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Their personalities often set the tone for Washington society, from Julia Tylers open hospitality to Sarah Polks somber religious devotion. Some, like Abigail Adams, had little formal schooling. Others, such as Pat Nixon and Hillary Clinton, earned college degrees. There were those who outlived their spouses as well as women who died before seeing their husbands realize their presidential dreams. In spite of differing circumstances, these presidential wives influencedsometimes overtly and often inadvertentlyeverything from domestic political agendas to foreign policy through their relationships with their husbands. From Martha Washington to Laura Bush, this book discusses the lives and circumstances of the 47 women who have been married to an American president.