Through her poise, tact, charm, and personal heroism, Dolley Payne Madison has long been one of the most-admired women in the early history of the American Republic. In this exquisite sampling of Dolley's letters, both scholars and general readers alike have great reason to rejoice. For years, the devoted University of Virginia team which lovingly collected and painstakingly edited the papers of James Madison also paid equal attention to his soulmate, Dolley. David B. Mattern (Senior Associate Editor of The Papers of James Madison), and Holly C. Shulman (Research Associate Professor, Studies in Women and Gender at the University of Virginia) have provided the portal through which generations of researchers and writers will pass to meet Dolley. The 442-page book provides not only a well-balanced selection of meticulously edited letters to and from Dolley, but also a series of short, factual essays which frame and give context to each period of her life. In addition, a marvelous 24-page biographical directory provides thumbnail biographies of persons mentioned in her letters. I pre-ordered this book the moment I learned of its intended publication, and it now forms a cornerstone for the research on my forthcoming biography of this amazing First Lady, "Dolley Madison: From Hostess to Heroine" (Corinthian Books, June 2004). -Richard N. Côté, author of "Mary's World: Love, War, and Family Ties in Nineteenth-century Charleston" and "Theodosia Burr Alston: Portrait of a Prodigy."

This book is a real treasure for anyone interested in the grand old steamboats that used to ply the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The story follows George Weems as he struggles to establish his fledgling steamboat service on the Chesapeake, George's son Mason L. Weems who turns the company into a highly successful business, and Henry Williams who pilots the company through its most successful years and then - seeing an uncertain future for steamboats - sells the company to the Pennsylvania railroad in 1904.

Not only did the late Mr. Holly tell a great story, but he also filled the book's appendices with an incredible wealth of information on the Weems line and its steamboats. This includes information on the individual boats and the routes and landings they served, as well as representative data on the operating and construction costs of the vessels, minutes from several stockholder meetings, and a history of the Weems family. Moreover, the evocative photographs of the steamboats at work are worth the price of the book all by themselves. All in all, a great book.

David Holly does an exceptional job evoking images of the steamboat era, which lasted from the 1810s into the second half of the 20th century. While linked thematically, each of his chapters covers a separate aspect of these steamboat years, from the personalities behind the first steamboat packet service on the Chesapeake to the mournful last voyages of these elegant vessels.

More than just presenting anecdotes, Holly also does a good job describing the steamboats themselves. The book includes a detailed discussion of steamboat propulsion, (wisely) tucked into an appendix at the back of the book. Elsewhere, Holly describes the unique decor and "personalities" of some of the more famous boats on the Bay.

I did have one minor complaint about this book. When Holly describes the twists and turns of various steamboat companies, he tells the tale of a dynamic industry in which companies entered, exited, and merged with great regularity. It often becomes difficult to keep track of who runs which boats on which routes. Holly's book would have benefited from some sort of "score card" -- perhaps in an appendix -- that detailed which companies operated on the Bay, the years they operated, and the routes they served.

This oversight, however, is a minor distraction in an otherwise interesting and well-researched book.