Books by Christine Wolf

Politics, Partnerships, & Power:
The Lives of
Ralph E. and Marguerite Stitt Church

by Jay Pridmore and Christine Wolf

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Release Date: December 19, 2023

This is the very first biography of a twentieth century powerhouse couple who, with prescient and persistent methodologies and hearts, gave four decades of legislative service and established much of Illinois’ dedicated political tradition. Spanning everything from the awkward dance of prohibition in Evanston to Marguerite Stitt Church's involvement in the creation of the Peace Corps — with a particular focus on her remarkable legacy as a pioneer for women in government — this historical nonfiction is both a resource and a gripping delight.

Politics, Partnerships, & Power:
The Lives of
Ralph E. and Marguerite Stitt
Church

Order your copy now

It’s always best to order through your local, independent bookseller! Just head to their website, or call and request a copy. Some of my favorite indie bookstores include:

Bookends & Beginnings (Evanston, IL)
The Book Cellar (Chicago)
The Book Stall (Winnetka, IL)
Women & Children First (Chicago, IL)
East City Bookshop (Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.)
Powell’s Books (Portland, OR)
Solid State Books (H Street, Washington, D.C.)
Or, find your local bookstore(s) at IndieBound

Also available through
Master Wings Publishing
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Target
Walmart
and more…

Reviews

“[A] delightfully evenhanded style… an immersive portrait of the political landscape over a considerable stretch of American history, brimming with ‘lessons of service, heart, and advocacy.’ An engaging and instructive history.”
– Kirkus Reviews

“It’s a fascinating read!”
– Ann Marie Cumming, Executive Director, The Congressional Club Museum & Foundation, Washington, D.C.

“A fascinating window… enrich[es] our understanding of women and politics in midcentury Washington, a topic that has been overlooked for far too long. A deeply valuable contribution.”
– Melissa Blair, author of American Women: A New Narrative History

“Rich in historical context and well-researched detail, illustrating how this long series of events shaped the landscape of Chicago and national politics… Reading at times like a novel, this comprehensive work of history feels like an inspiring allegory about the American Dream, resulting in a historical work that tells a far greater story than local politics, and one that reveals the country’s collective potential.”
– Self Publishing Review

“This book is an absolute masterpiece. The amount of care, research, and detail that went into it is so clear. Anyone looking for a story about a badass woman during Women's History Month needs to read this! Marguerite Stitt Church was ahead of her time, shattering race and gender barriers, surviving assassination attempts, and breaking election records. This is a must-read. Kudos to the authors for crafting such a thoughtful page-turner. If I could give this more than 5 stars I would!”
—5-Star Review on Goodreads

"The writing keeps your attention with enough detail to help you understand the characters, but not bore you to death like some political and historical non-fiction books that are great for insomnia. The story is fascinating and Marguerite is a powerful woman with a great sense of humor and moral code that seems to have been lost in today's world. A devoted Republican, she was sent by Kennedy to Latin America, was involved in a serious car accident (suffering a broken leg and fractured ribs), then returned to America to declare herself America's lamest lame duck, lol. I strongly recommend this book. A great view of Washington politics. Wonder if any others died on the House floor? Reads like a character-filled novel. Strong!" 
—5-Star Review on Amazon

“I may have expected a book about 1950s politics at the U.S. House of Representatives to be dry, but authors Christine Wolf and Jay Pridmore pack a punch from page one. Ralph E. Church, a longterm U.S. Republican incumbent from Illinois, died suddenly during a congressional meeting in 1950, less than a month before the primary election. Ballots for his 13th district, centered in Evanston, Illinois, were already printed. As fate would have it, voters re-elected their dead Congressman in the primary by a landslide! Soon after, Republican committeemen appointed Ralph’s wife to run for his seat. Although she had never harbored political ambitions of her own before, Marguerite Stitt Church had, for years, been described as the “political and legislative teammate of her husband.” Marguerite—a graduate of Wellesley College with a Masters Degree from Columbia University, a psychologist, a worldwide traveler even in her youth, and a social activitist— was solidly qualified to assume her husband’s responsibilities at the Capitol. Voters agreed and elected her in November to join just nine other women in the U.S. House. For the rest of this engaging book, one that often zips along like a novel, the authors narrate Marguerite Stitt Church’s six congressional terms as she evolves into a powerful advocate for women’s rights, civil rights, and equitable foreign policy. Later, Marguerite continued her worldwide travels when President Kennedy appointed her a congressional delegate to the United Nations. Margeurite turned out to be a natural politician and a strategic planner, always rooting her policies in a self-stated conviction that “the most important part of the job was taking care of the people.” After reading this expansive and interesting history of a modest but strong female forerunner in politics, I felt surprised that no biography had ever been written of Margeurite Stitt Church. She well deserves the notice and the authors’ well-researched and beautifully-written narrative do justice to her legacy.” 
—5-Star Review on Amazon

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Press Release

Christine Wolf Author Bios

Christine Wolf Author Bio (255 Words)
Christine Wolf is an award-winning essayist and a former weekly columnist for The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, and Patch. Wolf interviewed then-President Barack Obama in 2012 during the first-ever live Google Hangout from the White House. In 2014, Wolf launched her first dedicated writing space for women near Chicago. Five years later, she founded literary agency Writers' Haven LLC, where she now serves as a writing coach, literary agent, speaker, and facilitator of bespoke Write To Heal programs and retreats. In 2022, she launched her free newsletter on Substack, Writers’ Haven by Christine Wolf. A performing member with Short Story Theatre, Oil Lamp Theater, and Writers' Theatre, Wolf has also appeared on the stages of Mortified Chicago, Louder Than A Mom, and The Moth — where she was named StorySLAM champion in June 2022. Wolf's work has been featured on CNN, HuffPost Live, as well as in The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, Runner’s World, ChicagoNow, Better Humans, Invisible Illness, and other outlets — always exploring topics of emotional depth. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Media at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Arts in Teaching from National-Louis University. Wolf's first book, co-written with Jay Pridmore, is a political biography about two former members of the United States Congress, titled Politics, Partnerships, & Power: The Lives of Ralph E. and Marguerite Stitt Church (Master Wings Publishing, December 19, 2023). For nearly 25 years, Wolf has lived in the U.S. Congressional District formerly represented by her subjects. www.christinewolf.com

Christine Wolf Author Bio (160 words)
Christine Wolf is an award-winning essayist and a former weekly columnist for The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, and Patch. Wolf interviewed then-President Barack Obama in 2012 during the first-ever live Google Hangout from the White House. A memoir coach, literary agent, and founder/CEO of Writers’ Haven LLC, Wolf was named StorySLAM champion at The Moth in June 2022 and facilitates storytelling classes, Write to Heal courses, and expressive writing programs and retreats. Wolf earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Media at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Arts in Teaching from National-Louis University. Her first book, co-written with Jay Pridmore, is a political biography about two former members of the United States Congress, titled Politics, Partnerships, & Power: The Lives of Ralph E. and Marguerite Stitt Church (Master Wings Publishing, December 19, 2023). For nearly 25 years, Wolf has lived in the U.S. Congressional District formerly represented by her subjects. www.christinewolf.com

Christine Wolf Author Bio (77 Words)
Christine Wolf is an award-winning essayist and a former weekly columnist for The Chicago Tribune and The Chicago Sun-Times. Wolf's first book, co-written with Jay Pridmore, is a political biography about two former members of the United States Congress, titled Politics, Partnerships, & Power: The Lives of Ralph E. and Marguerite Stitt Church (Master Wings Publishing, December 19, 2023). For nearly 25 years, Wolf has lived in the U.S. Congressional District formerly represented by her subjects. www.christinewolf.com

Product details

• Subject matter: Women in Politics, Women in History, Political Leader Biographies

• ASIN: ‎ B0BRYPJ4W8

• Language: ‎ English

• Publisher: Master Wings Publishing

• Distributed by: Ingram Publishers Group West

• ISBN/EAN: ‎ 979-8985788655

• Item Weight: ‎ 1.74 pounds

• US/List Price: $16.95

• E-Book/Kindle Price: $5.99

• E-Book ISBN: 979-8-9857886-6-2

• Trim Size: 6.00 in x 9.00 in

• Page Count: 296

• Carton Quantity: 36

  Subject Matter Includes…

  American Association of University Women (AAUW)
  American Politics
  Attack on Congress (1954): www.c-span.org/video/?317988-1/1954-newsreel-shooting-congress
  Catlin, Illinois
  Chicago, Illinois
  Children’s Home and Aid Society
  Children’s Welfare
  Civil Service
  Columbia University Alumni
  Congressional Age Limits
  Congressional History
  Donald Rumsfeld
  Economic Freedom
  Economic Recovery
  Equal Pay
  Evanston Receiving Home of Illinois
  Evanston, Illinois
  Family Welfare Association of Evanston
  Federal Government Appointee
  Fireworks Safety
  Foreign Affairs Committee
  Foreign Affairs Leaders
  Foreign Economic Policy
  Foreign Policy
  Gender Equality
  Geopolitics
  Girl Scouts of America
  Glove Manufacturing
  Government Operations
  House of Representatives
  Illinois Government
  Illinois Legislature
  Illinois Political History
  League of Women Voters
  Legislative Bodies
  Legislators
  Marguerite Stitt Church
  National Safety Council
  New York City
  North Shore Auxiliary of Chicago Maternity Centre
  Northwestern University
  Policymakers
  Political Couples
  Political Leader Biographies
  Political Leaders
  Political Pioneers
  Political Spouses
  Power Couples in Congress
  Psychologists
  Psychology
  Ralph E. Church
  Representatives, U.S. Congress
  Republican Party
  Retirement
  Social Reformers
  Sociology
  Springfield, Illinois
  St. Agatha School
  State Charities Aid Association of New York City
  Sudden Death
  The Congressional Club
  The Peace Corps
  Trailblazing Leaders
  U.S. Capitol Historical Society
  U.S. Capitol Shooting (1954) : www.c-span.org/video/?317988-1/1954-newsreel-shooting-congress
  U.S. House of Representatives
  U.S. Midcentury Politics
  United Nations
  University of Michigan
  Wellesley College
  Wellesley College Alumnae
  White House Conference on Aging
  Widow’s Mandate
  Women Civic Leaders
  Women in Congress
  Women in Government
  Women in History
  Women in the House of Representatives
  Women in Leadership
  Women in Politics
  Women in Power
  Women in Washington, D.C.
  Women Leaders
  Women Legislators
  Womens’ Board, University of Chicago
  Womens’ Rights
  World Politics

Home for the Holidays, Farnsworth?

A Collection by The Wesley Writers Workshop
Edited by Sharon and Steve Fiffer
2011
Ebook available for Kindle on Amazon.com

What do you get when you ask eighteen members of a writing workshop to respond —quickly and creatively—to the following prompts?

“Snow”
“Farnsworth looked at the star.”
“Ice”
“More eggnog, Farnsworth?”

Here’s what you get:
Fiction, memoir, poetry, and a limerick—all in one holiday confection of a book—perfect for a cozy read in front of the fire or poolside—wherever your holidays might take you. My poem, “Snow,” is dedicated to every adult child of divorce who holds a story deep within.

Ebook available for Kindle on Amazon.com

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