LOVING MR. LINCOLN: THE PERSONAL DIARIES OF MARY TODD LINCOLN

Winner of the 2003 GA Writers Association Member Fiction Award. Nominated for 2004 GA Author of the Year and Lincoln Group of NY’s Annual Achievement Award.

The intriguing inside story of the most misunderstood First Lady in American history and the husband who would never have become President without her.

Loving Mr. Lincoln—presented in Mary Lincoln’s “own words”—chronicles her life, love, and daily struggles with Abraham from the day they meet until the day he dies. In frank, haunting journal entries, Mary describes the pain she felt when Abraham left her at the altar, when her sons died, and when Abraham’s political career seemed to be at an end. She also writes from her heart about the tragic years of slavery and the Civil War. She worries about her own shifting moods and Abraham’s frequent bouts of depression, but she delights in the joy of the deep and binding love evident in the Lincoln marriage. Mary’s diary entries recount how and why she pushed her quiet husband toward the Presidency and describe her joy at finally achieving her life-long ambition of reaching the White House. You will be enthralled as you peek inside the life of one of the world’s most famous couples and share their life and love. Almost 400 pages.

Return to bookstore to order Loving Mr. Lincoln.

READER COMMENTS

“We really enjoyed your book, Loving Mr. Lincoln. My 12-year-old daughter had it done in two days ... it took me a few days longer. We both loved it.”
—Kathy James, reader

“Ingenious! Beautiful writing! Captivating! A fascinating account of America’s most controversial First Lady.”
—Dr. Eugene Griessman, author of “The Words Lincoln Lived By”

“Everyone loves Abraham Lincoln and everyone wants to know the real power behind the greatest Presidential leader of all time. Kay duPont has written Mary Todd Lincoln’s story in a captivating, page-turning style that will wow your soul.”
—Mark Victor Hansen, co-creator of the #1 “New York Times” best selling series “Chicken Soup for the Soul”® and co-author of “The One Minute Millionaire”

“An engaging idea. Sensitive appreciation of Mary Todd Lincoln and good descriptions of Mr. Lincoln. The mechanism of a diary for a modern reader is unique, and the chapters are lively. The book reflects both the person and the age. Measured against the odds she faced, Mary Todd Lincoln deserves to be remembered as an important part of Mr. Lincoln's life, and I’m pleased that Kay duPont has reminded us of this.”
—Jean H. Baker, Goucher College, author of “Mary Todd Lincoln” and three other books on the Civil War period

“Kay has obviously done a lot of research and certainly has an imaginative idea of what to do with it. She ably captures what many would take to be Mary Lincoln’s personality and character, warts and all.”
—William C. Davis, Center for Civil War Studies, Virginia Tech, author of “Lincoln’s Men” and more than 25 other books on the Civil War era

“If Mary Todd Lincoln had kept a diary, it might have read very much like Kay duPont’s fictional representation. Offering new insights on both Mary and Abraham Lincoln, Loving Mr. Lincoln is a poignant and gripping story of their life together facing personal tribulations and national crises.”
—Dr. James M. McPherson, Princeton University, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller “Crossroads of Freedom” and more than a dozen other Civil War era books

“I love the book. Have read the whole Diary and am stunned at the similarities to the mess we are in today. It is a masterpiece. Congratulations. Hard to imagine Lincoln as a great lover—what a hoot! I guess a great man is a great man.”
Holly Stiel, professional speaker and author of “Neon Signs of Service”

“duPont has done a marvelous job of capturing all the historically accurate details of the Civil War era, and gives us insights into an extraordinary woman who had the vision and influence of Eleanor Roosevelt, the social impact of Jacqueline Kennedy, the political acumen and ambition of Hillary Clinton, and the pioneering spirit of Anne Morrow Lindbergh. You’ll lose yourself in this fascinating saga of a woman who was ahead of her time…a woman who was every bit as capable as the man she married and propelled into becoming one of our most respected American presidents. Read it and reap.”
—Sam Horn, author of “Tongue Fu!” and “Take the Bully by the Horns”

“Kay duPont has done a great job here. She has clearly defined Mary Todd in a way that has not ever been done. She made both the Lincolns warm, loving and real people with human feelings, faults and sensitivities, rather than the stiff, stilted figures we see in the history books in black and white. The book moves rapidly and is an excellent read.”
—Richard Freeman, Lincoln and Civil War Presentations

“Mary Lincoln has often been described as somewhat cranky and, while Kay duPont doesn’t shy away from this issue in Loving Mr. Lincoln, she offers insights about why. duPont beautifully reveals this intriguing woman’s fragile side: her capacity for love, drive for a better life, dreams of prominence, and deep sorrows. This reality-based novel shows Mary Lincoln in a new, surprising, and more compassionate light.”
—C. Leslie Charles, author of “Why is Everyone So Cranky?” and “All is Not Lost”

“Whether fact or fiction, Loving Mr. Lincoln gives us powerful and at times “delicious” insights into a misunderstood era of American history. But this is primarily an easy-to-read story of a woman—a complex, strong, driven woman. One who became a power, if not the power, behind a president. Mary Lincoln comes alive in this book as a romantic and a visionary. The author has such insightful compassion for Mrs. Lincoln’s struggles and personal losses that you will want to comfort her in your arms...while scolding her at the same time. Most of all, you may come to realize that had Mary Todd been a woman of the 21^st Century, perhaps Mr. Lincoln would be known as the man behind her.
—Ron and Paula L. Eichner, review posted on amazon.com.

For more reader comments, click on Mary herself. Kay is available for talks to your book club, civic club, women's club, etc. She also stars in a 30-minute theatrical play called A Visit with Mary Todd Lincoln and a 90-minute play with Abraham called An Evening with Mary and Abraham Lincoln. For more on these plays, click here.

Who is M. Kay duPont?

Return to bookstore to order Loving Mr. Lincoln.