Yet another spectacular addition by Stephanie Dray to books celebrating amazing women in history. This one eloquently shares the life, hard work and challenges of Frances Perkins (1880 - 1965), the first female to serve in a presidential cabinet, that of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She served as his Secretary of Labor, a post she held for twelve years. She was a stalwart New Englander, never divulging her emotions publicly, yet driven to serve the underserved; to fight for their better work conditions and for reasonable work hours. She was tenacious, compassionate, plucky and creative in problem solving. Roosevelt admired her and demanded much of her. Together, they brought the New Deal to the American people. Perhaps her greatest achievement was helping to design the Social Security Act of 1935. She was a force with which to reckon and this book brings her story to life.

Ms. Dray is among the best writers of historical fiction out there. The research she puts into her subject matter is herculean. Her characters are well developed and exquisitely human, with all the qualities and sometimes shortcomings one might encounter. The interactions among her characters are plausible and flow naturally. To some, the list of characters may sound like name-dropping, but in fact, Frances Perkins was well connected. The book focuses upon a few of those connections and delivers the relationships beautifully. The historical notes following the story are rich and informative - definitely worth reading.

If well written and well researched historical fiction is your jam, then I highly commend this book to you.

I am grateful to Berkley Publishing for having provided a complimentary uncorrected ebook file. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: March 12, 2024
Number of Pages: 528
ISBN: 978-0593437056

Becoming Madam Secretary is a historical fiction about Frances Perkins. Before starting this book I had absolutely no idea who she was (which is not too weird since I'm Belgian and don't know a whole lot about the United State's early 20th century history) but knowing that Stephanie Dray wrote it I didn't hesitate to sign up for the blog tour and to read this book. And as always Stephanie Dray excelled to teach me about amazing women and excel at writing an amazing story.

Frances Perkins was not only the first woman to be appointed to serve in a presidential cabinet, she was also the longest serving in the position of Secretary of Labor (from 1933 to 1945). She accomplished so much in a time when it wasn't at all normal for a woman to make a carreer such as she did, especially in the political world. During Franklin D. Roosevelt's terms as president, she helped lead the country through The Great Depression. She also played a really important role in developing a policy for social security, which it's taken for granted these days but was a big struggle in the 1930s. And of course we can't forget about World War II where many labor questions had to be answered. I can't possibly name all of her accomplishments. You're going to have to read this book to learn more about her.

I absolutely loved reading about Frances when she was just starting out, living in Hell's Kitchen in New York City and researching child malnutrition, which she wrote a thesis on. It's then that she met many new friends who were activits, politicans, artists and so on. Especially Mary Rumsey who became a lifetime friend and confidante. She lived in quite a tumulteous time, having witnessed the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire where 123 women and 23 men died in, which of course left a big impression on her.

Was she always a likable character in this book? No. She sacrificed a lot of her family time to her carreer. This could be a little sad to read about but that doesn't take away that she was an skilled politician in times of need especially, who made life a lot better for many people. Both her husband and daughter struggled with mental health issues which is something that must've also been incredibly difficult for Frances and her family, in particular because there weren't many treatments back then, unlike now. This definitely made my heart ache for everyone involved.

Although a fictionalized account of Perkins' life, it's clear that Stephanie Dray did her research very well. This is not something that surprised me because this author always does a great job of research and prep. This is also why I loved reading the author's note, to find out which events were totally real, fictionalized or a bit of both. If you end up reading Becoming Madam Secretary, definitely don't skip this when you finish the book because it's a really good one. The only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars is that in the end the book might've been a tad too drawn out for me, especially the last few chapters but other than that it was an excellent read.

Becoming Madam Secretary is yet another stunning story about a woman from history that absolutely deserves more recognition. The writing was engaging with a lot of character development and important historical events. Stephanie Dray remains one of the queens of historical fiction!

Thank you to @netgalley and @BerkleyPub for this ARC. Frances Perkins, a well educated woman, shows up in NYC ready to change the world for the better. Her first order of business? Try to figure out a way to end child labor, sweatshops, endless working hours and horrible conditions. After a chance meeting with FDR in the NY Senate, he recognizes her hard work and asks that she joins his Presidential staff as Secretary of Labor. She can't believe it! Women just earned the right to vote and here she was joining a Presidential staff as the first female to do so! She took her role seriously and created Social Security for the nation. I love stories like these! A strong woman in history that made a huge difference! Dray nails it again! #BecomingMadamSecretary #StephanieDray #March2024

What an amazing woman! I feel horrible to admit that I knew nothing about Frances Perkins and I majored in history in college. I am in awe of all that this woman accomplished in her lifetime. The fact that she is not more celebrated is a travesty!

This novel is great historical fiction. In reading about Frances, I never felt bored or lost interest. Sometimes this can happen when writing about real people especially someone who is in politics. I thought the author did a great job describing aspects of her life that are not known about. I feel like I learned a lot, but I was also entertained and wanted to keep reading.

This was a wonderful book that really enlightens the reader about Frances Perkins and all that she did to improve our country. Historical fiction at its finest!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I do like a good historical novel. But, I have to say I loved, "Becoming Madam Secretary". It is the story of Frances Perkins, a woman who seems relegated to a footnote in American history, when she, in fact, was so important in so many ways. She was instrumental in getting child labor laws passed, increasing the hourly wages of all workers, getting safer conditions for all factory workers, and getting workers more humane working hours. She was the first woman appointed to a Presidential cabinet position when FDR named her, Secretary of Labor. And in that position, she worked tirelessly to get The Social Security Act passed.

Ms. Dray has a wonderful way with words. She actually makes the dialogue jump off the page as she deals with conversations that Ms. Perkins had with other characters. She doesn't just list a bunch of famous figures of the time that may have had a relationship with Ms. Perkins, she actually makes them an important part of the advancement of the story.

This was an extraordinary work and I highly recommend it.

This book is centered around Frances Perkins, who became the first woman to be a part of the president's cabinet. It traces her journey from her marriage to Paul Wilson, to her friendship with Mary Rumsey, and her partnership with President Roosevelt. Personally, I find reading genuine and inspiring real-life stories about women who have made a significant impact on the political world to be very fulfilling and this book exceeded my expectations.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Berkley Trade Publishing for giving me a copy of the book.

Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray is an enlightening historical fiction novel about Frances Perkins, the first female Secretary of Labor under Franklin D. Roosevelt. There are many details in this book that allow a glimpse into what life was like in the early to mid 2oth century for both socialites and the working class poor. Francis Perkins is able to straddle both worlds as she begins her career by trying to make a difference in the lives and safety of adults and children who work in poor conditions. Throughout her career, Frances Perkins is no stranger to gender discrimination. Although she is small in stature, she manages to stand up to anyone who does not have the best interests of the working class, and even puts herself in danger. As her career progresses, she becomes involved in the political process and comes to the attention of Franklin D. Roosevelt. In spite of their differences, they form a partnership built on mutual respect that continues through the Great Depression. But the balance of a career and family life increases even more after she becomes Secretary of Labor in an all-male cabinet. This is a book to savor and read slowly to appreciate Stephanie Dray's writing skills and research. I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction who enjoy both learning about influential people and the personal sacrifices they make to create a better world.

This is the story of Francis Perkins, the first woman ever appointed to the U. S. Cabinet. She becomes friends with Roosevelt which leads to her appointment. She was an advocate for social issues. The story was interesting but seemed to drag for me. If you are interested in history this book will interest you. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya! Tomorrow...
If you know that reference at all, then you should know that Francis Perkins was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. She was FDR's secretary of labor, and was a force for workers rights, child labor laws, and pulling the United States out of the Great Depression with a new deal. Her rise was incredible, especially after learning all that was going on in her world.
Stephanie Dray is a force too. Her historical fiction novels are well researched and very detailed. If you are interested at all in her subject, you will love her books. I have read them all and always eagerly await the next, which do not happen on a yearly basis like some writers. No, there is much work involved in these novels that top off in the mid-500 pages.
Pros: very detailed, you learn a lot about the times and the person, lots of history regarding FDR and his wife. We need more books set during the Great Depression, an awesome quote about Hitler that shook me with its complete relevance.
Cons: at 550 some-odd-pages, you have to love the material. It might be too much backstory and too much detail for some, especially I think for a book club. Dray is not for the light reader.
Perkins was the heroine we need today. I can't say I would use this in book club due to the length, but I think patrons interested in the backstory of some of our country's greatest characters will love it.

This was an incredibly fascinating and educational novel about Frances Perkins, who was the first woman to hold a federal cabinet position under FDR, and the longest serving secretary of labor in US history for which she is responsible for major accomplishments under the New Deal.

I loved following Frances’ fascinating career through her 20’s that eventually led her to work with FDR— a relationship we get to follow throughout the book. She was a champion for women’s rights, general labor laws, child labor laws, and deeply cared for the most vulnerable populations in the US. She lived a very unconventional life for a woman in the early 1900’s, prioritizing her work— despite societies expectations of women at the time. It was truly remarkable what she was able to accomplish in her lifetime.

I did feel like a few places were a bit slow, and could have been edited down, which is why I deducted a star. But, I really enjoyed this book and I’m so impressed at the level of research that went into it, to highlight an exceptional woman that aren’t often recognized or given credit where its due. I need to read more books by Stephanie Dray! Historical fiction fans will love this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for my review!

It's obvious from page one that the author is very, very enamored with the subject of her book. That kind of passion you'd think would lead to a compelling book, but unfortunately, I think in this case over-enamorment wound up bogging the book down. BECOMING MADAM SECRETARY suffered from the same kind of pacing issues I had with the Adrienne sections of THE WOMEN OF CHATEAU LAFAYETTE. In Adrienne's case, I felt that the issue was that she was allotted too few pages to cover too many years in comparison to the other two POVs, which led to every scene being painted with very broad brushstrokes rather than fine details. Little time was spent on slowing down, experiencing the characters' emotions, describing the settings or getting a feel for the scene. At the time, I blamed that on trying to fit too much in too short a space, and sharing "screen time" with two other characters who had less going on and so could fill pages with deeper immersion.

But then in BECOMING MADAM SECRETARY, the entire book is nothing but Frances Perkins' POV, and it's 500 pages long, yet it has that exact same pacing issue. When you've got novella-style pacing despite having 500 pages to fit your story into, there's a deeper issue going on. In this case, I think it's because Dray wanted to include *too much* from Perkins' life. There has to come a point where you start cutting things out, or you're going to either wind up spending too little time on any one event, or bloating it to a 1500-page book. I got the impression that Dray thought everything about her subject was interesting, and as a result, nothing is interesting. I left this book feeling like I could summarize Frances Perkins' career fairly well, but didn't care much about her or anyone else in her life.

I received this advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. What an excellent novel! Stephanie Dray delivers an amazing novel that I read in less than 24 hours!

Clearly Frances Perkins was an incredible woman with an exceptional education, who was definitely one of the best and brightest stars in FDR's cabinet. Her battles and determination are legendary in the effort to pass Social Security and various elements of the New Deal. However, her legacy is besmirched by those who disliked her for her gumption, her intelligence, and her gender. This novel should be read by all Americans and her efforts to achieve the labor changes from 1920-1945, should be celebrated!

Wow, what a fascinating story! Becoming Madam Secretary is a historical fiction novel centered around Frances Perkins. Having never heard of Frances Perkins prior, I was completely blown away by her huge contribution to American history! I adore reading about strong females, and let me say Frances Perkins is inspiring on so many levels!! Stephanie Dray does a wonderful job of entertaining and educating simultaneously—love that! What I found so interesting is that some of the political and social issues our country faced in the 1920s and 1930s are still issues today. Becoming Madam Secretary is a 5+++ star novel that I could not put down and a storyline that will stay with me!

Becoming Madam Secretary
by Stephanie Dray
Pub Date: March 12, 2024
Berkley
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
She took on titans, battled generals, and changed the world as we know it…

New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray returns with a captivating and dramatic new novel about an American heroine Frances Perkins.

Raised on tales of her revolutionary ancestors, Frances Perkins arrives in New York City at the turn of the century, armed with her trusty parasol and an unyielding determination to make a difference.

When she’s not working with children in the crowded tenements in Hell’s Kitchen, Frances throws herself into the social scene in Greenwich Village, befriending an eclectic group of politicians, artists, and activists, including the millionaire socialite Mary Harriman Rumsey, the flirtatious budding author Sinclair Lewis, and the brilliant but troubled reformer Paul Wilson, with whom she falls deeply in love.
I loved this book! It was long but it covered a large time frame. I would love to hear the author talk about the book.
I recommend it highly!
5 stars

As a Mount Holyoke alumna, I had long known the name of Frances Perkins, the first female cabinet secretary in the US government. But I wasn’t five pages into this novel before I realized that I didn’t have the slightest idea who she really was.

The daughter of an old New England family that traced its descent to the Revolutionary War, Frances defied expectations that she would live a conventional life for an early twentieth-century woman, instead enrolling in a doctoral program at the School of Social Work in New York City, moving into a settlement house in Hell’s Kitchen, and promptly breaking every rule by insisting on offering direct assistance to starving mothers and children—even if that meant taking on the corrupt politicos of Tammany Hall and winning them to her side.

From there, she moved into fire safety regulation and efforts to limit the workweek, especially for women and children, to what was in the 1920s considered a scandalously short fifty-four hours. Tapped as FDR’s secretary of labor, Frances accepted on the grounds that she could push for a national insurance program as one reliable path out of the Great Depression. We know it as Social Security.

But this is not a textbook. It’s a wonderfully intimate portrait of a social reformer who faces many challenges and struggles with her personal and emotional life. I’ll be hosting the author on my blog (link below) in March 2024.

Wow! I really loved this book. What an incredible person and an incredible story. Becoming Madam Secretary covers quite a long timeframe (and is quite a long book!), but the characters are presented in such a real and humane way, making you want to keep going. Not only is this a great book about great people who came before us, but it’s also a timely missive about the state of our country today.

Becoming Madame Secretary was another winner by author Stephanie Dray. She continually brings amazing stories about real people to light. I can't believe I didn't know about Frances Perkins and her incredible marks she created in our government. What an inspiring woman. Must read for historical fiction readers!

Links coming soon.

I knew virtually nothing about Frances Perkins before reading this novel, but the author opens up her mind and her life to us in ways that make us feel we've always known her. Through Dray's vivid characterization and storytelling, we meet an intelligent, idealistic, stubborn woman, often torn over conflicting duties but always dedicated to her mission and her loved ones. We also get a poignant glimpse of Depression-era America, experience the gritty world of political infighting and compromise, and witness the truly fascinating character arc of FDR. I didn't quite know what to expect from this book, but I ended up greatly enjoying it. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was an entertaining and fascinating look into the life of a woman that helped create one of the biggest social acts in America’s history: The Social Security Act. I imagine if you asked most people who created it they would say FDR and I would also be one of those people. I felt humbled to read about the impassioned Miss Perkins who never gave up fighting for the American people who were often overlooked by politicians but were the backbone of American industry. She fought for the widowed, the sick, the elderly, the children and the minorities. She sacrificed her own desires and life to help FDR achieve greatness in office and ploughed a path for women in government.
Thank you Netgalley for letting me have an ARC and getting the chance to read about the original Madam Secretary.

I am a great fan of Frances Perkins and was very eager to read this book, but it just didn't hold my interest. There was so much dialogue, that it was almost like reading a script-- a boring script, in fact. I would have liked the author to establish setting and mood to generally give a better sense of the society in which Frances functioned.