Lady Bird and Lyndon

The Hidden Story of a Marriage That Made a President

By: Betty Boyd Caroli

Narrated by: Amanda Carlin

This “smartly written…stunning” (The Boston Globe) portrait of Lady Bird as the essential strategist, fundraiser, barnstormer, and ballast for her husband Lyndon offers “a penetrating analysis…of a marriage that paired two complicated but devoted figures, a coupling that changed the face of America” (Richmond Times-Dispatch).

Marriage is the most underreported story in political life, yet it is often the key to its success. Historian Betty Boyd Caroli spent seven years exploring the archives of the LBJ Library, interviewing dozens of people, and mining never-before-released letters between Lady Bird and Lyndon. The result “redefines the First Lady as an iron fist in a white glove” (Vanity Fair) and helps explain how the talented, but flawed Lyndon Baines Johnson ended up making history.

Lady Bird grew up the daughter of a domineering father and a cultured but fragile mother. When a tall, pushy Texan named Lyndon showed up in her life, they married within weeks with a tacit agreement: this highly gifted politician would take her away, and she would save him from his weaknesses. The conventional story goes that Lyndon married Lady Bird for her money and demeaned her by flaunting his many affairs, and that her legacy was protecting the nation’s wildflowers. But Caroli shows that she was also the one who swooped in to make the key call to a donor, to keep the team united, to campaign in hostile territory, and to jump-start Lyndon out of his paralyzing dark moods.

In Lady Bird and Lyndon, Caroli restores Lady Bird to her rightful place in history. But she also tells a love story whose compromises and edifying moments many women will recognize.

Had no idea

Even though I was certainly a part of society during the Johnson years, I had no idea about the many things revealed in this book. As one that does not get too involved in politics, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
Recommend it...especially for the women out there

Betty Boyd Caroli does it again!

Where does Lady Bird and Lyndon rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Near the top easily.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lady Bird

Which character – as performed by Amanda Carlin – was your favorite?

Lady Bird

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Descriptions of a hard working steadfast Lady Bird unswerving in her dedication to LBJ

Any additional comments?

As a student of the first ladies I thought I knew quite a bit about Lady Bird but this book was a wealth of new information. LBJ was a classic jerk and a mama's boy but Lady Bird was either madly in love with him or a saint or both. Her story as a politician's life is not surprising but she did choose LBJ over all else - a true story. In his own way he loved her too. I don't judge but in a way envy her passion - she met the man who meant more to her than her own life. Always thought we no longer have politicians that are bigger than life - LBJ always was - this book proved it!

Portrait Of A Presidential Marriage

This is one of the best biographies I've ever listened to! It demonstrated the ladylike dignity and grace of Lady Bird as well as the boorish qualities of LBJ. She must've had the patience of a saint! After listening to this book, I developed a new appreciation for Lady Bird Johnson., as well as the challenges Lyndon faced after taking over the presidency after JFK. Amanda Carlin was a great choice for a narrator. She brought a warm quality to the book which made it that much more interesting.

Lady Bird & btw Lyndon

This is an excellent double biography. It in no way takes the place of Robert Caro's masterpiece, but it does give us LBJ's mother's background and influence as well as his failed politician father's.

But Lady Bird's (aka Claudia) Johnson's childhood and parents are the stuff of novels. Her brothers older than she, were reared for the most part in boarding school, and to a lesser degree so was she. I think the most dramatic example I can give of her parenting as a young child is that after her Mother's death, her Dad put her on a train in Texas to visit her relatives in Alabama, her mother's wealthy ones, and his own less prosperous family. Her only companion on the trip was a sign that said please "Deliver this Child..."

Children with this background often do not do well. But Lady Bird, grew strong, smart, and charming. She dealt with her over powering father and to a degree his series of new wives.
At thirteen when there was no one to take her to school, her Dad bought her a car and she drove herself, she could balance a checking account and read accounting files before she graduated high school. And although her husband looked to be verbally abusive, she always maintained she let it flow around her, and yet she was always totally devoted to him.

This is a truly interesting look at a fascinating woman. There is not much new on LBJ, but it is well worth a look at his life in the light of his wife and daughters.

Wow what a woman!

I've read several books on Lyndon Johnson and thought what a mean ole son of a gun! Now I'd like to know more about their daughters. The question this book left me with? would she have married him had she courted him longer? He was such a needy man, Did she stay with him out of pity?