100 Books: #13 Mrs. Lincoln, A Life

I'll admit I'm fascinated by the life of Mary Todd Lincoln, which is why Mrs. Lincoln, A Life by Catherine Clinton is on my list of books to read at #13. It's at #13 only because I haven't had it on my To-Be-Read stack as long as some of the others on this list.

I read Love is Eternal by Irving Stone many years ago, which is where I learned some of the things about Mary Lincoln that have made me stop and think about her over the years. She was a Southern woman who married a Northern husband--and not just any Northern husband, either. I wonder whether I'd have the courage to stand up for my convictions the way she did when people expected her to walk across the Confederate flag, or how well I'd survive losing a beloved child and my husband.

If memory serves, I was in my early twenties when I first became familiar with Mary Todd Lincoln's life. Since then, I've held my own life up to the light for closer inspection on more than one occasion. I'm interested to see how I fare when I read her story now that I have a little more life experience under my own belt.

Is there some public figure, either alive or dead, who inspires you in some way?