notch or two. The only thing that I did feel sorry for him about was his losing three wives and four of his six children.

As for Kate, I have new respect for her. She was a lady ahead of her time, but managed to handle life's situations the best she knew how. Her background was very similar to Mary Lincoln's while growing up, and both ladies were very intelligent and well-read for their day. Somehow Kate managed to retain her dignity and stay one step ahead of her adversaries - while Mary Lincoln let her emotions become too public.

The book is very well-written with lots of quotes from primary sources. It handles the political angles very well by making them understood instead of poli sci lessons. Great section of photos. I came to detest the three main men in Kate's life, however: her father, her husband, and her one acknowledged lover. All of them used her and abused her in their own way.

I also never knew that Kate had four children, including one with special needs whom Kate tended to and did not use the Victorian way of sending her away or keeping her under lock and key. Kate's oldest child, her son Willie, committed suicide at age 25.