Patty Appleton is glad to be one of the first female Congressional pages in 1973, but it's not an easy position to be in. Her father is a prominent psychiatrist and Republican fund raiser, so her mother, Dot, is scandalized when Patty mentions things to the press like that she's "not a bra-burner". Patty's dating Scott, who is very conservative, but while she is busy in D.C., he's been playing tennis with one of her friends. Patty is in the thick of things, meeting prominent politicians, and spending the weekend with her cousin Simone, who is much more liberal, and her aunt Marjorie, who is working for the women's caucus with the sull support of her husband. Patty hangs out with fellow pages, Will and Abe. Abe is much more liberal, and frequently makes disaparaging remarks about President Nixon, who has run into trouble. Will is a bit different; his brothers all joined the military, and while one of his brothers was held as a POW, we see his anguish as one is killed just as the military operations are wrapping up in Vietnam. Patty is having trouble aligning the attitudes and social mores she has been taught with the new information she is getting everyday. Being a page isn't easy; senators snap their fingers when they want something, and there are no concessions for a women being a page; Patty isn't allowed to carry a purse, so when she has her period, she tries to keep one of the new adhesive backed pads in a suit pocket that she has to sew onto her double knit skirt suit herself, with Simone's help. She also has to adjust to the new guy that Julia is dating, and the continual struggles in the news with the ERA and the fight over women's rights and issues. Patty's mother is also struggling; she seems to have more and more prescription pills that she's taking, and she even gives Patty a handful of Obetrol when she looks like she's gained weight. The ingestion of that drug goes slightly more smoothly than Simone's experience after someone drops an acid laced sugar cube in her Fresca at a party. Patty is concerned that her father is having an affair, and has to deal with Scott's feeling of sexual entitlement as well. There is a LOT going on in 1973, and Patty is right in the middle of all of it. How will she manage her changing world?
Strengths: This book absolutely picked me up and dropped me directly into Aunt Marjorie's 1973 living room, watching television while sitting on a harvest gold Colonial style couch on avocado green shag carpet. The fashions, the attitudes, and the NEWS felt so immediate that I half expected to be transported to that time. Had I smelled a strawberry lip smacker, I might have been. This had two distinct levels; there is the absolute swirl of politics, and Patty's life as a Congressional page that was 100% influenced by everything going on around her. Modern teens might wonder if their counterparts in 1973 paid this much attention to the news, but they absolutely did; I was only 8, and still followed what was happening with Watergate in the news. Many of the Herblock political cartoons looked VERY familiar. It makes perfect sense that Patty fully believed in all of her mother's expectations, and even uses them to diffuse a situation with police officers when Simone's modern attitudes almost get them arrested. But, seeing everything that she does definitely changes her, almost as much as it changes her mother. Not only does Elliott weave these two strands together brilliantly, but she inserts constant popculture references seamlessly. Final Net hair spray, black patent leather go go boots, and strawberry Lip Smackers make an appearance in the first chapter. There are copious historical notes on historical figures at the back, as well as source notes and a bibliography. This really is a tour de force of 1970s history.
Weaknesses: "Gag me with a spoon" was not a phrase that a teen on the East Coast would have thought to herself during this time period. I will, of course, defer to Elliott, who is about six years older that I am, and whose historical details are 99.9% accurate, but I doubt just this one!
What I really think: As much as I would like to have this available for my middle school students, it will be most successful with high school audiences. There is a LOT of political information, which is all extremely well researched and explained, as well as backed up by period photos and articles, but there is also some suggestions of sexual content and rape that will be better understood by older readers. Reading this along with Balis' and Levy's Bringing Down a President is highly encouraged. This begs to have a play list to go with it; plenty of songs are mentioned, and I imagine that high school readers would be mesmerized by Helen Reddy's I Am Woman.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book ahead of time in exchange for a review. You should read it!

Bringing to life the 70's through Patty, a young woman serving as a congressional page. Interspersed with relevant news clippings of the times, it was a fascinating coming of age read, and a politically charged climate.
Well written, and interesting. The history and research that went into it, but at times found it a slower read. An interesting book about the time period,

I recently completed reading the book that I found quite engaging, and I have assigned it a 4-star rating. Upon reflection, I would consider it closer to 4 and 1/2 stars when rounded up.

The narrative unfolds in the backdrop of 1973 and intricately weaves in historical events such as Watergate and the ERA. The book adeptly elucidates these events and their societal context through authentic scenarios and discussions among the characters, catering to individuals with varying levels of familiarity with the subject matter.

The central character, Patty, is depicted as an employee of the Senate in Washington D.C. As the story unfolds, Patty forges new relationships and is exposed to diverse political perspectives while assimilating the importance of advocating for her convictions.

A more comprehensive character analysis, delving into potential spoilers, will be presented in a subsequent review once the book is formally released.

It is worth noting, however, that the book's conclusion felt somewhat abrupt, leaving two significant storylines unresolved and evoking a desire for more definitive closure. The inclusion of an epilogue to address the characters' fates, in addition to the historical context, would have been beneficial.

Notwithstanding the aforementioned, I thoroughly appreciated the book, particularly its historical components, storyline, and characters. I wholeheartedly endorse it.

I found the characters, notably Patty, Abe, Will, and Simone, to be particularly captivating.

Overall, the book left a favorable impression.

1973 was a turmoil, pain, action, and upheaval. It’s a wild ride for Patty, who is one of the first female senate pages who finds her reality on quickly melting ice. This is a riveting story set in a terribly interesting time in our country’s history which hauntingly mirrors our present day. Captivating and well researched.

I am giving my first impression of this book as I am disappointed to not read it due to it not being available as a kindle option. I struggle to read a book on an ipad or phone screen. I am looking forward to reading this book as I think it will likely draw parallels from the past and connect it to todays readers. I think young readers will especially find it enlightening to see what happened in the past continues to happen today.