American queenmaker How Missy Meloney brought women into politics

Combining accessible political history and social registry, this sympathetic biography tells the story of Missy Meloney, a pioneering early twentieth-century journalist, magazine editor, lobbyist, and political advisor. Des Jardins (Lillian Gilbreth, 2012) documents Meloney's career through the lens of her amazing ability to connect with people and inspire them to action, whether transforming Marie Curie into a heroic figure, championing women and minority writers, or influencing national politics, especially the cause of women's suffrage. There are plenty of quotes, anecdotes, and quick studies of members of her vast inner circle, encompassing presidents (both Roosevelts, Wilson, Coolidge, Harding, and Hoover counted her as a friend and ally), royalty, movie stars, and literati (J.M. Barrie, Willa Cather, Archibald MacLeish). A frail woman who walked with a limp and suffered from chronic tuberculosis as well as a wife and mother, Meloney managed to raise public consciousness regarding women as a significant political demographic, always celebrating the contributions and capabilities of others. It's about time she got some attention for herself, and this deft offering does an admirable job.--Kathleen McBroom Copyright 2019 Booklist

Historian Des Jardins (Walter Camp: Football and the Modern Man) unearths the power and influence of early 20th-century editor Marie "Missy" Mattingly Meloney (1878--1943) in this competent and purposeful biography. Born in Kentucky, Meloney came of age in Washington, D.C., where her widowed mother opened a school for girls. Despite lifelong health problems, Meloney became a newspaper reporter at the turn of the century. After marrying fellow reporter William Brown Meloney IV and working part-time as she raised their son, Meloney became managing editor of Woman's Magazine in 1914 and set out to replace the publication's "twaddle" with articles written by experts in such varied fields as housekeeping, education, and world affairs. In subsequent editorships at the Delineator, the New York Herald Tribune Sunday Magazine, and This Week, Meloney helped newly enfranchised women become informed voters; cultivated professional relationships with presidents and first ladies; made Marie Curie a household name in the U.S.; and educated Americans about European fascism. Crediting her subject with "propell other women into prominence and women's issues into public discourse," Des Jardins makes a convincing case for Meloney's crucial role in showing American women how to flex their political muscle. Readers interested in women's issues will find this to be a valuable contribution to the subject. (Jan.)

Des Jardins (Walter Camp) profiles a remarkable yet relatively unknown figure in American history who dedicated her life to advancing the careers of other women and to bringing women's issues and needs into a public forum. Although not a suffragist or feminist, Missy Mattingly Meloney (1878--1943) best represents the so-called "New Women," who exercised control over their social and political lives in the early 20th century. A journalist by occupation, Meloney was also an energetic social reformer and confidante of Eleanor Roosevelt. Based on meticulous archival research, this book details the vast array of projects in which Meloney was involved: arranging Marie Curie's fundraising tours throughout America, campaigning to promote women's college education, advising politicians on strategies to secure women's votes, championing the Better Homes in America movement, and spearheading relief efforts during World War I. Without idealizing her subject, the author carefully points out Meloney's contradictions and inconsistencies. Meloney led an amazingly productive life despite living with chronic health conditions, challenging us to reimagine our definitions of powerful women. VERDICT A meticulously researched and readable biography that will engage readers interested in women's history and journalism, and in 20th-century social reform.--Marie M. Mullaney, Caldwell Coll., NJ

The first biography of Marie Mattingly Meloney (1878-1943), "a journalist, publicist, social reformer, mother, rainmaker, diplomat, political operative, and patron of women, the arts and sciences."After her father's death, Missy (as the author refers to her throughout) used her literary and social knowledge to introduce herself into Washington, D.C., society and the sophisticated world of statesmen and men of letters. She began a lifetime of making contacts and went on to have a "public impact [that] reverberated broadly," writes former history professor Des Jardins (Walter Camp: Football and the Modern Era, 2015, etc.), a board member of the National Women's History Project. A fall from a horse left Missy with a permanent limp, and her recurring battles with a tubercular lung could have condemned her to a restricted life. However, "she vowed never to be the unavailable convalescent her mother had been." When the Washington Post published her letter promoting a church, a journalist was born. Not long after, she captured a scoop on Spanish-American War hero George Dewey. Missy delivered not only a story, but also photos and connections to famous neighbors, whom she knew personally. As Des Jardins clearly demonstrates, she never stopped looking beyond the story. In 1900, she went to Colorado to recuperate from a TB attack and returned home as the Denver Post's Washington correspondentat age 18. One of Missy's strengths was her patience. Whether seeking a story, convincing someone to write for her national publication, This Week, or gaining access to the Senate press gallery, she waited, worked, and always succeeded. What she discovered along the way was the strength of women's ability to accomplish things through contacts and friendships. Without the vote, titles, or positions, one could still master the art of influence. Missy's network extended across Europe and America and the political and intellectual spectrums. Marie Curie, Eleanor Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, and Lou and Herbert Hoover are only some of the people whose lives she affected. Her accomplishments were vast, and Des Jardins capably brings them to light.The author opens our eyes to a woman who should be a household name. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.