The First Partner

Hillary Rodham Clinton has drawn public attention ever since she became First Lady in 1992. Joyce Milton's biography looks past the familiar headlines to examine the woman behind them, including her character, the principles that guide her, and the course of her career.

Milton revisits the controversies that dominated coverage of the Clintons, among them the troubled effort to overhaul the nation's health care system, the Whitewater affair, and the scandal involving Monica Lewinsky. The author offers new ways of understanding each of these episodes.

The book also explores the tensions that run through Clinton's life. Her feminist convictions often collided with her commitment to family, and her philosophical beliefs did not always fit the demands of political reality. Milton considers how Clinton has balanced professional ambition, public image, and private life. The biography is written in an even-handed manner and portrays one of the most puzzling women in American politics.