I really enjoyed the 19th wife. Its a balanced book, by which I mean a good mix of modern page-turning type prose coupled with interesting historical fiction. I found the subject matter fascinating and appreciated that it was presented in a way that did not make me feel like I was reading a tabloid. It gave detail, but just enough to entice the reader, not enough to make me feel guilty for wanting to know so much about how a group of people lives. This isn’t an easy read, so not one I’d recommend for a beach vacation, and you also have to pay attention to the history in the beginning to make sure you know all the important players names as you go through time. Recommended!