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America's First Daughter: A Novel Paperback – March 1, 2016

by Stephanie Dray (Author), Laura Kamoie (Author)
Goodreads Choice Award nominee
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THE NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY BESTSELLER

In a compelling, richly researched novel that draws from thousands of letters and original sources, bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie tell the fascinating, untold story of Thomas Jefferson's eldest daughter, Martha "Patsy" Jefferson Randolph--a woman who kept the secrets of our most enigmatic founding father and shaped an American legacy.

From her earliest days, Patsy Jefferson knows that though her father loves his family dearly, his devotion to his country runs deeper still. As Thomas Jefferson's oldest daughter, she becomes his helpmate, protector, and constant companion in the wake of her mother's death, traveling with him when he becomes American minister to France.

It is in Paris, at the glittering court and among the first tumultuous days of revolution, that fifteen-year-old Patsy learns about her father's troubling liaison with Sally Hemings, a slave girl her own age. Meanwhile, Patsy has fallen in love--with her father's protégé William Short, a staunch abolitionist and ambitious diplomat. Torn between love, principles, and the bonds of family, Patsy questions whether she can choose a life as William's wife and still be a devoted daughter.

Her choice will follow her in the years to come, to Virginia farmland, Monticello, and even the White House. And as scandal, tragedy, and poverty threaten her family, Patsy must decide how much she will sacrifice to protect her father's reputation, in the process defining not just his political legacy, but that of the nation he founded.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    608 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    William Morrow Paperbacks
  4. Publication date
    March 1, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    5.31 x 1.41 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0062347268
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0062347268
  8. See all details
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Popular Highlights in this book
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  1. The abiding passion of his life is a government that derives its authority from the people.
    Highlighted by 1,028 Kindle readers
  2. “I’ll tell you a secret about being happy, Tom. Sometimes you just have to pretend at it until it becomes real.”
    Highlighted by 813 Kindle readers
  3. “Because partisanship has made anything fair, which honor and propriety might once have kept quiet.”
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From the Publisher

Historical Fiction, Hamilton, Revolutionary War, Eliza Hamilton, United States History
America's First Daughter, American History, US History, Revolutionary War Ribbons of Scarlet, French History, Historical Fiction, French Revolution, Women's Fiction My Dear Hamilton, Musicals, Books based on Movies, Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie
America's First Daughter Ribbons of Scarlet My Dear Hamilton
Customer Reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
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4.3 out of 5 stars
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4.6 out of 5 stars
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“America’s First Daughter brings a turbulent era to vivid life. All the conflicts and complexities of the Early Republic are mirrored in Patsy’s story. It’s breathlessly exciting and heartbreaking by turns-a personal and political page-turner.” — Donna Thorland , author of The Turncoat

“Painstakingly researched, beautifully hewn, compulsively readable -- this enlightening literary journey takes us from Monticello to revolutionary Paris to the Jefferson White House, revealing remarkable historical details, dark family secrets, and bringing to life the colorful cast of characters who conceived of our new nation. A must read.” — Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Accidental Empress

“[A] triumphant, controversial, and fascinating plunge into the complexities of Revolutionary America, where women held power in subtle ways and men hid dangerous secrets. You’ll never look at Jefferson or his legacy the same way again.” — C.W. Gortner, bestselling author of Mademoiselle Chanel

“Authors Dray and Kamoie have performed tireless research. Whether it’s detailing Patsy’s life as a debutante in Paris, where she dances with Lafayette and witnesses the first flickers of the French Revolution, or recounting the world of a Virginia plantation, they’ve done their homework.” — Kirkus Reviews

“This is a stunning historical novel that will keep you up late, hoping the engaging story never ends. Highly, highly recommended!” — Historical Novel Society, Editor's Choice

From the Author

Join Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie's Newsletter to receive new release information, news about contests, giveaways, and reader events, sneak peaks and teasers, signings and appearances, and more! To subscribe, copy and paste this into your browser's address window: eepurl.com/bPZ-zD

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks (March 1, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 608 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062347268
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062347268
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 1.41 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the authors

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  1. Stephanie Dray

    Stephanie Dray

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    STEPHANIE DRAY is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. Her award-winning work has been translated into ten languages and tops lists for the most anticipated reads of the year. She lives in Maryland with her husband, cats, and history books.

    Join Stephanie Dray's Monthly Newsletter for:

    * Free book giveaways every month

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    To sign up copy and paste this into your browser: stephaniedray.com/fun/newsletter/

    MORE ways to connect with Stephanie:

    * Website: StephanieDray.com

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  2. Laura Kamoie

    Laura Kamoie

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    A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction, Laura Kamoie has always been fascinated by the people, stories, and physical presence of the past, which led her to a lifetime of historical and archaeological study and training. She holds a doctoral degree in early American history from The College of William and Mary, published two non-fiction books on early America, and most recently held the position of Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy before transitioning to a full-time career writing genre fiction. She is the author of AMERICA'S FIRST DAUGHTER, MY DEAR HAMILTON, and RIBBONS OF SCARLET, allowing her the exciting opportunity to combine her love of history with her passion for storytelling. Her upcoming novel, CHURCHILL'S SPYMISTRESS, is about SOE officer Vera Atkins and two of her spies in Occupied France during WWII. Laura lives among the colonial charm of Annapolis, Maryland with her husband and two daughters. www.LauraKamoie.com

    Join Laura's Occasional Newsletter to receive new release information, news about contests, giveaways, and reader events, sneak peaks and teasers, signings and appearances, and more! To subscribe, copy and paste this into your browser's address window: http://bit.ly/3aRa8FU

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
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There is a defect in the book I purchased.
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There is a defect in the book I purchased.
This book is a great read and do recommend it. Unfortunately for me, while reading along and on page 500, I discover there are 32 pages missing from the book. The pages were not torn out rather a defect in the book. Also, due to waiting a few months to read it I am past the 30 day return policy and have to reach out to Random House. I would be happy with a Kindle version of the book at this point but will need to purchase myself as there is no reimbursement via Amazon. I don't know yet what Random House will do. I sent them all the information and waiting to hear.
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Top reviews from the United States

M. Hart
5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT BOOK!
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2024
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On the book list for my DAR chapter. Well written, historic, and easy to read. Very engaging.
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B. Burnham
4.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary life of Martha "Patsy" Jefferson Randolph
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2023
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My book club reads a lot of biographical fiction. It’s an interesting and entertaining way to learn more about a specific time, place, and person in history. This month we chose America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. With the first person POV of the main character, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph, it explores the life of not only Thomas Jefferson’s daughter, but of his contemporaries and family members. The book begins when Patsy is a young girl and finishes with her later years. It is filled with historical detail that a history-nerd will love. The Revolutionary War and the early years of the nation are not time periods I generally read, but this book was fascinating in its portrayal of a young nation founded on high moral principles, yet in reality a democracy riddled with injustices. Slavery, the huge elephant in the room given Jefferson’s own ownership of slaves and his relationship with Sally Hemings, is a big part of the story. Patsy is definitely a woman of her time, and though she abhors slavery (as do many of her acquaintance) she is unable to affect any kind of meaningful change. In fact, those with the power to do so either were unsuccessful or left it to later generations. The authors do a good job of balancing the context of the time (slavery, limited rights of women and children) with an honest portrayal of the subject matter. This is Patsy’s story to tell, and I feel the authors allowed this incredible woman to tell it. Patsy was witness to so much — the American Revolution, formation of a new nation, the unfolding of the French revolution, the rise and fall of political factions — yet she was first and foremost a dutiful daughter, a committed wife, and a nurturing mother of many children. Her life was both extraordinary and ordinary, and the novel expresses that so well.

If you are a fan of early American history, then this book is definitely for you. My book club googled a lot during the reading of the book! We also had an outstanding discussion.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(I purchased Kindle ebook from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
16 people found this helpful
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Tabby1249
5.0 out of 5 stars A helluva' woman...
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2016
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I grew up reading historical fiction. It fired my imagination, made me love the learning of history and continues to this day as a still loved source of reading pleasure. This book about Martha 'Patsy' Jefferson Randolph is beautifully researched, well written and a pleasure to read.

The authors have taken such care to show the fulsomeness of Patsy's character that I often found myself reacting to her and the events of her life and some of her choices with a disbelieving shake of my head, laughter, gasps, aggravation, concern and frequently, with sorrow. The things that she does to take care of and protect her father and meet the responsibilities of a wife and mother during turbulent political and social times often left me feeling exhausted on her behalf. She comes across as a very unique character who truly understood the history she was living, so much so that her efforts are almost totally responsible for much of what the world knows about the details of Thomas Jefferson's life.

In this book, Jefferson himself is no marble statue because we get to see him through the eyes of his daughter. Devoted as she is, his weaknesses are presented along side his strengths. As a Founding Father, he loved and nurtured the 'grand experiment' that is the United States, but did not know how, after the death of his wife, to nurture his own children. He was deeply emotional, but often discouraged emotional reactions by his children. He wrote that 'all men are created equal,' but kept slaves. He was man of brilliant intellectual ability, but also a 'dabbler' who seldom finished a project, once started. He was generous to a fault, but left his family in near penury upon his death. Finally, the authors convince me that he loved his children but it isn't evident until they are older and the quality of their intellectual abilities is shown.

The relationship of Jefferson with Sally Hemmings and the children she bore him is not deeply explored in this book. However, what is told is often poignant and heartbreaking. The authors explore only a few of the many contradictions of personal philosophy and the human heart in this complicated relationship. Patsy and Sally are wary with one another, but work in concert to protect Jefferson both in life and in death.

As a side note, the campaign for the Presidential election in 1800 which is chronicled in this book was vicious and petty with personal attacks and insults. Sound familiar? Ah, history...how it repeats itself.

Bottom line: Patsy Jefferson was a helluva' woman. This book, told in the first person, is not only wonderful history, it is a compelling read about a woman faced with incredible personal struggles and responsibilities who felt both the glory and the weight of her father's legacy while he lived and after he died. She lived through two revolutions, the War of 1812, Jefferson's eight years as President presiding as his hostess in the absence of a First Lady, survived a difficult, often abusive marriage, bore 12 children and raised several that weren't her own, wrestled with the shame of slavery and preserved Jefferson's legacy. This book helped me understand that HER legacy is something to be celebrated.
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Top reviews from other countries

Sue Baker
5.0 out of 5 stars A well written story. Excellent read.
Reviewed in Canada on December 14, 2021
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This is an easy to engage with story. The writing flows well and you quickly feel like you know the characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a good story.
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Antonio V.
5.0 out of 5 stars It was a beautiful read
Reviewed in Italy on August 14, 2022
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Beautifully written and engaging, I bought it for my daughter who is particularly passionate about historical fiction. She fell in love with the heroine and read the book in 3 days. Bravo!
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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars I was so sad to finish this book
Reviewed in Spain on September 26, 2018
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this is such a different way to learn about US history and one of his presidents. it is beautifully written and so interesting.
i tried to read slower towards the end to make it last
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Nancy Davies
5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional
Reviewed in Australia on December 6, 2018
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Because of its length I had to put it down and pick it back innumerable times but it is so well written and organised that I never lost the thread. Not for history buffs only - it’s for anyone who loves a good book.
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Purple Cat 65
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical novel.C.A.T Purple Cat!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2016
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A well written book with sound historical research that brings alive the people of that particular time in American history thoroughly enjoyable. C.A.Thomas
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