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Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation Paperback – February 15, 2005

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,239 ratings

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Legendary journalist Cokie Roberts' New York Times bestseller, Founding Mothers, is an intimate and illuminating look at the fervently patriotic and passionate women whose tireless pursuits on behalf of their families—and their country—proved just as crucial to the forging of a new nation as the rebellion that established it.

While much has been written about the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, battled the British, and framed the Constitution, the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters they left behind have been little noticed by history. The late #1 New York Times bestselling author Cokie Roberts brings us women who fought the Revolution as valiantly as the men, often defending their very doorsteps.

Drawing upon personal correspondence, private journals, and even favored recipes, Roberts reveals the often surprising stories of these fascinating women, bringing to life the everyday trials and extraordinary triumphs of individuals like Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Deborah Read Franklin, Eliza Pinckney, Catherine Littlefield Green, Esther DeBerdt Reed, and Martha Washington—proving that without our exemplary women, the new country might have never survived.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Roberts has uncovered hundreds of personal anecdotes and woven them together in a single, suspenseful narrative with great skill.” — Washington Post Book World

From the Inside Flap

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Cokie Roberts comes New York Times bestseller Founding Mothers, an intimate and illuminating look at the fervently patriotic and passionate women whose tireless pursuits on behalf of their families-and their country-proved just as crucial to the forging of a new nation as the rebellion that established it.

While much has been written about the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, battled the British, and framed the Constitution, the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters they left behind have been little noticed by history. #1 New York Times bestselling author Cokie Roberts brings us women who fought the Revolution as valiantly as the men, often defending their very doorsteps. Drawing upon personal correspondence, private journals, and even favoured recipes, Roberts reveals the often surprising stories of these fascinating women, bringing to life the everyday trials and extraordinary triumphs of individuals like Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Deborah Read Franklin, Eliza Pinckney, Catherine Littlefield Green, Esther DeBerdt Reed and Martha Washington-proving that without our exemplary women, the new country might have never survived.

--Washington Post Book World

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (February 15, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 006009026X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0060090265
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 6 - 10 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1120L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - Kindergarten
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 0.86 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,239 ratings

About the author

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Cokie Roberts
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Cokie Roberts is a political commentator for ABC News, providing analysis for all network news programming. From 1996-2002 she and Sam Donaldson co-anchored the weekly ABC interview program This Week. Roberts also serves as commentator for National Public Radio. In her more than forty years in broadcasting, she has won countless awards, including three Emmys. She has been inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame, and was cited by the American Women in Radio and Television as one of the fifty greatest women in the history of broadcasting.

Cokie Roberts has written several bestselling books, including the #1 New York Times bestseller, We Are Our Mothers’ Daughters, Founding Mothers, and Ladies of Liberty. In addition she has written two books with her husband, Steven V. Roberts, that include From This Day Forward, an account of their now more than forty-five year marriage and other marriages in American history, which immediately went onto the New York Times bestseller list, and Our Haggadah: Uniting Traditions for Interfaith Families. Cokie Roberts holds more than twenty honorary degrees, serves on the boards of several non-profit institutions and President Bush appointed her to his Commission on Service and Civic Participation. In 2008 the Library of Congress named her a “Living Legend,” one of the very few Americans to have attained that honor.

She is the mother of two and grandmother of six.

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4.3 out of 5 stars
1,239 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book an interesting and informative read that provides a detailed account of the women behind the scenes of history. They appreciate the author's research and open-minded approach to the content. The book highlights the importance of women in the founding of America from a feminine perspective. Readers describe the women featured as smart, resourceful, and tough. They praise their fortitude, courage, and strength of faith. The visual style is described as colorful and delightful.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

152 customers mention "Readability"145 positive7 negative

Customers find the book interesting and well-written. They appreciate the notes and cast of characters, making it a good addition to school or personal libraries. The premise is intriguing and the stories are compelling.

"...What a wonderful book that I look forward to rereading." Read more

"...As far as this book went, it was a great read, I just would have appreciated more on all these fascinating women...." Read more

"...He was a great man in many ways, brilliant and creative and an inventor to boot. But he was a selfish and egocentric character as well...." Read more

"...Overall decent book, but lacking from its narrow focus." Read more

115 customers mention "Information quality"108 positive7 negative

Customers find the book informative and well-researched. It provides a good background and examples of women heroes during the war. Readers say it helps further their overall understanding of the war and is indispensable for cultural development.

"...The book was informative and while told with respect and reverence, there just enough of a sense of humor to convey that we are all the same in..." Read more

"...-law", in most histories, was actually a remarkable, strong, intelligent, and accomplished woman...." Read more

"...However, while the book was very informative in certain areas I felt that it got caught up in the day to day activity of each woman and failed to..." Read more

"...nation by adding the essential ingredients of character, wisdom, intelligence, energy, passions, and good sense of the women married to the founding..." Read more

83 customers mention "History content"65 positive18 negative

Customers enjoy the book's history content. They find it interesting and an engaging way to learn about America's beginning from a feminine perspective. The book covers the years from the Stamp Act through John Adams' election as President of the new nation. Readers appreciate the author's style that makes history entertaining.

"...He was a great man in many ways, brilliant and creative and an inventor to boot. But he was a selfish and egocentric character as well...." Read more

"...throughout the book, we now have a fuller and more realistic picture of the times and circumstances, not to mention some of the more difficult parts..." Read more

"...However, it is arranged in chronological order, chapters covering major parts of history...." Read more

"...The book covers the years from the Stamp Act through John Adams' election as President of the new nation of free and equal men...." Read more

77 customers mention "Influence of women"74 positive3 negative

Customers find the book informative and interesting about the women behind the scenes of history. They appreciate the detailed account of the women who had an active role in founding the country. The women featured are smart, resourceful, and tough. Readers have sympathy and admiration for the women who helped found this nation.

"...The book was informative and while told with respect and reverence, there just enough of a sense of humor to convey that we are all the same in..." Read more

"...The women are the centerpiece, with the men on the periphery...." Read more

"...There is so much interesting information about the women of the Revolutionary period that you will learn things you never had in history class...." Read more

"...to say that the book was very informative by providing a very detailed account of the women who had an active role in shaping this country and its..." Read more

27 customers mention "Strength"27 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the strong women in the book. They find them courageous, intelligent, and self-sacrificing. The characters inspire them and remind them of their capabilities. Readers admire their faith, moral conviction, and willingness.

"...as "common-law", in most histories, was actually a remarkable, strong, intelligent, and accomplished woman...." Read more

"...These are women of great endurance, intellect, drive, passion, wisdom and vision...." Read more

"This book reviews the courage and strength of the of my 6th and 7th great grandmothers...." Read more

"...so dangerous and trying that one marvels at their ingenuity, strength of character and fortitude...." Read more

16 customers mention "Visual style"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book visually appealing and engaging. They appreciate the well-written, colorful history that provides a realistic perspective on women's roles in American history. The book is presented in a relaxed and easy-to-read style that conveys the author's message effectively.

"Not an easy book to grab and hold attention but facinating just the same. No longer is Betsy Ross the only female icon in US HIStory...." Read more

"...America's history is rich, deep, colorful, engrossing, ....this "book" was bland, shallow, dull, boring......I couldn't finish it even..." Read more

"...It's nicely illustrated and a VERY quick read but, as it's written for ages 6 and up, a little light on substance...." Read more

"...This was a very interesting look into the women who influenced the principles that help design our government. Well worth the read!" Read more

12 customers mention "Humor"9 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor. They find the writing witty and brave. The author's direct comments to the reader are appreciated.

"...and while told with respect and reverence, there just enough of a sense of humor to convey that we are all the same in human nature, whether of the..." Read more

"...Her comments directly to the reader were wonderful, especially her comments about how Congress hasn't changed one bit from the first to now...." Read more

"...; poorly-written; hard-to-read; hard-to-follow; inappropriate personal comments throughout, with almost no serious analysis of the data..." Read more

"...events she relates, the book is very well written with a dose of humor here and there and ample sympathy and admiration for the women who helped..." Read more

93 customers mention "Writing quality"46 positive47 negative

Customers have different views on the writing quality. Some find it well-written and accessible, while others find parts difficult to follow. The writing style is described as easy to read and stimulating, while others consider it poorly written and unsatisfying.

"...And it reads as easy as a novel, with plots that would make many novels seem pale by comparison...." Read more

"...Normally, I read all the notes, but these just weren't worth the trouble to read...." Read more

"Cokie Roberts writes well, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It brought many facts to light that I had not been aware of...." Read more

"...It is a very dense book and is not a quick read...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2005
    I thoroughly enjoyed Founding Mothers: The Women Who raised Our Nation, by Cokie Roberts. The book was informative and while told with respect and reverence, there just enough of a sense of humor to convey that we are all the same in human nature, whether of the 18th or 21rst centuries. The timeline was such that the reader can see and to a large extent feel the unfolding of rebellion, war, independence, and a new, tentative, national government. In reading the notes and introduction I hadn't appreciated just how difficult it would be to navigate the longhand of the day and to "translate" its intent into enough modern day usage and spelling so we can easily understand what the women of the day were trying to say. Some museums I have been to have displayed large examples of such writing and I find myself going cross-eyed trying to read it. I thank Cokie Roberts and whoever assisted her in these endeavors. (I also find myself talking and writing in 18th century-ese.)

    I want to posthumously shake some of our female ancestors for having destroyed too much of their correspondence. Didn't they realize that I, much less Cokie Roberts, would want to read every word? Well maybe they did but I imagine they were thinking more of their contemporaries and how they might choose to use their letters. Still and all how I wish we could read more of the thoughts of Martha Jefferson, Martha Washington, Betsey Hamilton than we have.

    I have recently taken a huge interest in early American history and I have some thoughts, comments, and questions about the substance of the book. In Chapter Two the author asks if Abigail was being playful in regard to her "remember the ladies" letter. I think she was being playful in one sense and most deadly serious in another. The substance and intent of the letter was as serious as could be, don't leave the ladies out of all political consideration! But her line, "we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation" shows she knew it would probably make her husband grin at the ironic references to his own similarly written grievances against the British Crown. The fact that John answered in a joking manner indicates to me that he knew at least in part she was trying to make him smile. The references were playful to soften the letter although the intent was serious. And one wonders just how seriously Abigail actually thought she and her contemporaries could foment a rebellion. Was she referring to posterity? I would like to think so. I believe many of the letters of the day were written with future generations of readers in mind and we can only assume that Abigail envisioned the women's movement that would begin--when, where? Here is where my reading fails me. With Emmeline Pankhurst in Britain in the 1870's? I don't know.

    As I have progressed with my other reading, various questions have occured to me which have not been answered to my satisfaction. One among them, Why did the British give up after Yorktown? I understand in general why they must have come to realize that to continue the effort at so great a distance and expense was ultimately useless. But which British official first thought, felt, wrote, it's time to change our thinking? I would like to know of any book that goes into the British thinking after Yorktown. The books I have read so far tell of Yorktown, then of peace negotiations and the peace treaty. But what took place in the confines of the British ministry between Yorktown and the beginning of serious peace negotiations? It is the details which fascinate. Just as many American women of the time encouraged their husbands to continue to resist, which English politician's wife whispered in her husband's ear, "Enough is enough!"

    Another question--When was the "U" in United States first capitalized? Jefferson, or someone, chose not to capitalize it in the Declaration of Independence which indicates to me that they didn't think of the united States as an official name yet.

    I assume everyone in America has an idea for a television series and so do I. Cokie Roberts has written so many stories of early American women, each one more fascinating than the next. Why not a series based on these stories? The woman who dressed as a man--Robert Shurcliff (Deborah Sampson), the spies and aids, Nancy Hart, Ann Gwinnett, the fundraisers, Esther DeBerdt, and more.

    I want to conclude by once more thanking Cokie Roberts for Founding Mothers. What a wonderful book that I look forward to rereading.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2013
    Nonfiction/History/Biography
    384 pages / 490 KB
    Footnotes / Endnotes: Yes (not identified in text)
    Illustrations: No
    Suitable for eReaders: Yes
    4 stars

    This was a fun read. It was obvious Cokie Roberts had a good time both researching and writing this book. She brought not only the women alive, but the men they were attached to. Her comments directly to the reader were wonderful, especially her comments about how Congress hasn't changed one bit from the first to now.

    Even if you don't particularly care for history, I think you will enjoy this book. The women are the centerpiece, with the men on the periphery. If you've ever wondered what Martha Washington thought and did for George, this is the book to tell you.

    I truly wish she had carried the bios out a bit further - what happened to Martha after George died? Sally Hemings is barely mentioned, and yet my understanding is, she had a large bearing on Jefferson after his wife died, she held the keys (literally) to his house, and ran it. As far as this book went, it was a great read, I just would have appreciated more on all these fascinating women.

    I read this on my Kindle Fire, and saw no wee tiny blue numbers indicated foot/endnotes. At about 60% of my way through the book, I came upon the Cast of Characters, then a couple recipes (the one for crown soap was how to cut the soap, not actually make it) and then (I'm guessing here, I didn't really check) about 35% of end notes. Most seemed to be bibliography, and though they were by chapter, it was too difficult to find where the original was, so I didn't bother to look. Normally, I read all the notes, but these just weren't worth the trouble to read. (Suggestion for Cokie: See how Laurence Bergreen does his end notes.)

    Do I recommend this book? Yes! (Amazon has a Note for Parents that the reading level of this book is Adult. I think any young person who reads beyond text messages or comics, can handle it. Personally, I think children should be encouraged to read above their grade level, but then, I was reading adult books when I was in the fifth grade;-)
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2014
    I'm not yet finished reading this book, but I already like it. There is so much interesting information about the women of the Revolutionary period that you will learn things you never had in history class. And it reads as easy as a novel, with plots that would make many novels seem pale by comparison. But you won't like Benjamin Franklin much after you read his wife's story! He was a great man in many ways, brilliant and creative and an inventor to boot. But he was a selfish and egocentric character as well. I suspect he was much better as a friend than as a husband. His wife, who is usually vaguely brushed off as "common-law", in most histories, was actually a remarkable, strong, intelligent, and accomplished woman. She raised Ben's illegitimate son as well as her own daughter with Ben (their son died tragically young), and ran his businesses while he gallivanted around Europe for years. She deserves better than the very few words accorded her in most histories. I am thankful to Cokie Roberts for telling her story.

    Of course, Ben's neglected wife is not the only woman in this book. I just had to rant a little about the way she was treated! As I said, I haven't finished the book yet, so I'll be learning about the lives of many more interesting women as I continue with this book.

    I definitely recommend this book.
    15 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2024
    These are some of the stories that we aren't taught in school, but we should know about the women behind the founding fathers. They are just as important as the men. and are a part of our history, too.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Kimberlee Leanne Spielberg
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 29, 2017
    An excellent, enjoyable and informative read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • shakespeare-kinsmen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Souvent les femmes...
    Reviewed in France on March 13, 2013
    Je n'en suis qu'au début du livre, mais je suis déjà conquis. Non pas vaincu, mais séduit et touché par ces Grandes Dames qui, elles, devaient, ou plutôt se faisaient un devoir de participer aussi, de près ou moins, aux trames politiques de leur époque. Elles doivent faire deux fronts : l'implication civique ou plus, politique, et la tenue de leur Maison (enfants, souvent nombreux, réceptions, etc.). Bien sûr l'époque couvre encore la sombre période esclavagiste, mais ce ou ces derniers semblaient, sous la responsabilité de ces femmes, être un peu mieux considérés. Ceci n'enlève rien, et c'est mon opinion, au caractère insupportable de la notion même d'esclave à quelque degré que ce soit (d'ailleurs le 13 è amendement n'a pas tout réglé). On apprend ce qu'étaient les conditions de vie, dures, incertaines, mais aussi pleines d'espérances et de possibles, de ces décades cruciales pour l'Amérique, et donc pour le monde. Incontournable pour qui s'intéresse ne serait-ce qu'un peu à ce pays.
    2 people found this helpful
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