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A review by kristineisreading
American Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice Roosevelt by Stephanie Marie Thornton
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
4.0
What a fascinating character Alice Roosevelt Longworth was. The book starts shortly before she becomes the President’s daughter and follows her throughout her long, full life. She plays many different roles over the years – rebellious yet beloved “Princess Alice,” wife both in love and not, clandestine lover, friend, political influencer, political rival, mother, grandmother.
I had no idea how influential she was in Washington, starting as a young woman when she set the country’s tongues wagging with her antics and inspired trends like Alice Blue and women smoking cigarettes in public. Later she uses her connection to her father and husband to throw her weight behind various policies. She continued to dabble in politics even into her elderly years, remaining a well-respected member of Washington’s political elite.
Alice’s life was not just politics however. Her private life was full of love and loss. Her relationships evolved throughout the years as she grows as an individual. Sadly she endured many hard times, both personally and socially as she lived through the Great Depression and both World Wars.
My only qualm with this book is that because it spans such a long period of time, it hits somewhat shallowly on many of these events. This is a small price to pay, however, to spend time with Alice and learn about her interesting life.
I had no idea how influential she was in Washington, starting as a young woman when she set the country’s tongues wagging with her antics and inspired trends like Alice Blue and women smoking cigarettes in public. Later she uses her connection to her father and husband to throw her weight behind various policies. She continued to dabble in politics even into her elderly years, remaining a well-respected member of Washington’s political elite.
Alice’s life was not just politics however. Her private life was full of love and loss. Her relationships evolved throughout the years as she grows as an individual. Sadly she endured many hard times, both personally and socially as she lived through the Great Depression and both World Wars.
My only qualm with this book is that because it spans such a long period of time, it hits somewhat shallowly on many of these events. This is a small price to pay, however, to spend time with Alice and learn about her interesting life.