Sunday, December 29, 2013
KENT
Carl Sferrazza Anthony’s newest book is the first full-length biography of Ida Saxton McKinley (1847-1907), the wife of William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States.
The author has gained notoriety as an expert on the political and social power of first ladies and their families, and he has written several books and articles. They have been published in the New York Times, Newsweek and Vanity Fair, among others.
McKinley was president from 1897 until he died at the hands of an assassin in 1901. Mrs. McKinley’s image in history suffered because she was afflicted with epilepsy, which in her era was thought to be linked to mental illness. However, she exerted a strong influence on her husband’s political decisions.