Dear First Lady: Letters to the White House

Following on the success of their recent collaboration Dear Mr. President, Dwight Young and Margaret Johnson join forces once again to produce this charming collection of correspondence to and from First Ladies during their time in office. A wonderful gift book for any American, Dear First Lady reminds us that ours is a great government "of the people, by the people, and for the people," which entitles us to make our views known to our leaders. Although some of these missives were written by the famous or the infamous, most are from ordinary Americans who wished to connect with their First Lady. Amusing, appealling, heartbreaking, and heartwarming, the letters appear as full-size facsimiles wherever possible so readers can see for themselves the substance and style of these intriguing exchanges.

Dwight Young annotates each letter with biographical and historical stories that illuminate the context and provide broader insights into the public and private lives of presidents’ wives. Richly illustrated with archival photography and images, Dear First Lady paints a fascinating portrait of American culture and a behind-the-scenes look inside the White House.

With presidential history a perennial best-seller, and interest in First Ladies growing as these influential women make ever more prominent contributions to the society and public policy, this rich volume holds limitless gift potential.

Dwight Young is the author of Alternatives to Sprawl, Saving American’s Treasures, and the bestselling Dear Mr. President: Letters to the Oval Office from the Files of the National Archives. He is perhaps best known as the author of the regular "Back Page" feature of Preservation magazine. He has been actively involved in historic preservation for more than 25 years.

Margaret Johnson is an illustrations researcher based in Washington, D.C. She was honored with an Emmy Award nomination in 2006 for her work on the PBS documentary American Experience: Victory in the Pacific. Her books include Dear Mr. President; An American Idea: The Making of the National Parks; Songcatchers; and Battlegrounds: Geography and the History of Warfare.