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Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker
Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker
Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker
Audiobook14 hours

Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker

Written by Jennifer Chiaverini

Narrated by Christina Moore

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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About this audiobook

New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Chiaverini has a gift for transporting listeners into the past for riveting explorations of how seemingly ordinary women overcome extraordinary circumstances. In this departure from her beloved Elm Creek Quilts series, Chiaverini weaves a historical fiction tale profiling the life of Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, a former slave who would become a dressmaker for Mary Todd Lincoln. A character largely forgotten to history, Keckley blossoms under Chiaverini's masterful writing.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 15, 2013
ISBN9781470335892
Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker
Author

Jennifer Chiaverini

Jennifer Chiaverini is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-four novels, including critically acclaimed historical fiction and the beloved Elm Creek Quilts series. In 2020, she was awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Library Association for her novel Resistance Women. In 2023, the WLA awarded her the honor of Notable Wisconsin Author for her significant contributions to the state’s literary heritage. Chiaverini earned a BA from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in English Language and Literature from the University of Chicago. She, her husband, and their two sons call Madison, Wisconsin home.

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Reviews for Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker

Rating: 3.5123076916923077 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

325 ratings53 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Elizabeth Keckley was a former slave who purchased her freedom. She became an accomplished dressmaker to such people as Varina Dave, wife of Jefferson Davis and Mary Todd Lincoln. She became Mary Lincoln's confidante and often traveled with her. After Mary left the White House, Elizabeth wrote a book about her experiences as a slave and working with the Lincolns. Elizabeth and Mary became estranged over the things published in the book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A great book. Long, but worth the investment of time.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was our book club book for June. I waited a bit late to get to it, but it looked interesting and thought that it would be a quick read. Unfortunately I couldn't seem to connect with the book. I felt like a spectator to the story and not immersed in the story. Left me feeling cold towards the book and really didn't want to pick it up and finish. Then a book came in that I really wanted to read and it was no problem to toss this book.

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved the how the characters are developed in this book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I had great hopes from the strong start with which this book began. Chiaverini's familiar style traced the early life of former slave turned seamstress Elizabeth Keckley as she sewed for the likes of Mrs. Jefferson Davis. However, once she took up stitching for Mary Lincoln, the book began to read like a history book that focused mostly on Mrs. Lincoln. The story is based on the true story of the relationship between the pair, but it focuses mostly on events in the lives of the Lincolns and of the United States during the Civil War. A plot with more personal action would have made it a much better read. It picked up again towards the end once Elizabeth's daily interactions with Mrs. Lincoln ceased. Perhaps a more apt title would have been Mrs. Lincoln and her Dressmaker since the focus is on Mrs. Lincoln. Civil War buffs will probably enjoy. Others may want to pass.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book started out great, but it just got tedious towards the end as the characters became less and less likable and much of the detail turned into repetitive filler. After awhile I just didn’t care what happened and ended up completely losing interest.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A bit dull for me, but then again I usually don't like books about war or history. The book was well-written and I did enjoy reading about the friendship between Mrs. Lincoln and her dressmaker and I might have learned a little about the civil war as well!
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Disappointing. I really wanted to like this one. I have a fascination for the Lincolns and never seem to get enough of them. But this was a boring read. For me, "it can lay claim to very little merit indeed." I somehow managed to finish it though.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Too long and drawn out. I found myself wishing that I wasn’t listening to the audiobook but actually turning pages so I could skip them
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    That it was historical and gave a good look into the life of the Lincolns.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I must admit to not knowing about Elizabeth Keckley prior to reading this novel. What a fascinating person to use as the basis for a historical novel. Born into slavery but with a talent for sewing that enabled her to buy herself and her son into freedom. She moved to Washington, D.C., just as the Union was breaking up but not before making dresses for the likes of Mrs. Jefferson Davis and Mrs. Robert E. Lee. As those ladies left with their husbands she was introduced to the new first lady, Mary Todd Lincoln. That began long relationship that went beyond client and dressmaker.The novel is rich in history and for those with a knowledge of the Civil War-it's battle, the personalities of the generals, the politics of the times - the book will be read with that certain foreknowledge rather like having read the ending before you have finished the tale. For those not initiated into the details of this horrific War it will not over educate you but just provide a basic play by play of important events. I've done a lot of reading about this period in history and I do think it made the story richer.The title is a bit of a misnomer if you ask me. It's really more Mrs. Lincoln's story than it is Mrs. Keckley's. In that I was a touch disappointed. The story bookends with Mrs. Keckley's life but the bulk of the tale belongs to the First Lady. I knew that Mrs. Lincoln had issues but was surprised to learn what I did about her. It was an interesting read and from what I understand it was heavily drawn from Mrs. Keckley's own book. It was by no means a page turner but it was a fascinating look at a woman who defied a system determined to keep her as property at a time when women were barely thought to be capable of more than keeping house, let alone a woman of color. Bravo to Elizabeth Keckley - at least for a while - for becoming a woman of influence and power in her community. It's a sin that she died in near poverty and lapsed into almost obscurity.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker: A Novel is an interesting story about a enslaved woman who purchased her way out of slavery. She not only was the dressmaker and close friend of Mrs. Lincoln but she also dressed many of the famous women of the time all along teaching young women how to sew. She wrote her memoir which was highly controversial. Mrs. Elizabeth Keckley's life is an inspiration. Four stars were awarded in this review.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This book was a challenge for me to get through. The characters were flat and I just didn't care about any of them. What kept me going were the little tidbits of historical facts. (which I looked up of course).
    After Lincoln dies the book pics up a little bit, which helped me to finish it.
    What I find sad is that Mrs. Keckley thought of herself as Mary Lincoln's friend, but according to this book, it appears Mary just used her. What did Mary do for Elizabeth? There wasn't any reciprocity in the relationship. Elizabeth gave and gave and gave. Until...but I won't give the spoilers.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley was born a slave in the antebellum American South, became an accomplished seamstress and dressmaker, and purchased her own freedom and her son's. It's after this that this novel based on her life begins--when she is a dressmaker of rising distinction in Washington, D.C., in the months just before the start of the Civil War.

    During this time, her patrons were both Democrats and Republicans, Unionists and secessionists. If it seems odd to modern readers that one of her best and favorite patrons at this time was Varina Davis, wife of Jefferson Davis, soon to be President of the Confederate States of America, it's really an illustration of how messy and complicated human relationships really are. Mrs. Davis values her skills and likes her personally; she's perfectly sincere, if utterly obtuse, when she asks Elizabeth Keckley to go with her family when they leave Washington for Montgomery, Alabama.

    Despite the loss of half her customers, and the stress and tension of this time of impending war, Keckley is not long in finding her feet in the new conditions, and doesn't let slip the opportunity when she is introduced to Mary Todd Lincoln, just days before the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln as the sixteenth President of the United States of America. This is the start of the heart of the novel, the years of her growing intimacy with Mrs. Lincoln and to a lesser degree the whole Lincoln family. Initially "just" a dressmaker, over time she becomes one of Mrs. Lincoln's most trusted friends and confidantes. She brings kindness, loyalty, and steadiness of character, in addition to her dressmaking skills, to the sometimes volatile and always emotional and impulsive Mary Lincoln.

    Told entirely from Elizabeth Keckley's viewpoint, it tells the story of the war years and of Mary Lincoln's post-war years, struggling with grief, debt, and a (mostly unfairly) damaged reputation. As Keckley supports her friend, she begins to experience backlash herself, with painful consequences for her business and her friendships.

    It's an interesting look at the mostly forgotten Elizabeth Keckley, as well as a sympathetic look at Mary Todd Lincoln.

    Recommended.

    I bought this book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I had just read "Enchantress of Numbers" by this author and found it very interesting. This one, however, just didn't pull me into the story and I actually gave up about half way through (something I rarely do). This is the story of a former slave who becomes very close to Mary Lincoln. Probably my fault - just not in the mood for Civil War, I guess.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I enjoyed this story of an ex-slave who through hard work and skill rises to be dressmaker and companion to First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. I understand it's based on a true story. The author tackles some thorny issues and navigates many shades of gray dealing with slavery, race, and class. Elizabeth Keckley, the titular dressmaker, is a powerful and complicated figure. She takes agency to build her own business that employs several young women. She founds, fund raises for, and teaches in an important organization to educate and care for ex-slaves. Which makes her kindly feelings for her white relatives (who were also her masters) and her devotion to and sacrifices for Mrs. Lincoln somewhat inexplicable. I could only ascribe those feelings to societal expectations, and a deep sense of charity and forgiveness fostered by her religion and amiable nature. She was a woman of her time, not ours.Although I enjoyed the story, I had a few issues with the writing. It felt flat. The book read more like a biography than fiction with little drama, no romance or character development. Elizabeth is fully formed when we meet her, she lives a values-based life, and seems to have no regrets about her choices. As I said above, the author deals with a number of thorny issues, but they all feel like the reader is looking at them from a great distance. There is no passion, anger, love, emotional conflict. Even during tragedies, the author tells us how Elizabeth feels rather than shows us. I was looking forward to reading the Author's Note to see what was real, but their wasn't one. I would have preferred a straight biography with footnotes and appendices. So story 4 stars, writing 2 stars = overall 3 stars.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Interesting but sometimes it was a little dry reading.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I am an addict when it comes to reading about Lincoln and his family so reading Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini was a great pleasure. It sometimes veers more towards history than historical fiction but since I love both genres that just added to my enjoyment.The focus of this book is on Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Keckley's friendship. The author paints a more favorable picture of Mrs. Lincoln than I have read in previous books but that is easily explained because her portrayal was seen through the eyes of the a friend. Her spending sprees and spells of depression seem to suggest that she was bi-polar.Mrs. Keckley was born a slave and had earned her freedom by paying for through sewing. We learn later in this book of her experiences as a child. She had bad experiences with men as she was older and stayed single after her estranged husband, an alcoholic passed away. She is an exceptional woman who with her great talent of sewing worked her way up to having Mrs. Jefferson Davis as a client but her goal was to work for Mrs. Lincoln. She used her wit, wisdom, persistence and hard work to earn her way there. The author offered many glimpses of the life of slaves and newly freed slaves before, after and during the war and also wonderful peeks into Mr. Lincoln's relationship with her. A good deal of this book is based on Mrs. Keckley's own book but the author did more research on Lincoln and previous books on this friendship.The pacing was excellent and it didn't take long to get fully immersed in this story. I hated for it to end and plan to read more of the author's writings.I highly recommend this book to historical fiction fans and all those who are avid readers of anything connected with Lincoln. You will not be disappointed.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This first episode in Jennifer Chiaverini’s Civil War series will leave the reader in awe. Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker is both a heartwarming tale of two unlikely friends, and a tragic history of how the war affected many lives. As you read along you will be presented with the views and opinions of blacks, whites, civilians, military men, and a host of honest and dishonest politicians. North, South, Union, Confederate, Freed blacks, Slaves, generals and foot soldiers, all knee deep in fear not knowing how the nation will end up.Never have I felt that I was sincerely there on the scene with the players, slowly getting immersed in their triumphs and tragedies like I did with this wonderfully penned novel. Jennifer Chiaverini’s talent in writing atmospheric prose brought me on the spot with the Lincoln family as their story unfolds as if I was standing there amongst them joining in the circumstances as they were painfully unraveled page by page.You will fall in love with Abraham Lincoln, the honest, kind, and patient president who silently suffered the weight of the country on his shoulders during a bloody war that decided whether the Union and Confederates would unite and abolish slavery forever. His quiet fortitude and unending patience with a wife who never ceased to nag, grieve, and control her husband, sons, and their political position, often left him alone and pensive. The heart of this story though is the cherished friendship between Mary Todd Lincoln and her trusted dressmaker Elizabeth Keckley. Born a slave, Elizabeth worked long and hard to buy her freedom and eventually became one of Washington’s favored seamstresses who clad the nation’s favorite ladies in the finest gowns created at the time. Together their friendship endured many successes as well as altogether too many hardships and sorrows that within the story is a rollercoaster ride of turbulence and emotion. Based on the true life of Elizabeth Keckley, the author does and outstanding job creating realistic characters that readers will remember long after the last pages are turned. Myself I did not want the story to end as I devoured every page learning history I was not well informed in. I have read the second book in this series, The Spymistress which was also good, and now anticipate more to come as I pick up the third book in this marvelous series, Mrs. Lincoln’s Rival. Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker is historical fiction at its best and I easily give it 5 stars.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Book on CD narrated by Christina MooreElizabeth Keckley was a free Negro whose skill as a seamstress brought her to the attention of Washington D.C.’s leading ladies, including Mrs. Abraham Lincoln. Chiaverini’s novel tells Elizabeth’s story. This was an interesting look at an era in history that we already know much about. I enjoyed the historical references and Elizabeth’s point of view of many of the events. It was an engaging story that held my interest. But …I wish Chiaverini had given us more of Elizabeth in the novel and less of Mrs Lincoln. I would have liked to read more about Elizabeth’s early years as a slave, how she came to buy her freedom and that of her son, and how she came to start her business in Washington. As it is, the novel opens with Elizabeth already a successful businesswoman, and about to be introduced to Mrs Lincoln. Chiaverini references her history of slavery, but never fully explains it. Christina Moore does a fine job narrating the audio version of this book. She has good pacing, and a fluid delivery. I was never confused about who was speaking, despite the many female characters.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was very well written. It was a different view than what the movie Lincoln showed. I kept comparing the two and I kept seeing Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln when I was reading this. I had no idea Mrs. Lincoln didn't know how to control her spending. I knew she was a little crazy but I didn't know how paranoid she was or how much self-doubt she had. If you like historical fiction then give this book a read. It's not bad.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A wonderful insight into the lives of Abraham and Mary Lincoln, especially Mary. Mary could not have found a closer friend or confidante. I know of few white women who would have tolerated some of Mary's actions, particularly after the President' s death. Mary would probably have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in today's world. But I also believe she was greatly betrayed by her own government. Thank you, Jennifer Chiaverini, for yet another wonderful story.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I read Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, by Jennifer Chiaverini for a book discussion group. The story of Elizabeth Keckley, a former slave who bought her freedom with the earnings from her seamstress skills, is an interesting one. Elizabeth goes on to become Mrs. Lincoln's dressmaker and good friend. I thought that the writing style was a bit repetitive, though I understand that this needs to occur at times in a historical novel. Overall, I thought the book was okay. I probably could have found out all I needed to know through wikipedia without spending the time reading this book. Others may like this, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was published in January of 2013 by, Jennifer Chiaverini. I did not realize till just now that I have reviewed another of her books The Spymistress. She is also the writer of many books centered around quilting, The Elm Creek Quilt series. I have not read any of these. If you liked the Spymistress, I think that you will like this one!! This is a great book centered around a woman named Elizabeth Keckley who was born a slave. She bought her freedom and later became a seamstress for Mrs. Lincoln. Through the eyes of Elizabeth we learn about the life and times of President Lincoln and his wife. This is a painless look at the history of our country. It is more about the history of the U.S. than it is about Elizabeth. I was surprised at the negative reviews this book received. I enjoyed it! I liked it better than the last book I reviewed. I thought that the writing style was familiar!! I did not feel that it was bogged down with history and politics. I thought that it had a good blend. This book kept my attention and I finished it quickly. I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A bit dull for me, but then again I usually don't like books about war or history. The book was well-written and I did enjoy reading about the friendship between Mrs. Lincoln and her dressmaker and I might have learned a little about the civil war as well!
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Historical Fiction that read too much like a school history book. Reviews have been mixed. Some found that it picked up in the second half of the book, but I didn't find that. Passing it along, in the hopes that it will be appreciated by the next reader.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the fictionalized story of Elizabeth Keckley, a real woman who was born a slave, saved money to buy her freedom, and became a successful dressmaker with her own business. When President Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln moved into the White House, she became Mrs. Lincoln's dressmaker, and soon after, became her closest friend and confidante.Through Elizabeth's eyes, we see what the Lincoln's family life was like behind closed doors, and how the events of the Civil War affected them personally. Elizabeth and Mrs. Lincoln also remained friends during the years after the war, almost, but not quite, to the end of Mrs. Lincoln's life.I enjoyed this book, though at times it was a bit heavy on the history and politics of the war years, instead of focusing on the relationship between Elizabeth the First Lady. I think the story could have used more dialogue between them. Also, since Elizabeth was a dressmaker, it would have been nice to have more details on how dresses were made in those days, and more details on the dressed she created for Mrs. Lincoln. I would have also like to have known more about Elizabeth's life while she was still a slave.I would still recommend this book though, as Elizabeth Keckley was a remarkable woman; not just because of her relationship with Mary Todd Lincoln, but also for the charity work she did to help newly freed slaves and their families find work and opportunities for education.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Historical fiction that reads more like a biography, this is a somewhat dry account of the frienship between Elizabeth Keckley and Mary Todd Lincoln through thick, but not necessarily thin. In attempting to convey a large amount of historical information and be true to facts, the author seems to have left out the much of the emotional impact of the events in the story.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the story of Elizabeth Keckley, a strong and inspiring woman who, born a slave, worked hard sewing for ladies on the side and saved enough to free herself and her son and then to send her son Robert to school. It's about her determination to not only survive in the world, but to also prosper in her dressmaking business, hiring others and offering assistance to newly freed slaves who were trying to make their own way in the world for the first time. During the Civil War, she cofounded the Contraband Relief Society, personally contributing as much money as she could spare and also teaching the freed slaves sewing skills they could use for their livelihood. In this novel, we also meet the Lincolns through her eyes, as Elizabeth Keckley became the personal modiste of Mary Todd Lincoln and became acquainted with the president's family intimately during her employ at the White House. She became Mrs. Lincoln's closest friend, the person called upon during traumatic events, when Mrs. Lincoln lost a child to illness and later lost her husband at the hand of an assassin. Elizabeth Keckley was always there to comfort Mrs. Lincoln and offer sound advice and wise counsel, a true friend in times of need, often neglecting her other clients and personal needs. I think it is very sad that Mrs. Lincoln was not as loyal to Elizabeth Keckley, as after one embarrassing mistake in the publishing of some personal correspondence as part of Ms. Keckley's memoir Mrs. Lincoln was never able to forgive her.I enjoyed this novel and would suggest it to any Civil War enthusiast and anyone who enjoys reading about history from a different perspective than we are typically taught about in school. This is not by any means an unbiased account of the Civil War and the issues surrounding those times, but it is likely the way Ms. Keckley might have viewed them. And the relationship between Ms. Keckley and Mrs. Lincoln was a remarkable one, especially considering the differences in their backgrounds and stations in life. I only wish it could have had a happy ending. We can only hope, as Ms. Keckley did at the end of the novel, that their friendship was renewed in the afterlife.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Although well researched, the first half reads more like a textbook than a novel. I would have loved more of a "story" around Elizabeth and her life as a slave, and a mother, to balance her success as a freewoman. It was only in the second half that I felt Elizabeth really come alive. Mrs. Lincoln's life seems to overshadow Mrs. Keckley's, and betrays the title of the book.