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Gencor · (This post was last modified: 10-29-2014 03:58 PM by Gencor.)

Hello, everyone! I am new to this board and I look forward to posting with you all. Smile

I have to say that I have been looking forward to reading this book all summer! I finally got it and I loved it! I have spent my summer reading everything I can about Kate Chase and I find that she is probably one of the most fascinating women of the 19th century, that I never knew about. I knew about her father, but really nothing about her at all. I don't understand why they always refer to her "rise and fall," however. Kate was truly a woman before her time. Probably because I am a modern woman, living in a time when anything is possible for women, I have a special appreciation for how this woman's strength pulled her through a time when women were so restricted. It is obvious that the men in her life let her down miserably and I believe her real story is how she survived the abuse with four children to raise. It seems to me that is her real story. Kate was one of the most brilliant women of her time and like alot of women made the wrong choice of a marriage partner but misunderstood, did not marry this man for his money as much as she really love him with all her heart. He was a miserable little man who womanized and drank himself into ruin and frankly, I believe that the "rise and fall" is more about him than Kate. He ruined all of their lives because of his serious but untreated Bi-Polar disorder and his drinking and womanizing ways. I believe that Kate suffered great physical and emotional harm living with this monster and it breaks my heart to think of the horrible influence he had on young Willie.

Kate Chase was strong willed woman who had strong convictions. I didn't see the sensation William caused over Conkling as anything but a demented fit that fed the newspapers. William was an abuser and he was boring and for someone like Kate, it wouldn't have come as a surprise that Conkling's politics and upcoming election for a possible presidential run, wouldn't have peeked her interest. I think that she was a political advisor to him and travelled with him for the purpose of helping to run his campaign and critic his speeches. While that may have been unheard of, I admired her for going for it. Afterall, it was better than being attacked in the night and forced upon by her demented husband. I did, however, blame Conkling for not cautioning her more about discretion and for not being much more discreet himself.

The fact that Kate wasn't rich when she died, was not her story. While that seemed to be what the tabloid type press coverage found so much more compelling, they missed her real story and it is a shame that it took all of this time to finally tell it and for us to really find out what a magnificent woman Kate Chase really was.

The truth is, the rise and fall and the entire sensation about Conkling was Sprague's pathetic story, separate from Kate.

The sadness about them as a couple is that this man had no appreciation for the blessing of his inheritance. He had no idea how to value an intelligent wife who could have helped him achieve the heights of success that people only dream about. But even more sad than any of this is the fact that he never could love her and give her and their children the lives that they so deserved. Instead, he ended up broken and living off of lesser women who controlled him, while he just walked away from any and all responsibility of even a son, whose life he just threw away.

(10-29-2014 03:30 PM)RJNorton Wrote: Welcome to the forum, Genna!

Thanks so much! I am glad to be here!

(10-29-2014 03:36 PM)BettyO Wrote: Welcome to the Forum, Glencor! I have long admired Kate and American Queen is definitely on my reading list!

Thanks, Betty! I look forward to chatting with you. I loved this book and I do hope that you will read it. Kate was a fabulous woman before her time, that is for sure.