"An Inconvenient Widow: The Torment, Trial, and Triumph of Mary Todd Lincoln" by Lois Romano. My rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Published in 2026.

Book description: A new biography of one of the most misunderstood and vilified First Ladies in America. Mary Lincoln was at the center of politics at a time when society’s expectations for women were rigid and circumscribed. The product of Southern aristocracy, she grew up among an influential clan of politicians and elites. Mary’s early exposure to the male-dominated world of politics instilled in her a keen political acumen and a fierce ambition. She steadfastly supported the Union war effort, visited encampments, tended to wounded soldiers, and generously donated money and gifts to refugees from slavery. She was an unconventional, larger-than-life character who dressed too ostentatiously, grieved too publicly, suffered a shopping addiction, and seemed unable or unwilling to corral her emotions, her temper, and her opinions. She also suffered almost unimaginable tragedy and relentless grief.

I've read a few other books and biographies about her, and I am pleased to see this one, with a more realistic and balanced approach, minus an effort to vilify her.

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