A fictionalized account of Frances Perkin's life, mainly focused on her years serving as Secretary of Labor for President Roosevelt, but also covering her work in regulating labor laws, minimum wage, social security and other social reforms. Although it is fiction, it is a good overview of the labor issues of the time and provides a lot of information on Frances Perkins. Some parts do seem idealized and others glossed over, and the authors note at the end explains which parts were modified. Readers of Marie Benedict and Ruth P. Watson will like this one.

I don't often read historical fiction, but this book on Frances Perkins sounded so interesting.

She spent so much of her life fighting to improve the lives and working conditions for others. First in New York State and then as the Labor Secretary for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Even as she achieved so much there were numerous highs and lows in her personal life. The author did a good job chronicling her life, making her interesting and relatable.

I really enjoyed this story and hope to read more from the author in the future.

I am utterly ashamed to admit I have never heard the name Frances Perkins. This is why I love historical fiction. I learned so much in this one while enjoying the story.
Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

From PerfectionistWannabe.com (03.11.2024) as part of the blog tour:

In order to understand Social Security, you should go back to its beginnings and why it was created to begin with. Frances Perkins was the woman behind it. She spent many years investigating labor conditions, trying to make things better for everyone. Becoming Madam Secretary dives into her story from her course studies to the honor given to her at the age of 80 by John F. Kennedy.

Perkins is responsible for the end of child labor. She helped change the 54-hour work week. She witnessed the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911, which would move her to advocate for fire safety.

But her claim to fame is the Social Security Act.

Today, lawmakers constantly challenge the Social Security Act. But in FDR's days, the elderly could become homeless and destitute, especially women who were dependent upon men to support them. If their husband died and the money ran out, or if they did not have children to take them in, they would wind up on the streets.

The Social Security Act was meant to protect our elders from that fate, especially if they could not work anymore. Today, we lament paying taxes into the Social Security system, but we should consider how not everyone is able to save money for retirement.

Without Frances Perkins, the SSA never would have happened. She became the first woman to be appointed to a presidential cabinet. FDR chose her to become his Secretary of Labor.

This book shares the most amazing things one woman did to change how we work. These are all things the working class takes for granted. One woman did so much to make basic working conditions better for us. She looked for ways to protect us after we could no longer work.

While she was advocating for the working class, she also struggled in her personal life. Her husband suffered from manic depression, so he had to be committed. And later, her daughter would suffer from it.

How she was able to hold it together with so many issues at home while working towards helping all of America is incredible.

For those interested in politics and the conversations happening in Congress to overturn what this one woman did, you should read this book. There is so much to learn about the history of labor and how it changed thanks to Frances Perkins. It may change your mind on how you view certain labor policies today.

[This review was also posted to Goodreads.]

Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray
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Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve on a Presidential Cabinet when FDR made her Secretary of Labor. This historical fiction novel starts with her first setting out on her own and follows her as she gets married and then her politcal endeavors.
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What I liked:
-I love when a historical fiction novel teaches me about a time or a person that I knew nothing about. I learned so much about Frances and kept putting the book down to go down the internet rabbit hole looking up pictures and details about all the people I was reading about.
-Frances had so much concern for people being treated fairly. She wanted safe work conditions for people and I loved that about her.
-Did you know Frances helped design Social Security? I didn’t till I read this book. 😅
-I especially loved how adamant she was about trying to help rescue Jewish people from Nazi Germany. 🥹
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I really enjoyed reading this book and learning more about Frances Perkins’ life.

The battle for democracy is never done…and ours is worth fighting for - Frances Perkins

This is the most incredible story of Francis Perkins - a person who started by looking at a problem and then setting about to fix it. Her mantra was INVESTIGATE, AGITATE, LEGISLATE - something she proceeded to do from Hartley House in Hell’s Kitchen all the way to the White House. If somebody opens a door of opportunity for you, it’s the Lord’s will - walk right in and do the best you can.

I certainly know about Social Security but never knew how it came to be, or what it took to bring about such a big change. One can learn so much history by reading historical fiction, especially when it is well researched as this book is. I would highly recommend you take the time to read it.

Received through Penguin Random House, Berkley and NetGalley, these impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

I was really interested in the history presented here -- well researched -- but it was too much drama for me, and drama that was not substantiated by any documentation. I understand the concept of fictionalized history but I don't like reading about real people who inner lives are described as to the imagination of the author and not the person themselves. The writing is too good and I come to believe the imagination as the truth!

Frances Perkins is a name most of Americans should be familiar with but many are not. I was one of the people so when I was given the opportunity to read an ARC from Netgalley about her life and involvement in FDR’s New Deal I was very excited. Frances was a pioneer of her time, breaking the ceiling in politics during a time when women were expected to marry, have babies, and keep a house. This was even before women had the right to vote. Juggling struggles with her personal life with trying to help the poor, downtrodden, and those that were not wealthily.

I really enjoyed reading about Perkins’ life and her rise to becoming Madame Secretary. I felt at times the story dragged a bit but overall very interesting story. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

I can say that this is one of the best books I have ever read and I will definitely be looking for more from this author.
The history that I learned was priceless. Things that I had no idea happened. Things that I have read about in other books. So much history in one wonderfully written and very touching book. This woman, Frances Perkins, was a wonderful woman. A woman who should be celebrated. We can all learn a lot from the things she did in her time on this earth. She was a marvel to read and learn about.

This story starts out in New York City February 1933 with Frances Perkins being asked by Franklin Roosevelt to be the first woman to be part of a President's Cabinet. To be his Secretary of Labor. She had expected this and had a list of reasons to say no and a list of things she wanted him to promise help with if she did somehow take the job. She was relentless and he admired her so much that he promised all.

Then the story goes back to New York City Summer 1909. From here you get to know Frances very well. The things she saw in her life and the reasons she fought so valiantly for things to change. Among them child labor laws and social security. To make this country better. To make lives better. People were starving. Some, most, had lost everything and she wanted to end hunger, homelessness, and child labor. Make better lives possible again.

You get to know so much about this wonderful woman. Her life. Her love. Her history. How much she loved and adored her husband. How much she went through to have the beautiful daughter that she finally had. How much she loved her country and sacrificed most of her life for. Fought for so gallantly. The things she believed in.

The story touches on the Shirtwaist fire where so many young girls died. Dropped to their deaths to keep from being burnt alive. The dust bowl. And her fight for the family by introducing and fighting for the social security insurance. Not a handout but to be paid by the employees so that when they did get old they were not left to die homeless and hungry. You get to see her biggest fight was for her family. At least that is how I saw it. She wanted her husband to be ok and her daughter to have a good life.

This book touches on miscarries, mental illness, hunger, and death. It will rip your heart out in places but mend it in others. So well written and researched. This author did a magnificent job of writing the story of Frances Perkins.

Read the "Author's Notes" at the end. That part is so important. Shows exactly how much heart and soul was put into this book.

Thank you #StephanieDray #Berkley #NetGalley for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars and I can't begin to recommend it enough. It's so good.

I'll give the links to my review spots after doing the blogtour.

I live in Washington, D.C., I work for the federal government and I actually work events with members of the Cabinet. I consider myself educated, I keep up with news, I am a feminist and I received a degree in Women's Studies.

But if you had asked me a week ago who the first female member of the Cabinet had been, I wouldn't have been able to answer you. I also wouldn't really have had much of an answer if you asked me what the Secretary of Labor did.

Thankfully, this book, "Becoming Madam Secretary" by @stephanie.dray, taught me those things and so much more.

While it is #historicalfiction, it is based on research, writings, news articles, journal entries, and letters and describes how Frances Perkins went from being a teacher in Chicago to the longest-serving Secretary of Labor (and first female Cabinet member) who made sweeping changes in the United States including implementing plans that we now take for granted, including Social Security.

Stephanie Dray has a knack for bringing history to life (I posted about how much I loved "America's First Daughter" a few weeks ago)--she shows the struggles, joys, relationships, moments, and personalities that shaped our country in ways that we don't even realize.

While the book can sometimes feel a little long, I learned so much about the history of labor and government in our country.

And I finished the book feeling inspired, proud, and grateful.

Book: Becoming Madam Secretary
Author: Stephanie Dray
Format: Digital
Genre: Historical Fiction, Government/Politics
Places Featured: New York City, Washington, D.C., United States
Review Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I might be biased: Stephanie Dray is one of my favourite authors.
I have enjoyed all of her books which I have read to date.
I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Madam Secretary and am happy to write this review.

I was completely engrossed by this story of Frances Perkins, the first woman in a cabinet position in the U.S. government.

Frances was a fiery trailblazer and her ideas set the groundwork for social security as we know it today. I was inspired to read about her life, both within and outside of her role in the FDR administration, even from a fictional angle. Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres because it inspires me to do more research into various historical figures!

For me, the mark of a great book is the ability to picture the events in your head as you read along. This book was no exception! Stephanie Dray's writing is so easy to read and is filled with wit and humour but also evokes wide-ranging emotions as the story of Ms. Perkins' life unfolds in its pages.

I highly recommend this book if you are interested in the history of U.S. politics and the vital contributions made by women over the years. I am looking forward to reading about other women (such as Nancy Pelosi and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to name a few).

Many thanks to Stephanie Dray and Penguin Random House for the ARC.

Courtesy of Penguin Random House and Netgalley, I received the ARC of Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray. This well researched historical novel is about Frances Perkins, the first woman Cabinet Member, Secretary of Labor under FDR, who was responsible for creating Social Security during the Depression. A strong advocate for workers, women, immigrants, and those affected by the Depression, she was remarkable for her strength and vision. This book covers her personal and public life, was compelling and so important to read! Highly recommend!

I've just finished reading "Becoming Madam Secretary" by Stephanie Dray. Frances Perkins was the first woman to be in the president's cabinet. Her field of study was economics and sociology. Her first big step in her career was moving to New York City and becoming involved in rights for women and children working in sweatshops under terrible conditions and for long hours. She was so upset when the Triangle Fire happened in a warehouse and so many young women lost their lives. She served as a leader in the Consumer League and also the Industrial
Commission. At a young age she was noted as a strong independent and intelligent woman and caught the eye of President Franklin D.
Roosevelt.
I have read other books about FDR and also watched a documentary about him. When I saw what the book was about, I thought that I know
enough about him, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn much more. My husband's father told of listening to FDR's fireside chats on the radio in the 1930's. He was not a fan of him as being a farmer he thought the President overlooked farmers.
Frances Perkins was asked by FDR to be in his cabinet as Secretary of Labor. Her relationship with the President was many times very
contemptuous. She had hard fought battles with men in the cabinet and also the press condemning her. She was a fighter and did so much for the country and her crowning achievement was putting forth Social Security. So many Americans had suffered through the depression and no job and hunger. We can thank her today for this.
In her personal life she had a husband that developed mental issues and was eventually institutionalized. Thiis left Frances to raise her daughter, support her family, and had a very demanding career in government. Not a lot has been written about her, but Stephanie Dray has written a blockbuster of a novel. I have enjoyed several of her historical novels. Thanks to Net Galley and Berkley Publishers for the opportunity to read this amazing book.

a wonderful story of Frances Perkins who went on to assist President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. So much sacrifice to save the nation, A very interesting entertaining story what is a real page turner and a must read!

I could not put this one down! This was engaging and inspiring. I did not know anything about Frances Perkins but by the time I turned the final page I was beyond appreciative of all she did. We get to follow Frances as she manages to make friends, get married, handle some of the most difficult personal challenges, and is still able to create massive change for our country and its workforce. I was fascinated to learn of her friendship with Franklin Roosevelt. It gave an interesting insight into his own experiences and challenges. I also adored the friendship she had with Sinclair Lewis. While this is a decidedly historical novel, there is a ton of modernity to it with the discussions around working mothers and the sacrifices and choices they must make on a daily basis. This book is written in such a way that it flows with ease. I inhaled it because I was gripped from beginning to end. If you are looking for an inspirational novel about an inspirational woman, this is your book. A solid 5 stars!

BECOMING MADAM SECRETARY is a sweeping drama that follows the life of Frances Perkins. Thank you @prhaudio and @berkley for my early audio and digital copy of @stephaniedray newest historical fiction novel, out now.

The novel follows Frances Perkins to NYC as a young, educated woman ready to take on the labor industries to protect children, and then proceeds to follow her life as a young woman, then as she marries Paul Wilson and perseveres through deep personal loss and continued political growth under the likes of FDR and several NY governors. She challenges the wave of the Great Depression, continuing to help those most in need, while deftly traversing the treacherous realms of government politics.

My heart broke many times over for Frances and Paul, as their marriage continued and they rode the waves of mental health.

Frances continues on, impacting the country’s strongest programs, like the CCC as well as Social Security.

Mary Rumsey’s friendship with Frances was just lovely, and my heart was broken again. She did everything with such gusto, despite her privileged upbringing.

Sinclair Lewis was a friend, writer, and supporter of Frances as well!

I knew there were women involved in these influential programs in our country’s history, but I had not a clue that Frances Perkins had such an integral hand!

What a beautiful sweeping tribute to an exceptional woman in history. The longest serving Secretary of Labor in US history, most consequential cabinet member since Alexander Hamilton. I am thankful that a historical fiction novel would dare to tread where biographers weren’t willing to go.

Book Review: Becoming Madame Secretary ✨

Author: @stephanie.dray
Publisher: @berkleypub
Release Date: 3/12

⁉️: What are you doing for Women’s History Month this March?

This was such a perfect read that released this Monday. New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray returns with a novel detailing the life of American heroine Frances Perkins. At the turn of the century, Perkins arrives in New York City. When she isn’t working with children in the tenements in Hell’s Kitchen, she is also involved in the social scene in Greenwich Village, and befriends politicians, artists and activists, and Paul Wilson with whom she falls in love. The story takes an important turn when she meets with a young lawyer, Federick Delano Roosevelt (also known as FDR). Being part of a male-dominated world, she is willing to fight for a rise in the political arena.

At the heart of the story is the question of how successful women can forge a life balancing work and family. While this novel belongs to the genre of historical fiction, the author raises important questions about how the question of gender inequality and disparity in the workforce continue to remain salient issues. Although there is a sense that in the issue of gender rights at the center. While there is a sense that we have moved forward, it seems to be that gender disparity and inequality remain prominent issues during this time as well, and it’s good to see authors pursuing subjects that are universal and speak to human and civil rights.

#StephanieDray #BecomingMadameSecretary #shnidhi #BerkleyPub #PenguinRandomHouse #BerkleyBuddyReads #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen

This book was amazing!

You can tell if was so absolutely researched and written with love and admiration. Frances Perkins was and is a force to be reckoned with. She truly was such an incredible character and I loved it all so very much.

Frances Perkins, armed with determination and a parasol, navigates the vibrant social and political landscape of early 20th-century New York City. Amid friendships with luminaries like Mary Harriman Rumsey and encounters with Franklin D. Roosevelt, Frances embarks on a historic journey, ultimately becoming FDR's trusted ally in the face of the Great Depression, while grappling with personal sacrifices for the nation's sake.

“If I was too afraid to get off the train, then I wasn’t the right woman for this job. And if I couldn’t do the job, they might never offer a job like this to a woman again.”

This character-driven story was already a page turner, but when I read that quote, it struck me deeply. There are some women who sacrificed greatly for rights we take for granted everyday. As a female pastor/minister in a male dominated profession, I forget that even 100 years ago I likely wouldn’t have been able to do this job. Frances Perkins may have been in a different field, but she paved the way for countless women regardless of career path.

While I was minimally familiar with Franklin D. Rosevelt, I had never even heard of Frances Perkins (not unusual because I grew up in Canada). It was fascinating to get a glimpse of both of their personal lives and political advances together. I had no idea FDR governed with polio. This book is a prime example of why I enjoy historical fiction: you will learn a great deal while empathizing with what they’ve overcome.

Perfect for you if you like:
Compelling narratives of political intrigue and social change
Themes of ambition, sacrifice, and legacy

Similar to:
My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie
Finding Margaret Fuller by Allison Partake (I have not read)
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Becoming Madam Secretary does not have a big plot twist)

⚠️mild TWs in keeping with history

Becoming Madam Secretary is a perfect book to have read during Women's History Month. I had not heard of Frances Perkins before, but I fully enjoyed reading this wonderful story featuring her and her life. While this is a work of historical fiction, most of the characters included were real people in US History.

Dray did a wonderful job of bringing Perkins to life, covering the years leading up when she was named to FDR's cabinet and the years after. The story covers her trials and tribulations, her wins, her fights for labor equality and safe workplaces, and most important, being a vital part of FDR's New Deal, including the Social Security Act.

I did find a few parts that felt long, but I know they were needed to tell the story. As a whole, I really enjoyed Becoming Madam Secretary.

Thank you, Berkley Publishing, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.