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What I love about historical fiction is how it can bring to life little-known events and shed light on overlooked people. We hear so much about the men throughout history but as the saying goes, “Behind every great man is a great woman.” While this may, or may not be completely true, here are several books about the wives of some of history’s famous men.
The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin
This is a book about the life of Charles Lindbergh’s wife. You have no doubt heard about Charles Lindbergh (the first man to fly solo across the Atlantic), but have you heard about his wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh? Anne was the daughter of an affluent family and an aviator in her own right also. This book, told in the first person, is about Anne’s life growing up and how she came to be Mrs. Lindbergh. I found this book fascinating as I knew only a little about Charles Lindbergh and nothing about his wife; however, if you are hoping for a book that goes to great lengths to investigate the disappearance of their baby this book does not offer that. What it does offer is a glimpse into the life of a woman who was remarkable apart from the man to whom she was married.
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The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie BenjaminBecoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan
I mentioned this book in my post (books I have been enjoying lately) , but this is a story of Joy Davidman Lewis. Joy was stuck in a loveless marriage with an abusive and cheating husband. They had two young boys. On a whim, she decided to write to C. S. Lewis with some spiritual questions she had. He wrote back and, being a writer and poet herself, Joy and C. S. Lewis discover they have a lot in common. C. S. Lewis invites her to visit England. As her marriage continues to deteriorate, Joy finally travels to England and her friendship with C. S. Lewis deepens. They have totally different backgrounds and lifestyles yet they find a deep friendship birthed in their mutual love of literature and philosophy. I really enjoyed this peak into C. S. Lewis’s personal life and I learned a lot!
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Becoming Mrs Lewis by Patti CallahanA Well Behaved Woman by Therese Anne Fowler
In an age where money was everything and society was a game to play, Alva Smith is starting out on the bottom rung. With her mother dead and her family’s once prestigious wealth depleting quickly after the Civil War, Alva needs to hurry and land an eligible husband before it is too late. Not only does Alva manage to marry one of the richest men in America, William Kissam Vanderbilt, but she plays the games and climbs the social ladder. Seen by some as a cold and calculating woman, Alva doesn’t seem to care what people think. All she knows is that even being married into the wealthiest family in the country isn’t enough—she needs to land at the top of New York’s social elite if she really wants to secure her place in society. But at what cost?
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A Well Behaved Woman by Therese Anne FowlerThe Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray
If you read my post, Should You Read My Dear Hamilton If You Didn’t Love America’s First Daughter, then you know I have mixed feelings about this author. I loved one of her books and really didn’t care for one of her others—so what was I going to think about this one? Turns out I loved it! The story rotates from the points of view of three different women during the periods of the 1780s, WW I, and WW II. In 1774, we meet Adrienne de Noailles, or Adrienne Lafayette as she is better known, who is the wife of the Marquis de Lafa. Adrienne was a kind woman of stalwart courage. Not only would France’s history be much different without this woman but so would America’s. We then travel to 1914 where we meet Beatrice Chanler who decides to get involved in the war effort which could possibly involve turning Lafayette’s home into an orphanage; and then we meet Marthe who is presently serving as a school teacher to the ill children who reside in Lafayette’s once home, now school for ill children. How this chateau has played a part in such varied history is truly fascinating!
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The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie DrayAn Unlikely Friendship by Ann Rinaldi
This is a story about Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd Lincoln and the friendship that was forged between her and her dressmaker, Elizabeth Keckley. Mary’s childhood was an indulgent one, growing up among affluent in Tennessee’s high society. Elizabeth was a former slave who had learned to make a way in the world for herself with her talent as a seamstress, buying her own freedom in the process. Though Mary’s life may have been one of affluence, it was not without its struggles, struggles that culminated during the Civil War years as Mary led her life married to the man who was leading the Civil War, a war in which Mary’s entire family was on the opposing side. Add to that losing a son (her second child to not survive to adulthood) during her husband’s time in office and we can see some of the factors as to why Mary received the nickname of “That Female Hellcat”. With her husband preoccupied with the war, Mary leans heavily on her friendship with Elizabeth.
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An Unlikely Friendship by Ann RinaldiI hope, if you decide to pick up any of these titles, you will enjoy them and gain a little more rounded view of history. If you do decide to pick up any of these titles, I encourage you to use the affiliate link in this post. This is a way you can tangibly support this blog—and at no extra cost to you!
Thank you so much and happy reading!