The promotion of "The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon" described the book as an enjoyable historical reexamination of America's least-known and most misunderstood First Lady. After reading, I agree. Heath Hardage Lee’s love letter to Pat Nixon offered heavily researched insight into the First Lady’s feelings and motivations on being an exceptionally private person in an extremely public world. I enjoyed learning how she was at the forefront of women’s rights long before the movement was even called that and how President Nixon would probably have never secured the highest office in the land without her. Definitely worth the read.

I'm most grateful for the opportunity to read this book - if only for 48 hours. But no worries - if you sit down and really relish the book (and you will), it will still take you little time to read because you turn page after page to view her beautiful soul.
I graduated from high school in 1969 so I don't remember the Checkers speech - but I remember very well Nixon's final ascendency to the Presidency. And I remember very well the Watergate scandal. Nixon's farewell speech followed and I remember thinking - poor Mrs. Nixon. She's done everything for her husband and she is included in this mud slide - and Mr. Nixon doesn't seem to see her or mention her. Skip forward a good number of years and I saw him with uncontrollable anguish at his wife's funeral.
So this book filled in a lot of blanks for me. And I hate I didn't know these at the time. Mrs. Nixon was way ahead of her time - She made a lot of her own clothes because in the beginning the Nixons were poor. She was later accused of spending tax payer money on a lavish mink coat (where do these stupid lies start?) but she continued wearing her cloth coat. As first lady, she began tours for the handicapped and blind. She invited POWs to the White House for a dinner and they were allowed to roam over the building. At one point in her life she visited lepers and, much to the public's horror, touched them. And she was a big advocate for women.
Apparently she was good at touching people, hugging children, and putting her best face on in the worst of times. Whatever you thought about her before, you'll change your mind (even if you thought she was pretty amazing).

Perfect title for the way I thought about Pat Nixon private distant who suffered being the wife of Richard Nixon.I really enjoyed getting to know the real Pat Nixon who was a down to earth woman who enjoyed contact with real people.This was a really interesting informative read.#netgalley #st.martinsbooks