PBS Books Readers Club welcomes co-authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie to discuss their New York Times best-selling historical novel America’s First Daughter. The episode premieres on November 19th at 8PM ET as a PBS Books Facebook Live event, on the PBS Books YouTube channel, pbsbooks.org, and the PBS app.
America’s First Daughter tells the sweeping story of Martha “Patsy” Jefferson, the eldest daughter of Thomas Jefferson. From the heartbreaking loss of her mother, to traveling with her father in Paris, and standing beside him through the birth of a nation—Patsy becomes his confidante and protector. More than just a witness, she shapes American history through her strength and influence.
Grounded in thousands of Jefferson’s letters, this novel blends meticulous research with powerful, emotional storytelling. The result is a vivid and intimate portrait of a woman whose resilience and influence helped shape both her family’s legacy and the young United States.
Stephanie Dray reveals, “We really did not have to juice up much of Jefferson’s life… it gets pretty soapy, especially in the later periods. We did not invent any of that. The crazier something is an historical fiction novel, the more likely it is to be true.”
The PBS Books Readers Club will also explore Dray and Kamoie’s other bestseller, My Dear Hamilton, which shines a light on the often overlooked story of Elizabeth “Eliza” Hamilton. The novel follows her as she stands steadfastly beside her husband, Alexander Hamilton, through the triumphs and challenges of building a new nation. Together, these two novels beautifully bring the stories of remarkable women out of the shadows, giving them long-overdue recognition for their vital roles in supporting—and shaping—the men who helped found America.
PBS Watch-Alike: The American Revolution
This month’s watch-alike is The American Revolution: A Film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt. This six-part documentary series explores the country’s founding struggle and its eight-year war for independence. An expansive look at the virtues and contradictions of the war and the birth of the United States of America. This series follows dozens of figures from a variety of backgrounds to paint a captivating picture of America’s founding and the war that turned the world upside down. Premiering November 16th on PBS and the PBS app.
About the Author
Stephanie Dray
Laura Kamoie
About the Author
Charlotte McConaghy
Charlotte is an Australian author living in Sydney with her partner and two children.
She has a Masters Degree in Screenwriting from the Australian Film Television and Radio School, and a number of published SFF works in Australia.
Her novel MIGRATIONS was her first foray into adult literary fiction, published in North America by Flatiron Books, and by Penguin Random House in Australia and the UK. It is being translated into over 25 languages, and adapted to film.
ONCE THERE WERE WOLVES, the New York Times Bestseller, is a romantic mystery about a biologist charged with reintroducing wolves to the Scottish Highlands in order to rewild the landscape and bring a forest back to life.
Her third novel WILD DARK SHORE continues her love of romantic thrillers set in beautiful, remote places, and explores not only what it takes to raise children in a collapsing world, but the impossible choices we make to protect those we love.
