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{{short description|Wikimedia list article}} |
{{short description|Wikimedia list article}} |
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Twelve [[First Lady of the United States|first ladies of the United States]] have written memoirs, and several have had their correspondence published. Every memoir by a first lady published in the 20th and 21st centuries has been a best seller, at times outselling those of their presidential husbands.<ref name="NYTIMES">{{cite news|last=Fehrman|first=Craig|title=First Lady Lit|date=May 21, 2010|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/books/review/Fehrman-t.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=March 30, 2015}}.</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Sánchez|first=Bianca|date=November 13, 2018|title=The History of First Ladies' Memoirs|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/history-first-ladies-memoirs-180970797/|access-date=November 20, 2020|website=Smithsonian Magazine|language=en}}</ref> |
Twelve [[First Lady of the United States|first ladies of the United States]] have written memoirs, and several have had their correspondence published. Every memoir by a first lady published in the 20th and 21st centuries has been a best seller, at times outselling those of their presidential husbands.<ref name="NYTIMES">{{cite news|last=Fehrman|first=Craig|title=First Lady Lit|date=May 21, 2010|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/books/review/Fehrman-t.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=March 30, 2015|archive-date=April 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403124750/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/books/review/Fehrman-t.html|url-status=live}}.</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Sánchez|first=Bianca|date=November 13, 2018|title=The History of First Ladies' Memoirs|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/history-first-ladies-memoirs-180970797/|access-date=November 20, 2020|website=Smithsonian Magazine|language=en|archive-date=November 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129023005/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/history-first-ladies-memoirs-180970797/|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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The first lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the hostess of the [[White House]]. The position is traditionally filled by the wife of the [[president of the United States]], with [[List of First Ladies of the United States|some historic exceptions]]. Few first ladies prior to the 19th century saw their writing published, with the exception of [[Abigail Adams]]. [[Julia Grant]] sought to publish ''[[The Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant]]'' in the 1890s, but a deal was not reached in her lifetime. It was not until [[Helen Taft]]'s 1914 ''[[Recollections of Full Years]]'' that a FLOTUS had memoirs published in their lifetime. After Taft, several First Ladies wrote their own memoirs, including [[Edith Wilson]], [[Eleanor Roosevelt]], and [[Lady Bird Johnson]]. Every first lady after [[Betty Ford]] has published at least one memoir. |
The first lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the hostess of the [[White House]]. The position is traditionally filled by the wife of the [[president of the United States]], with [[List of First Ladies of the United States|some historic exceptions]]. Few first ladies prior to the 19th century saw their writing published, with the exception of [[Abigail Adams]]. [[Julia Grant]] sought to publish ''[[The Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant]]'' in the 1890s, but a deal was not reached in her lifetime. It was not until [[Helen Taft]]'s 1914 ''[[Recollections of Full Years]]'' that a FLOTUS had memoirs published in their lifetime. After Taft, several First Ladies wrote their own memoirs, including [[Edith Wilson]], [[Eleanor Roosevelt]], and [[Lady Bird Johnson]]. Every first lady after [[Betty Ford]] has published at least one memoir. |
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== History == |
== History == |
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[[File:Recollections of Full Years (Helen Taft).jpg|thumb|The title page of ''[[Recollections of Full Years]]'' by [[Helen Taft]].]] |
[[File:Recollections of Full Years (Helen Taft).jpg|thumb|The title page of ''[[Recollections of Full Years]]'' by [[Helen Taft]].]] |
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[[Abigail Adams]] had her correspondence published as [[Letters of Mrs. Adams, the Wife of John Adams,|''Letters of Mrs. Adams, the Wife of John Adams'']] in the early 1800s, and [[Louisa Adams]] "made several attempts at an autobiography", though she never sought to publish them.<ref name="NYTIMES" /> The ''Memoirs and Letters of [[Dolley Madison]], Wife of James Madison, President of the United States'' were published in 1886 but were actually written by [[Lucia Cutts]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Anthony|first=Carl|date=May 18, 2016|title=First Ladies as Author|url=http://www.firstladies.org/blog/first-ladies-as-author/|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=November 21, 2020|website=The National First Ladies' Library}}</ref> [[Julia Grant]] was the first to write and attempt to publish her memoirs, writing ''[[The Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant]]'' in the 1890s after the death of her husband, [[Ulysses S. Grant]]. However, she never found a suitable publisher for them before her death in 1902, in part because she had unrealistic expectations of their value. The memoirs were eventually published in 1975.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=The Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant|url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-personal-memoirs-of-julia-dent-grant.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=November 20, 2020|website=U.S. National Park Service|language=en}}</ref> [[Helen Taft]] was the first FLOTUS to have memoirs published during her lifetime.<ref name="NYTIMES" /> After Taft, several First Ladies wrote their own memoirs, including [[Edith Wilson]], [[Eleanor Roosevelt]], and [[Lady Bird Johnson]].<ref name=":0" /> In the 1930s [[Grace Coolidge]] published her memoirs as several articles in ''[[The American Magazine]]''.<ref name=":3" /> Memoirs by presidential spouses were uncommon until the publication of [[Betty Ford]]'s in the 1970s. Since then, every first lady has written and published at least one memoir about their life.<ref name=":0" /> |
[[Abigail Adams]] had her correspondence published as [[Letters of Mrs. Adams, the Wife of John Adams,|''Letters of Mrs. Adams, the Wife of John Adams'']] in the early 1800s, and [[Louisa Adams]] "made several attempts at an autobiography", though she never sought to publish them.<ref name="NYTIMES" /> The ''Memoirs and Letters of [[Dolley Madison]], Wife of James Madison, President of the United States'' were published in 1886 but were actually written by [[Lucia Cutts]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Anthony|first=Carl|date=May 18, 2016|title=First Ladies as Author|url=http://www.firstladies.org/blog/first-ladies-as-author/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129141221/http://www.firstladies.org/blog/first-ladies-as-author/|archive-date=November 29, 2020|access-date=November 21, 2020|website=The National First Ladies' Library}}</ref> [[Julia Grant]] was the first to write and attempt to publish her memoirs, writing ''[[The Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant]]'' in the 1890s after the death of her husband, [[Ulysses S. Grant]]. However, she never found a suitable publisher for them before her death in 1902, in part because she had unrealistic expectations of their value. The memoirs were eventually published in 1975.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=The Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant|url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-personal-memoirs-of-julia-dent-grant.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127154048/https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-personal-memoirs-of-julia-dent-grant.htm|archive-date=November 27, 2020|access-date=November 20, 2020|website=U.S. National Park Service|language=en}}</ref> [[Helen Taft]] was the first FLOTUS to have memoirs published during her lifetime.<ref name="NYTIMES" /> After Taft, several First Ladies wrote their own memoirs, including [[Edith Wilson]], [[Eleanor Roosevelt]], and [[Lady Bird Johnson]].<ref name=":0" /> In the 1930s [[Grace Coolidge]] published her memoirs as several articles in ''[[The American Magazine]]''.<ref name=":3" /> Memoirs by presidential spouses were uncommon until the publication of [[Betty Ford]]'s in the 1970s. Since then, every first lady has written and published at least one memoir about their life.<ref name=":0" /> |
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Early published memoirs focused on relatively trivial matters and were aimed at women. For instance, Helen Taft's memoirs were described by ''[[The New York Sun]]'' as "bright, witty, delightfully entertaining reminiscences" upon publication. Edith Wilson's ''[[My Memoir]]'' was criticized for excessively focusing on clothing and social events. [[Eleanor Roosevelt]], who wrote four autobiographies, marked a shift in the content of the memoirs, writing more about political issues and less on her personal life. [[Lady Bird Johnson]] condensed a dictated two-million-word transcript into 300,000 for ''[[A White House Diary]]'', which outsold her husband [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s memoir.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|date=November 12, 2018|last=Brockell|first=Gillian|title=Julia Grant couldn't find a publisher for her memoir. Michelle Obama got paid millions for hers.|language=en-US|work=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2018/11/12/julia-grant-couldnt-find-publisher-her-memoir-michelle-obama-got-paid-millions-hers/|access-date=November 20, 2020|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> In the 1960s [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis]] was involved in editing two books by [[Molly Thayer]], ''Jacqueline Kennedy'' and ''Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years.''<ref name=":3" /> |
Early published memoirs focused on relatively trivial matters and were aimed at women. For instance, Helen Taft's memoirs were described by ''[[The New York Sun]]'' as "bright, witty, delightfully entertaining reminiscences" upon publication. Edith Wilson's ''[[My Memoir]]'' was criticized for excessively focusing on clothing and social events. [[Eleanor Roosevelt]], who wrote four autobiographies, marked a shift in the content of the memoirs, writing more about political issues and less on her personal life. [[Lady Bird Johnson]] condensed a dictated two-million-word transcript into 300,000 for ''[[A White House Diary]]'', which outsold her husband [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s memoir.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|date=November 12, 2018|last=Brockell|first=Gillian|title=Julia Grant couldn't find a publisher for her memoir. Michelle Obama got paid millions for hers.|language=en-US|work=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2018/11/12/julia-grant-couldnt-find-publisher-her-memoir-michelle-obama-got-paid-millions-hers/|access-date=November 20, 2020|issn=0190-8286|archive-date=November 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201122154447/https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2018/11/12/julia-grant-couldnt-find-publisher-her-memoir-michelle-obama-got-paid-millions-hers/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 1960s [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis]] was involved in editing two books by [[Molly Thayer]], ''Jacqueline Kennedy'' and ''Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years.''<ref name=":3" /> |
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Memoirs written by Betty Ford, [[Rosalynn Carter]] and Barbara Bush also outsold the memoirs of their husbands.<ref name="NYTIMES"/> [[My Turn (memoir)|''My Turn'']] by [[Nancy Reagan]], published in 1989, was nicknamed ''My Burn'' for its "vengeful" coverage of Reagan's life, particularly in the White House. The book sold very well, remaining on [[The New York Times Best Seller list|''The New York Times'' Best Seller list]] for more than three months.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Fehrman|first=Craig|date=2012|title=Reagan and the Rise of the Blockbuster Political Memoir|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23249745|journal=American Literary History|volume=24|issue=3|pages=468–490|issn=0896-7148|doi=10.1093/alh/ajs031|jstor=23249745}}</ref> [[Michelle Obama]]'s memoir [[Becoming (book)|''Becoming'']] was published in 2018. She received over $60 million in advance of publication, and the book has sold over 11.5 million copies.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Michelle Obama's book is set to become the best-selling memoir in history|date=March 27, 2019|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/michelle-obama-s-book-set-become-best-selling-memoir-history-n987801|access-date=November 20, 2020|work=Reuters|via=NBC News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=November 19, 2019|title=Michelle Obama signs 'Becoming' copies on book's anniversary|url=https://apnews.com/article/2faae2dd1741400686763c0ec4967203|access-date=November 20, 2020|website=Associated Press|last=Superville|first=Darlene}}</ref> There has been speculation that [[Melania Trump]] is writing a memoir or in talks to do so.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 1, 2020|title=Operation Rebrand Melania: What can we expect from the first lady's rumoured memoir?|first=Arwa|last=Mahdawi|url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/01/operation-rebrand-melania-trump-what-can-we-expect-first-lady-rumoured-memoir|access-date=May 17, 2021|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Melania Trump 'in discussions about writing her own memoir'|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/melania-trump-memoir-book-b1763331.html|access-date=May 17, 2021|website=The Independent|last=Zoellner|first=Danielle|date=November 28, 2020|language=en}}</ref> |
Memoirs written by Betty Ford, [[Rosalynn Carter]] and Barbara Bush also outsold the memoirs of their husbands.<ref name="NYTIMES"/> [[My Turn (memoir)|''My Turn'']] by [[Nancy Reagan]], published in 1989, was nicknamed ''My Burn'' for its "vengeful" coverage of Reagan's life, particularly in the White House. The book sold very well, remaining on [[The New York Times Best Seller list|''The New York Times'' Best Seller list]] for more than three months.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Fehrman|first=Craig|date=2012|title=Reagan and the Rise of the Blockbuster Political Memoir|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23249745|journal=American Literary History|volume=24|issue=3|pages=468–490|issn=0896-7148|doi=10.1093/alh/ajs031|jstor=23249745}}</ref> [[Michelle Obama]]'s memoir [[Becoming (book)|''Becoming'']] was published in 2018. She received over $60 million in advance of publication, and the book has sold over 11.5 million copies.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Michelle Obama's book is set to become the best-selling memoir in history|date=March 27, 2019|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/michelle-obama-s-book-set-become-best-selling-memoir-history-n987801|access-date=November 20, 2020|work=Reuters|via=NBC News|language=en|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125025426/https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/michelle-obama-s-book-set-become-best-selling-memoir-history-n987801|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=November 19, 2019|title=Michelle Obama signs 'Becoming' copies on book's anniversary|url=https://apnews.com/article/2faae2dd1741400686763c0ec4967203|access-date=November 20, 2020|website=Associated Press|last=Superville|first=Darlene}}</ref> There has been speculation that [[Melania Trump]] is writing a memoir or in talks to do so.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 1, 2020|title=Operation Rebrand Melania: What can we expect from the first lady's rumoured memoir?|first=Arwa|last=Mahdawi|url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/01/operation-rebrand-melania-trump-what-can-we-expect-first-lady-rumoured-memoir|access-date=May 17, 2021|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=May 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517045150/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/01/operation-rebrand-melania-trump-what-can-we-expect-first-lady-rumoured-memoir|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Melania Trump 'in discussions about writing her own memoir'|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/melania-trump-memoir-book-b1763331.html|access-date=May 17, 2021|website=The Independent|last=Zoellner|first=Danielle|date=November 28, 2020|language=en|archive-date=May 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517013502/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/melania-trump-memoir-book-b1763331.html|url-status=live}}</ref> |
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== List == |
== List == |
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| scope="row" |''{{sort|Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt|[[The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt]]}}'' || {{sortname|Eleanor|Roosevelt}} || [[Harper & Brothers]] || 1961 ||{{OCLC|241967}} |
| scope="row" |''{{sort|Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt|[[The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt]]}}'' || {{sortname|Eleanor|Roosevelt}} || [[Harper & Brothers]] || 1961 ||{{OCLC|241967}} |
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|{{NoteTag|Compiled material from her first three autobiographies with additional chapters.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Laski|first=Marghanita|date=August 3, 1962|title=Eleanor Roosevelt's autobiography – archive, 1962|url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/03/eleanor-roosevelt-autobiography-1962|access-date=November 21, 2020|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref>}} |
|{{NoteTag|Compiled material from her first three autobiographies with additional chapters.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Laski|first=Marghanita|date=August 3, 1962|title=Eleanor Roosevelt's autobiography – archive, 1962|url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/03/eleanor-roosevelt-autobiography-1962|access-date=November 21, 2020|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=November 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128222716/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/03/eleanor-roosevelt-autobiography-1962|url-status=live}}</ref>}} |
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| scope="row" |''[[A White House Diary]]'' || {{sortname|Lady Bird|Johnson}} || [[Holt, Rinehart & Winston]] || 1970 ||{{ISBN|978-0-03-085254-1}} |
| scope="row" |''[[A White House Diary]]'' || {{sortname|Lady Bird|Johnson}} || [[Holt, Rinehart & Winston]] || 1970 ||{{ISBN|978-0-03-085254-1}} |
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| scope="row" |''{{sort|Times of My Life|[[The Times of My Life]]}}'' || {{sortname|Betty|Ford}} || [[Harper & Row]] || 1978 || {{ISBN|978-0-06-011298-1}} |
| scope="row" |''{{sort|Times of My Life|[[The Times of My Life]]}}'' || {{sortname|Betty|Ford}} || [[Harper & Row]] || 1978 || {{ISBN|978-0-06-011298-1}} |
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|{{NoteTag|Written with [[Chris Chase]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Howard|first=Jane|date=December 21, 2018|title=Notes From the Book Review Archives|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/books/review/betty-ford-the-times-of-my-life.html|access-date=November 21, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Betty — A Glad Awakening|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/a/betty-with-chris-chase-ford/betty-a-glad-awakening/|access-date=November 21, 2020|website=Kirkus Reviews|language=en}}</ref>|name=ChrisChase}} |
|{{NoteTag|Written with [[Chris Chase]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Howard|first=Jane|date=December 21, 2018|title=Notes From the Book Review Archives|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/books/review/betty-ford-the-times-of-my-life.html|access-date=November 21, 2020|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108200904/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/21/books/review/betty-ford-the-times-of-my-life.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Betty — A Glad Awakening|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/a/betty-with-chris-chase-ford/betty-a-glad-awakening/|access-date=November 21, 2020|website=Kirkus Reviews|language=en|archive-date=October 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026043947/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/a/betty-with-chris-chase-ford/betty-a-glad-awakening/|url-status=live}}</ref>|name=ChrisChase}} |
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| scope="row" |''[[Betty: A Glad Awakening]]'' || {{sortname|Betty|Ford}} || [[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] || 1987 || {{ISBN|978-0-385-23502-0}} |
| scope="row" |''[[Betty: A Glad Awakening]]'' || {{sortname|Betty|Ford}} || [[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] || 1987 || {{ISBN|978-0-385-23502-0}} |
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| scope="row" |''[[Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life]]'' || {{sortname|Rosalynn|Carter}} || [[Random House]] || 1987 || {{ISBN|978-0-394-55858-5}} |
| scope="row" |''[[Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life]]'' || {{sortname|Rosalynn|Carter}} || [[Random House]] || 1987 || {{ISBN|978-0-394-55858-5}} |
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|{{NoteTag|Written with husband [[Jimmy Carter]].<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Carter|first1=Jimmy|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt22h6q6h|title=Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life|last2=Carter|first2=Rosalynn|date=1987|publisher=University of Arkansas Press|jstor=j.ctt22h6q6h|isbn=978-1-55728-388-7}}</ref>}} |
|{{NoteTag|Written with husband [[Jimmy Carter]].<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Carter|first1=Jimmy|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt22h6q6h|title=Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life|last2=Carter|first2=Rosalynn|date=1987|publisher=University of Arkansas Press|jstor=j.ctt22h6q6h|isbn=978-1-55728-388-7|access-date=November 21, 2020|archive-date=May 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190519074335/https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt22h6q6h|url-status=live}}</ref>}} |
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| scope="row" |''[[Nancy: The Autobiography of America's First Lady]]'' || {{sortname|Nancy|Reagan}} || [[HarperCollins]] || 1980 || {{ISBN|978-0-688-03533-4}} |
| scope="row" |''[[Nancy: The Autobiography of America's First Lady]]'' || {{sortname|Nancy|Reagan}} || [[HarperCollins]] || 1980 || {{ISBN|978-0-688-03533-4}} |
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|{{NoteTag|Written with [[Bill Libby]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Quinn|first=Sally|date=May 1, 1980|title=Nancy Reagan On the Road To the Realm|language=en-US|work=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/05/01/nancy-reagan-on-the-road-to-the-realm/65de8bc0-ec7f-426d-b18e-b892beee59a4/|access-date=November 21, 2020|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>}} |
|{{NoteTag|Written with [[Bill Libby]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Quinn|first=Sally|date=May 1, 1980|title=Nancy Reagan On the Road To the Realm|language=en-US|work=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/05/01/nancy-reagan-on-the-road-to-the-realm/65de8bc0-ec7f-426d-b18e-b892beee59a4/|access-date=November 21, 2020|issn=0190-8286|archive-date=August 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828142153/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/05/01/nancy-reagan-on-the-road-to-the-realm/65de8bc0-ec7f-426d-b18e-b892beee59a4/|url-status=live}}</ref>}} |
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| scope="row" | ''[[My Turn (memoir)|My Turn: The Memoirs of Nancy Reagan]]'' || {{sortname|Nancy|Reagan}} || [[Random House]] || 1989 || {{ISBN|978-0-394-56368-8}} |
| scope="row" | ''[[My Turn (memoir)|My Turn: The Memoirs of Nancy Reagan]]'' || {{sortname|Nancy|Reagan}} || [[Random House]] || 1989 || {{ISBN|978-0-394-56368-8}} |
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|{{NoteTag|Written with [[William Novak]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-440-20774-0|access-date=November 21, 2020|title=My Turn|website=Publisher's Weekly}}</ref>}} |
|{{NoteTag|Written with [[William Novak]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-440-20774-0|access-date=November 21, 2020|title=My Turn|website=Publisher's Weekly|archive-date=May 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518004356/https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-440-20774-0|url-status=live}}</ref>}} |
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| scope="row" |''[[Barbara Bush: A Memoir]]'' || {{sortname|Barbara|Bush}} || [[Charles Scribner's Sons|Scribner]] || 1994 || {{ISBN|978-0-02-519635-3}} |
| scope="row" |''[[Barbara Bush: A Memoir]]'' || {{sortname|Barbara|Bush}} || [[Charles Scribner's Sons|Scribner]] || 1994 || {{ISBN|978-0-02-519635-3}} |
Twelve first ladies of the United States have written memoirs, and several have had their correspondence published. Every memoir by a first lady published in the 20th and 21st centuries has been a best seller, at times outselling those of their presidential husbands.[1][2]
The first lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the hostess of the White House. The position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, with some historic exceptions. Few first ladies prior to the 19th century saw their writing published, with the exception of Abigail Adams. Julia Grant sought to publish The Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant in the 1890s, but a deal was not reached in her lifetime. It was not until Helen Taft's 1914 Recollections of Full Years that a FLOTUS had memoirs published in their lifetime. After Taft, several First Ladies wrote their own memoirs, including Edith Wilson, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Lady Bird Johnson. Every first lady after Betty Ford has published at least one memoir.
Abigail Adams had her correspondence published as Letters of Mrs. Adams, the Wife of John Adams in the early 1800s, and Louisa Adams "made several attempts at an autobiography", though she never sought to publish them.[1] The Memoirs and Letters of Dolley Madison, Wife of James Madison, President of the United States were published in 1886 but were actually written by Lucia Cutts.[3] Julia Grant was the first to write and attempt to publish her memoirs, writing The Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant in the 1890s after the death of her husband, Ulysses S. Grant. However, she never found a suitable publisher for them before her death in 1902, in part because she had unrealistic expectations of their value. The memoirs were eventually published in 1975.[4] Helen Taft was the first FLOTUS to have memoirs published during her lifetime.[1] After Taft, several First Ladies wrote their own memoirs, including Edith Wilson, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Lady Bird Johnson.[2] In the 1930s Grace Coolidge published her memoirs as several articles in The American Magazine.[3] Memoirs by presidential spouses were uncommon until the publication of Betty Ford's in the 1970s. Since then, every first lady has written and published at least one memoir about their life.[2]
Early published memoirs focused on relatively trivial matters and were aimed at women. For instance, Helen Taft's memoirs were described by The New York Sun as "bright, witty, delightfully entertaining reminiscences" upon publication. Edith Wilson's My Memoir was criticized for excessively focusing on clothing and social events. Eleanor Roosevelt, who wrote four autobiographies, marked a shift in the content of the memoirs, writing more about political issues and less on her personal life. Lady Bird Johnson condensed a dictated two-million-word transcript into 300,000 for A White House Diary, which outsold her husband Lyndon B. Johnson's memoir.[5] In the 1960s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was involved in editing two books by Molly Thayer, Jacqueline Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years.[3]
Memoirs written by Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter and Barbara Bush also outsold the memoirs of their husbands.[1] My TurnbyNancy Reagan, published in 1989, was nicknamed My Burn for its "vengeful" coverage of Reagan's life, particularly in the White House. The book sold very well, remaining on The New York Times Best Seller list for more than three months.[5][6] Michelle Obama's memoir Becoming was published in 2018. She received over $60 million in advance of publication, and the book has sold over 11.5 million copies.[7][8] There has been speculation that Melania Trump is writing a memoir or in talks to do so.[9][10]