RUFFLES AND FLOURISHES

by Liz Carpenter ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 23, 1969

Liz Carpenter was a reporter as well as a friend of the Johnsons for twenty years before she joined their staff which accounts for the effortless effervescence of this account. No Gallagher she, Mrs. Carpenter retains her undimmed admiration for both the Johnsons, even though some of Lyndon's impromptu decisions complicated their lives considerably in the generally hurried, flurried progression of campaign tours (one 1682 mile whistle stop trip through the South in 1964), meeting the press (Johnson came off least well here), dinners and entertainments, and of course the weddings. Mrs. Carpenter eventually became Mrs. Johnson's press secretary and throughout emphasizes Mrs. Johnson's accommodating, supplementary role. ""Miss Liz,"" known for her sense of humor, is funniest about herself (she's given to absent-mindedness and brought the wrong dog home from the vet, bought the wrong statue--a Jesus instead of St. Francis--as a present for her husband). Most of this does come down to incidentals along with a ""Hail to the Chief"" and a tribute to that First Lady Bird. . . less charitable souls might suspect the p.r. pretty picture of her ""great adventure,"" a phrase Mary Gallagher also used.

Pub Date: Jan. 23, 1969

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1969

Categories: NONFICTION