Ruffles and Flourishes

xv, 341 pp. 9 3/8 x 6 1/2. A memoir of her service as a vice presidential aide and her White House years as Mrs. Johnson's staff director and press secretary. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mary Elizabeth "Liz" Sutherland Carpenter (September 1, 1920 – March 20, 2010) was a writer, feminist, former reporter, media advisor, speechwriter, political humorist, and public relations expert. Carpenter was born in historic Salado in southern Bell County, Texas. In 1936, her 24-room residence there was declared a state historic monument. In 1967, a plaque was unveiled to indicate that Carpenter had once lived there. At the age of seven, she moved with her family to Austin. Carpenter stood in the forefront of the Women's Movement when it began and never wavered from her platform. Her projects and causes ranged from supporting high tech to fighting cancer. Often called the 'funniest woman in politics', she was in demand as a public speaker until her death. Carpenter launched her journalism career at Austin High School in Austin as the editor of the school paper, The Austin Maroon. Another aspiring journalist, Leslie E. 'Les' Carpenter (ca. 1921–1974) of Austin, was business manager of the newspaper. The two became best friends, majored in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, and worked together on the university newspaper, The Daily Texan. Les firmly supported Liz when she was elected vice president of the student body, the first woman to have held that position.