Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation
- ISBN13: 9780060090265
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
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 frame… More >>
What the heck happened to Cokie Roberts?!?!?!
Yesterday I heard her respond to a question about the sorry state of political discourse by citing talk radio (she was on a local “public” station) and late night liberal comedians.(Rush who. . .? ) A year or so ago she and her husband were critcizing workers at Walmart for trying to unionize! It’s hard to believe that she was part of a radio/tv network that brought down Richard Nixon. I’m not buying her book. If I want information I’ll tune into Air America.
Rating: 1 / 5
Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation is a good topic. And though many other writers (of both genders) have covered the terrain, the topic was compelling enough to make me give the book a chance despite the “author.”
Like the works of too many television pundits, Cokie Roberts’s “book” reads like a Power Point presentation. Calling it an “overview” would be granting it more stature than it deserves. Though an author who gleans previously well noted work done by others can’t be expected to come across any new discoveries, Roberts doesn’t even offer the reader an independent thought.
The “book” has all the usual “depth” one would expect from Roberts. Perhaps as an elementary school primer the “book” could benefit some readers? The rest of us will read pulled factoids we already knew (or should have) and sweeping generalities courtesy of Cokie while we wonder why this “journalist” continues to produce books? Does she hold stock in the timber industry? She can’t truly believe that these slight clip-jobs will be taken seriously by book readers. (“Author” Roberts seems to exist to satisfy the occasional curiosity of the non-reading public.)
She’s no historian, true. But to call these assembled bits of previously published facts intersped with the usual generalizations by Roberts “books” does a huge disservice to authors everywhere.
Maybe it plays better as a book-on-tape? That wouldn’t be surprising since Roberts relationship with the written word can best be termed molestation.
Here’s a topic Cokie Roberts might want to consider for her next clip job: the contributions from women of her era to journalism.
Maybe undertaking a “book” like that — printing “factoids” on Andrea Mitchell, Lesley Stahl, Linda Ellerbee, Carole Simpson and, yes, even Jessica Savitch — would demonstrate to her how trivial her own career has been. Heck, even the much maligned Connie Chung has moments to be proud of. “Commentator” Cokie Roberts has nothing of note, despite being one of the few “journalists” to have such a wide reach — op-eds (with her husband Steve), long running gigs at ABC & NPR, until recently the co-host of This Week and a regular spot on most talk programs as ‘Washington expert.’
In the broadcast medium, Cokie Roberts can continue to be a “commentator” (or windbag, depending upon one’s point of view) but let’s not confuse clip-jobs with “books,” nor mistake magpies for “authors.”
Rating: 1 / 5
Cokie Roberts does a good job “humanizing” the women who founded America. Once again, she proves that behind every great man is a GREAT woman!
Rating: 4 / 5
As Abigail Adams reminds her husband to “Remember the Ladies”, Cokie Roberts reminds the reader of the same thing as she discusses the birth of the USA as seen through the eyes of the influential women who lived during those years. Although, as a Social Studies teacher, I am familiar with the events leading up to the American Revolution and the ratification of the Constitution, I learned so much about the women who are so often omitted from history textbooks. Not only does it make me wonder about how American History might have been different had Abigail Adams been permitted to serve as a delegate alongside her husband, but I am also left marveling at the economic innovations of Eliza Pinckney as well as the overall economic and political influence of the women of the times (boycott, propaganda, etc.)
Although there were times that I found the text a bit dry (unlike some other popular history books I’ve read recently, it did not read like a novel but like straight-forward history), I still learned a great deal and I plan to incorporate some of this information into my teaching curriculum this year!
Rating: 4 / 5
Even though read by the author, a national reporter and commentator, it is inexplicably read very poorly. Ever short “a” (as in plan) is pronounced as if there were a hidden “e”, i.e. “plaen”. The “l” is “Pennsylvania” is omitted. The word “soldier” is pronounced “sojer”. Etc. It really grates on the nerves, as if the reader doesn’t know how to pronounce English and completely detracts from the content.
Rating: 2 / 5