Lois Romano is a distinguished American journalist, author, and editor, known for her in-depth coverage of national politics and American political culture for major outlets, including The Washington Post and Politico. Her longtime interest in the lives of women who have influenced history informs her writing with empathy, depth, and nuance.
Lois Romano’s latest biography rectifies the tortured legacy of one of the most misunderstood and vilified First Ladies in American history. An Inconvenient Widow: The Torment, Trial, and Triumph of Mary Todd Lincoln reflects on her insight into the interplay between politics and the human condition, illuminating the complex life of a First Lady who navigated personal turmoil and public scrutiny to play a central role at the most consequential moment in our nation’s history. She was an unconventional, larger-than-life character who dressed too ostentatiously, grieved too publicly, and seemed unable or unwilling to corral her emotions, her temper, and her opinions. She made enemies—influential men who wrote her story for her, often unfairly. After Lincoln was assassinated, she was all but abandoned by the nation he had given his life to defend and preserve.
Chris Sweet is a Professor and the Scholarly Communications and Information Literacy Librarian at Illinois Wesleyan University. He has written extensively about American bicycle history as well as a range of topics within the field of library science. His experiences as a former professional triathlete and competitive cyclist helped to shape his bicycle history scholarship.