Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite
Why They Stay: Sex Scandals, Deals, and Hidden Agendas of Nine Political Wives by Anne Michaud is a nonfiction book that explores one of the questions that have baffled many American citizens and political enthusiasts: Why do the wives of politicians decide to stay in the marriage in spite of reported scandals, shady deals, and their husbands' sometimes wanton cheating? The author takes readers on a ride through the lives of some of the political couples in this well-researched and masterfully articulated work to unveil the surprising reasons why these women chose to stay. Among other things, she talks about submission to tradition, a personal sense of patriotism, a deep sense of the emotional health and well-being of the family, and the drive to build a legacy as some of the strong reasons political wives in a shaky relationship choose to stay.
Anne Michaud has masterfully profiled nine political wives whose husbands have cheated and who chose to stay in the marriage, featuring Eleanor and FDR, Jackie and JFK, Valerie Hobson and Jack Profumo, Hillary and Bill Clinton and many others. The author unveils secrets that are not so accessible to the public, exploring the psychology of women married to cheating politicians, and what it costs and means to them to stay. No one could have written this book better than Anne Michaud, a columnist who has covered politicians for decades. Her observations are sharp and compelling and her prose shines with her unique signature for phraseology, crispness, and excellent diction. Why They Stay: Sex Scandals, Deals, and Hidden Agendas of Nine Political Wives is a very informative, engaging, and entertaining work.
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