Washington’s Golden Age: Hope Ridings Miller, the Society Beat, and the Rise of Women Journalists

Journalist Dalton brings to light a little-known figure in women’s journalism in this sweet biography of Hope Ridings Miller, who served as society editor for the Washington Post from 1937 until 1944 and as editor-in-chief of Diplomat magazine in the 1950s and later wrote three books about Washington life. Raised in a small north Texas town, Miller moved to Washington, D.C., in 1933 and worked as a freelance reporter before being hired by the Post. After her promotion to society editor, she began her reign as the paper’s insider at Washington’s exclusive galas, banquets, and cocktail parties. Her contacts included First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt; Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn, who was an old family friend; and socialite Evalyn Walsh McLean. Miller’s writing, extensively quoted throughout the book, is detailed and charming, revealing “a consistently positive viewpoint toward all humanity.” Dalton, who is Miller’s first cousin twice removed, claims that Miller’s heyday was a time when “dignity, courtesy, and respect... mattered in our nation’s capital,” but it is doubtful that Miller’s graciousness was shared by those she encountered. Still, this is an entertaining look at a pioneer in both journalism and Washington history. Photos. (Oct.)