Overview

Call Me Jeanne: From Outhouse to the White House A Journey of Family, Loss and the Power of Love Born in the heart of the Great Depression, Jeanne Cahill's life began on a small South Georgia farm, where she learned resilience, hard work, and the deep value of family. But her journey didn't stop there. From humble beginnings with an outhouse in the backyard to standing in the White House as a trusted advocate, Jeanne's remarkable life story is one of perseverance, service, and the unbreakable bonds of love. With a spirit that refused to be confined by convention, Jeanne broke barriers long before it was common to do so. She became a trailblazer-an entrepreneur, an activist, and a confidant of Jimmy Carter-whose voice helped shape conversations on women's rights and social justice. Through personal loss, reinvention, and an unwavering commitment to those she loved, Jeanne's story is a testament to the strength found in self-determination and the enduring power of human connection. In Call Me Jeanne, readers are welcomed into the extraordinary life of a woman who has seen nearly a century of change-navigating the shifting landscapes of the South, the political sphere, and her own deeply personal triumphs and challenges. With warmth, honesty, and an eye for the details that bring history to life, Jeanne recounts a journey that is as inspiring as it is unforgettable. Critics and readers alike praise Call Me Jeanne for its heart, humor, and historical insight: ""Jeanne Cahill's engaging memoir documents an amazing life, from Depression-era farm girl in South Georgia to proto-feminist to Jimmy Carter confidant to activist to entrepreneur. Warmly told with an eye for detail and an open heart, Call Me Jeanne brims with love of family and inspires with the tenacious spirit of its author."" - Holly George-Warren ""Jeanne Cahill doesn't hold anything back but shares the most personal details of her journey, creating a rich and inspiring narrative."" - James A. Autry For readers who love true stories of resilience, transformation, and history seen through the eyes of someone who lived it, Call Me Jeanne is a must-read.

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9781964271224

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Reviews

""This is a fascinating memoir of a woman growing up in the South during a time of tremendous change! I look forward to reading the rest."" -Carrie N. Baker, J.D. Ph.D. ""How true it is that when an elder dies, a library is lost. The good news is that Jeanne Cahill, an elder indeed, has recorded her library, her memories, here in Call Me Jeanne. As a witness to so much of life that the rest of us call history, her life story provides a signpost for those of us who follow behind her."" -Fran Stewart, National best-selling author of the Scot Shop Mysteries, Biscuit McKee Mysteries and After I Die: What My Executor Will Need to Know ""In Call Me Jeanne, readers are invited into the vivid and remarkable life of Jeanne Cahill, a true Southern gem whose story spans nearly a century of history, change, and personal triumph. From her beginnings in South Georgia to her influential roles as a political activist, business owner, and mother of three clever Cahills. Through her eloquent and heartfelt storytelling, Jeanne's memoir offers an unflinching look at her journey and the efforts of many to keep America an equitable place."" -Jack Meyer ""Jeanne Cahill doesn't hold anything back but shares the most personal details of her journey, creating a rich and inspiring narrative. This may be the most honest and authentic memoir you will ever read. This sweeping and engaging story is a powerful and personal look at one woman's rise from a modest childhood and failed marriage to a successful life as a happily married mother, business owner and political activist. She mingled with the most prominent people in the country yet never lost her identity as a country girl from Georgia."" -James A. Autry, Author of The Servant Leader ""Jeanne Cahill is a gifted storyteller born of the same fertile South Georgia soil as Harry Crews and Caroline Pafford Miller. Cahill invites us to travel with her through an intimate history of time and place, guiding us with equal parts of courage and delight. We are most fortunate to be her companions on the journey."" -Jonathan Hershey, Ph.D., Professor of English and Writing, Georgia Highlands College ""Jeanne Cahill's engaging memoir documents an amazing life, from Depression-era farm girl in South Georgia to proto-feminist to Jimmy Carter confidant to activist to entrepreneur. Warmly told with an eye for detail and an open heart, Call Me Jeanne brims with love of family and inspires with the tenacious spirit of its author."" -Holly George-Warren, author of Janis: Her Life and Music and coauthor of Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones (with Dolly Parton) ""In her debut memoir, 92-year-old Jeanne Cahill, a remarkable Southern writer, takes readers on an extraordinary journey through her life. From growing up in the rural South during the Great Depression to being appointed by President Carter to oversee pivotal committees on women's issues, Jeanne's life story is a testament to resilience and dedication. Her engaging and brilliant storytelling, infused with a uniquely Southern charm, vividly holds each chapter of her life up to the light. This literary masterpiece is a captivating and inspiring account of a life well-lived, told by a voice that is both authentic and profoundly moving."" -Ray Waters, Founder, The Village Church, Atlanta ""Call Me Jeanne is salty, funny, and wise. Like all good memoirs, it's also, at heart, about matters of deep emotional gravity. I love the book."" -Michael Cunningham, author, Yale writing professor

Author Information

Jeanne Cahill has spent a lifetime answering the call to serve. Born in rural South Georgia during the Great Depression, she grew up in a family where hard work and responsibility were second nature. From an early age, she embraced the role of helper-whether gathering eggs, swinging younger siblings to sleep, or sweeping the porch with a broom twice her height. That same sense of duty and initiative carried her far beyond the farm, shaping a remarkable life that would take her from a small-town schoolhouse to the White House.A lifelong volunteer and advocate, Jeanne's passion for public service led her into the political arena long before she was even old enough to vote. At just 18, she worked behind the scenes on a gubernatorial campaign. The next election cycle, she supported a candidate who would later become her husband of 55 years. Together, they admired a rising Georgia politician named Jimmy Carter, and Jeanne soon found herself deeply involved in his successful gubernatorial and presidential campaigns.Governor Carter appointed her to the Georgia Commission on the Status of Women, where she chaired a groundbreaking movement advocating for women's rights with the support of both Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. Later, as a White House appointee to the Conference on Families, she traveled the country, witnessing firsthand the ideological battles shaping American society.When political tides shifted, Jeanne didn't slow down, she adapted. Rejected from traditional jobs because her extensive volunteer work ""didn't count,"" she founded Advanced Fitness Systems in Atlanta's Buckhead district, running it successfully for a decade before selling the business and returning to the world that meant the most to her-public service. She went back to college at 75, graduating as valedictorian of Berry College's class of 2007.Now in her 90s, Jeanne remains as active as ever. Whether serving on boards, tending to her historic Hapeville home, or making weekly trips to care for her son, she refuses to ""think old, act old, or dress old."" Her memoir, Call Me Jeanne, is a testament to resilience, family, and the enduring power of love.

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