Reese's Book Club's July Pick Turns What You Thought You Knew About American History on Its Head

This 4th of July is a monumental one, with America observing the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Anyone who went to primary school in the U.S. is well-schooled in the lore of the Continental Congress and the Founding Fathers. (Did anyone else learn to sing the "Presidents Song" in fifth-grade choir?) What was never discussed were the women who made that possible. But Reese's Book Club's July pick dives into the life of an extraordinary wife and mother who watched her husband's political ascent while proving her own leadership prowess at home.

Witherspoon announced that the July book club pick would be A Founding Mother: A Novel of Abigail Adams ($15) by historical fiction authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. As the title suggests, the novel traces Adams's life from wife of a country lawyer to First Lady.

"In the heart of revolutionary Boston, Abigail Adams raises her children amid riots, blockades, and the outbreak of war. While her husband, John Adams, rises from country lawyer to nation-builder, often away for years at a time, Abigail builds her own independence—managing their farm, making lucrative investments, amassing savings, battling plague and loss and defending their home," the synopsis reveals. "Unafraid to speak her mind, she famously offers fearless political counsel, urging John to 'remember the ladies' in the new government. Through it all, she becomes his most trusted confidante and indispensable ally...Even after her husband’s presidential administration, she continues battling political foes and working behind the scenes to advance her family, secure independence for the women in her life, and ensure a better life for the next generation of Americans."

Of the selection, the book club's newsletter shared, "This novel is a reminder that there are impactful stories of women’s influence behind some of the most celebrated American figures—women whose lives, legacies, and decisions helped shape the trajectory of history."

Dray and Kamoie are seasoned historical fiction writers, whose books examine overlooked women in history. Their other titles include Ribbons of Scarlet: A Novel of the French Revolution's Women, My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton and America’s First Daughter (a novel about Patsy Jefferson, eldest daughter of Thomas Jefferson).

As the saying goes, behind every man is a (great) woman. I, for one, can't wait to dive into A Founding Mother, and all the other forgotten histories.