This book was really great until about halfway through. I personally lost steam and found it hard to power through the rest. The writing style was perfect, but just too long for my taste.

This book is primarily about Lady Bird Johnson’s years in the White House based on a journal she kept and interviews with those who interacted with her. Her life prior and after the White House years is given a once over lightly treatment. The book itself is a bit on the dry side as the author does more of a recitation rather than trying to bring color to an interesting person. As expected, a great deal of the book deals with the challenges that her husband faced as President and her role in supporting him. Others may find this book interesting, but it left me with a so-so feeling.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.

In 2013, The Rachel Carson Award was posthumously awarded to Lady Bird Johnson for her "outstanding contributions to the conservation and environmental movement." If this surprises you, like it does me, it is because Bird's environmental agenda had been tweaked to the more acceptable "beautification" project.

In Lady Bird Johnson Hiding in Plain Sight, Julia Sweig explains how people like me remember the roadside wildflower plantings and attack on roadside bill boards and not the deeper issues Bird was promoting--issues of environmental justice and racial equality.
Every biography offers some new slant, some new insight. And Julia Sweig did not disappoint me with a new understanding of Lady Bird, her relationship with LBJ, and their experience during a tumultuous time.

Sweig does not mince words. She calls white supremacy by it's name. We see history, the landmark legislation, the white backlash, the Civil Rights movement, the riots, and the domestic terrorism from a 21st c. perspective.

Sweig presents Bird as a strong, determined, committed, intelligent woman who was necessary to her husband's well being and career. Bird's work of transforming urban environments for physical and mental health, from eliminating pollution to the beautification of schoolyards, leaves us impressed by Bird's deep knowledge, dedication, and passion.

Bird was a workaholic like her husband. She campaigned across the country, edited LBJ's speeches and acted as a sounding board. As First Lady she brought together talent and money to develop her dream of healthy neighborhoods, and she mothered two daughters on the verge of adulthood.

It was interesting to learn about the private contract between Bird and LBJ concerning his running for another term of office, and how their daughters reacted to his decision.

It is thrilling to read a book that does not diminish Lady Bird to an abused, underappreciated, complicit wife. Sweig shows us a true partnership of equals--or perhaps I should better say, the balanced and insightful woman necessary to her man's success.

I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight by Julia Sweig is more than the story of one of America’s most influential First Ladies; it also provides a behind-the-scenes view of the Johnson presidency and its role in both the Vietnam conflict and the Civil Rights movement. Covering Johnson’s life from birth to death, it largely focuses on her public life which began shortly after she married the man who would become America’s 36th president. Using Lady Bird’s personal diaries, public letters, interviews, oral histories, and contemporary accounts, the book provides important historical context, revealing events and forces that led to the turbulence of the ‘60s, and also addresses the changing political winds that shaped the two major political parties into the entities they are today.

Though she was born into wealth on a Texas plantation, Claudia Alta Taylor, dubbed Lady Bird as a child, hardly met the stereotype of a Southern Belle. Shortly after earning a journalism degree, she met Lyndon Baines Johnson. They married after a three-month courtship. From that day forward, she worked to further his career, racking up several “firsts” of her own. More comfortable in the limelight than Jackie Kennedy, as Second Lady, Lady Bird frequently filled in for the then-First Lady at public events. When Johnson became president, she reinvented the role to suit her own personality and many of her changes remain today. She was the first to work the campaign trail on her own, the first First Lady to hold the Bible during the inauguration ceremony and the first to have her own Chief of Staff and Press Secretary.

Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight compares Lady Bird’s influence to that of Eleanor Roosevelt, but points out that their public personas were quite different. Lady Bird’s femininity was unquestioned; she kept much of her activism in the shadows, thereby enhancing her popularity. Despite calls for her to be officially named as Johnson’s running mate, (he never appointed a VP while he served the balance of John F. Kennedy’s term) the public saw her primarily as a wife and mother. Sweig shows how her femininity was balanced by shrewdness, both in business and her use of the press (surely learned from her days as a journalism student). Lady Bird’s careful word choices when it came to her own personal cause – the environment, known publicly as “beautification efforts” – masked some of her progressive efforts in civil rights and social causes. She may be remembered for planting millions of daffodils, but this book makes clear that she also did much more.

It’s impossible to not see correlations between the scenes of the ‘60s that unravel in this book and recent current events. It is said we need to learn from history so as not to repeat it. This book is a an engaging glimpse into the life of one of our most influential First Ladies as well as a palatable history lesson for those who were too young to remember those tumultuous years (or who were otherwise occupied and not paying attention). This seems to be especially relevant today if we are going to take what we learned from our past and use that knowledge moving forward.

My thanks to NetGalley, Random House and Julia Sweig for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review.

Julia Sweig has written a thoughtful, well researched and introspective biography of former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson. Within the first few pages, the reader sees the strength, structure and intelligence of this remarkable woman. “Bird” as her husband called her played a vital role in the political arena throughout her life. The support a direction and political partnership that she shared and provided to her husband rings clear and is beautifully represented in her letters, notes and diary entries. Lady Bird was a ‘first’ in many ways, the first to have her own chief of staff, press secretary and congressional liaison. She was an advocate for the Head Start program, providing the children of lower income families to prepare for school readiness. Simply stated, she paved the way for the role of the First Lady and a more modern structure to that office.

Lady Birds worked extensively for preserving the environment, enhancing the grounds of the White House and as a legislative advocate for the Highway Beautification Act.

Lady Bird was inspirational in her interests, her intelligence and her forward thinking. Julia Sweig has provided her reader with a multifaceted view of an extraordinary woman.

Highly recommended..

I probably wouldn't have noticed this title, if not for the episode on Lady Bird in CNN's first ladies series, which I loved. This is a beautiful portrait of her life and contributions to the LBJ presidency and the nation, by extension. If not for the national significance of the subject, I'd say the book should be trimmed. It's hard to keep momentum over 560 pages.

When you’re a kid in North Texas, you grow up knowing exactly three facts about Lady Bird Johnson: Lady Bird Johnson is the reason we have wildflowers along our highways.

I was thrilled to see this pop up in NetGalley. Through the years, I’ve consumed additional media involving Lady Bird. (I loved the LBJ Library and the National Historical Park!) The most egregious mischaracterization of Lady Bird I have witnessed came from playwright Christopher Hampton. For some reason, he wrote the Lady Bird of Appomattox “fame” to be a useless doormat.

I enjoyed that this book was released so we would finally hear about Lady Bird’s time supporting LBJ! I found this book to be an excellent summarization of her five-ish years at the White House.

I enjoyed the structure of this book, though I found some repeated facts to be confusing. (Like introducing “Hirschhorn and his wife, Olga” in one chapter, then re-introducing them using the exact same language in the next.) It almost seems like some chapters were written to be standalone essays.

At times, I sense that the LBJs were more performative in caring about race and gender than they actually felt. (Almost like their personal beliefs didn’t align with what they believed was right for the country. I guess that’s a benefit to us Americans.)

For someone so socially competent and good at reading people, Lady Bird sure seemed to victimize herself at RFK’s funeral (her comments re: Jackie.) I think it is unfortunate that some of Lady Bird’s word choices are now out of date.

I was afraid I wouldn’t finish this book in time, solely because of the number of books on my TBR! I am glad to have finished. This was an informative book!

Lady Bird is such an interesting person but is often overshadowed by LBJ. This book did her life justice.

A refreshingly readable and elucidating portrait of a remarkable woman. - Full review to appear in Booklist.

Tackling a subject as intriguing as a First Lady can be a daunting task. Not only will the author have to research the woman herself, but also the President to whom she is married. Additionally, the author must not let the First Lady take a back seat to the President; after all, what would be the point?

Julia Sweig has managed to pull it off. Her depth of research is obvious, and the way she brings Claudia Taylor Johnson to life is accessible even to readers who may not be familiar with President Lyndon Johnson or the ins and outs of political existence. Sweig shows us the ways in which Lady Bird (as Claudia was known) and Lyndon complemented each other, and the absolute dedication Lady Bird had to any task at hand—all while hiding in plain sight, as the subtitle of the book has it.

Sweig wrote a thorough, introspective look at Lady Bird Johnson's five year tenure as First Lady during a turbulent era. She gives her subject a fair assessment, but skim over LBJ's Infidelities with no real depth. At times the chronology was a bit ponderous and I had to wonder if the exacting details were necessary. Sweig discussed Jackie Kennedy quite a lot during the first part of book, to the point I had to wonder if it was a book about her or Lady Bird. She also had a tendency to use 2020 prose instead of 60s lexicon. It's a thorough assessment of the political acumen of Johnson and the legacy she built. I did wonder why the Johnsons' business records are permanent,y closed. I also did not know Lady Bird and Jackie rekindled their friendship in the eighties.

It was a great book. I did not know a lot about Lady Bird so I chose this to find out more. I was not disappointed. It provided a very insightful look into their time in the White House. The Vietnam war and its protests played a vivid part of it. The civil rights movement was also front and center in this.it was ironic that the events of 1960’s seem oddly similar to what is happening right now.

An interesting account of Lady Bird Johnson. Learning tidbits about a well known person’s life makes it thought provoking, while remembering that time period.

Julia Sweig gives an insightful look to the behind the scenes influence of Lady Bird Johnson. I learned many interesting tidbits of her life.

I was in elementary school when Lyndon Johnson became president, so I am more familiar with Lady Bird's work on environmental issues than I am with her behind the scenes support of her husband's political ambitions. This book is very thoroughly researched but a bit dry as it doesn't really capture the eccentricities and sense of humor the Johnsons were known for. There are colorful characters that aren't mentioned in the book like Johnson's Jewish supporter Bernard Rapaport or events like Lyndon Johnson's activities as a young Texas congressman where he secretly participated in the illegal rescue of European Jews from Eastern Europe in 1938 and in 1940, before America’s entry into World War II. Having lived in Austin, TX for many years, Lady Bird's legacy is apparent in the city including the KLBJ radio station which financed Johnson's political career, the LBJ Presidential Library, the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail, and the Johnson Wildflower Center. My favorite story about Lady Bird was her decision to buy a particular home in West Austin was based on a Arbutus tree growing on the property, a tree that is rarely found growing in the city.

Amazing book on a lesser known First Lady. Lady Bird Johnson is a force to be reckoned in her own right. Her place in history is secured with this layered biography.

Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight: Lady Bird Johnson in the White House by Julia Sweig is an excellent biography of a fabulous woman that has often been overlooked in history. As the First Lady to Former President L.B. Johnson, she had a vital role that she played in helping sculpt, support, and add to the Presidency and the years thereafter. The First Lady was a fascinating, strong, intelligent, complex, and impressive woman that deserves more attention for all of the positive additions and work that she accomplished throughout her time. She was caring, innovative, a progressive woman that lived before her time, and to be able to have the privilege to learn so much more about her initiatives and advances was an honor.

At a time when women were still trying to break the gender barriers in society, Former First Lady Johnson took the reins and prevailed. It was impressive to see all that she was able to accomplish and all that she held true to her heart during her years of service. A classy woman, a foundation, and a role model for young women everywhere. I am proud to have her be a part of our country's history and to be able to call her a pivotal and accomplished First Lady in every right.

Ms. Sweig clearly did her research and presents an image to the reader that allows for a deeper understanding of this wonderfully talented and positive woman. I also learned so much more about the Johnson presidency as well as the political weather during this rapidly changing time in our country's history. I learned so much about Lady Bird Johnson not just as a political figure, but a fellow woman as well. No matter what one's political party might be, they can surely appreciate all of the contributions and obstacles that Lady Bird Johnson was able to advance and succeed in. A very impressive undertaking and presentation.

5/5 stars enthusiastically

Thank you Random House for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication (links below).

This book adds a new dimension to our knowledge about Lady Bird Johnson, focusing on the influence she had on Lyndon Johnson’s decision making process throughout his political life. Although evidence overwhelmingly shows that LBJ largely held traditional views about a woman’s “place” in the professional world, he did value his wife’s opinions and instincts and regularly used her as a sounding board and influencer during his political life. In turn, she was able to guide him in helping to advance projects that were important to her.
This book is a worthy addition to collections of First Family titles, as well as biographies of women who made a difference.