A LADY, FIRST

Letitia Baldrige is most famous for her role as social secretary in the Kennedy White House. However, the most interesting stories of her memoir come from earlier years, when she worked in the American embassies of Paris and Rome. The narrator, Anna Fields, has a clear alto voice and conveys the excitement of a young woman who finds herself in the diplomatic and social center of Europe just after WWII. Sometimes Fields emphasizes words or phrases too much, but aside from this occasional irritation, she captures the talent and energy that has carried Letitia Baldrige through the many remarkable events of her life. P.G. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 02]