A Feminist in the White House

...a splendid, wholly engrossing biography. * Women's Review of Books * This book identifies factors driving development, location, and the height of Manhattan skyscrapers from the late 19th century. The focus is on market land values, signaling location demand with building heights resulting from location value. Evidence, not geologic features, justifies economic theories on land use and building heights and development of New York's skyline...Recommended for New York City development details. Familiarity with its streets will give greater insight to the city's development. * E. C. Erickson, California State University, Stanislaus * The biography is a fascinating and thorough look at the way second-wave feminism played out in the political arena, and highly relevant at this particular political moment. * Publishers Weekly * I covered Midge Costanza for Newsweek, and the controversies described in this book give Midge her due as a principled advocate while raising questions about the appropriate role of a White House staffer. Drawing on a wealth of material, the author documents her subject's increasing feminism and her clashes with the president who made history when he named her to his staff. In the end, each felt betrayed by the other and the reader will feel torn too knowing how the story ends. * Eleanor Clift * For anyone interested in presidential politics this book is a must read. The meticulously documented story of the life and career of Midge Costanza lays open the inner workings of the Carter White House at a time when the role of women was changing dramatically. It also sadly portrays how badly Carter was served by his top male assistants who sought to crush and marginalize the influence of strong loyal women throughout his administration. * Peter Bourne, Former Special Assistant to President Jimmy Carter, 1977-1981 * The lessons learned from Midge Costanza's life have informed the political path of the modern LGBTQ movement-even for those who didn't know it. The seeds that were her passion, including uncompromising idealism, drive and political risk-taking have grown into a fierce forest of activism and change. A Feminist in the White House skillfully surfaces political and cultural tensions that we still see playing out today in the work for women's equality and LGBTQ freedom. This should be required reading for anyone interested in how far we've come and how far we have left to go. * Rea Carey, Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force *