American Queen

[L Verge]

Ah, Genna, I think you and I are going to be kindred spirits! I had fallen for the "traditional" history of bad-mouthing Kate Chase because I had not taken the time to study her from any viewpoint other than what we read about in her relationship with Mary Lincoln. I happen to think that Mrs. Lincoln has been maligned more than necessary by male historians, so I was easily prepared to dislike Kate.

After reading American Queen, I came away with the feeling that Kate was far superior to Mrs. Lincoln in many ways. She had the fortitude, education, and emotional control that any woman in politics should have -- and what (except for education) Mrs. Lincoln lacked. Frankly, I think Kate would have been a far better political candidate than either her father or her twerp of a husband! She had innate political skills.

Despite her strength, she doesn't come across as the self-centered Scarlett O'Hara of her day either. She spent her life working for men she loved and got kicked in the teeth by them. The chapter about how she had to escape with her children from the prison of her own home is as heart-wrenching as it gets.

If Mary Todd and Kate Chase had both grown up in the same town and attended the same boarding school, I bet they would have been good friends. If only Kate could have counseled Mrs. Lincoln later in life on how to maintain her dignity...