The Family Behind the Girl Scouts of America: Lives of the Kinzie-Gordon Clan, 1750s-1950s by Melissa Langley Biegert: A Book Review

The Family Behind the Girl Scouts of America: Lives of the Kinzie-Gordon Clan, 1750s-1950s 

Author: Melissa Langley Biegert

Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography 

Publisher: McFarland

Book Release Date: July 24, 2026

Pages: 323

Source: This book was given to me by the Publicist in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: In 1912, Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low launched what became one of the 20th century's most successful organizations for girls, eclipsing the generations of male politicians, business leaders, and scoundrels who had brought prosperity and notoriety to her family. Her parents' marriage united two leading American families--the Northern Kinzies and the Southern Gordons--and nearly ruptured because of the U.S. Civil War, yet their unwavering love and support, as well as that of her siblings, helped her to overcome physical challenges and a scandalous divorce battle that shocked Victorian society.

       Spanning 200 years across multiple continents and told for the first time in its entirety, this account of the Kinzie-Gordon family encompasses Scottish immigrants, numerous famous figures, Indigenous cultures, and enslaved workers. Their story reflects the history of the United States itself through tragedy, triumph, and love.

       My Review: The Girl Scouts of America is one of the most prominent and successful organizations for young girls. It focuses on building upon their character and making them confident and courageous young girls. They also learn survival skills and have outdoor activities. This book is a biography of Juliette Gordon Low, who was the founder of the Girl Scouts of America. This book also tells of the extraordinary achievements of Juliette Gordon Low’s great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents.

       I was eager to read this book because I was in Girl Scouts as a child. I also plan on enrolling my infant daughter in Girl Scouts when she enters kindergarten. So, I was ecstatic when I had the opportunity to read this book so that I could learn the organization’s history in-depth. I found not only Juliette, but her predecessors to be extremely fascinating! I liked learning about her frontier ancestors, whom I had never heard of before! Because this book covered all of Juliette Gordon Low’s ancestors, I’m only going to mention my favorites for the sake of brevity.

       I liked learning about Juliette Gordon Low’s great-grandmother, Eleanor Lytles. She was kidnapped by a Native American and was raised as a sister to the Native American chief, Cornplanter. I also liked learning about her grandmother, Juliette Augusta Magill Kinzie. She was a New England socialite, who married a wealthy Chicago businessman. She was a famous author, who wrote about Indigenous cultures. I hope to read her books soon! 

       I loved reading about her mother, Eleanor Lytle Kinzie Gordon. Eleanor was a Chicago socialite, who became a wife in antebellum South. She was against slavery and was for the Union. However, she was also a supportive wife and tried to be near her husband, who fought for the Confederates. When it proved too dangerous to stay in the south, she sought refuge in Chicago. I also liked how she was a good mother and helped promote the Girl Scouts. 

         Juliette Gordon Low’s story appears in the last third of the book. I found Juliette Gordon Low to be an interesting historical figure. She married for love, but she was in an unhappy marriage when her husband cheated on her for a wealthy widow. She tried to divorce him. However, he died before divorce could be settled so she became the heir of his inheritance. The inheritance of her husband helped her to found The Girl Scouts of America. I liked reading about her friendship with Robert Baden-Powell, who was the founder of The Boy Scouts Association. Her friendship with him inspired her to form The Girl Scouts of America. The Girl Scouts of America gave Juliette Gordon Low meaning and purpose.

        Overall, this was an engaging and comprehensive biography. The downside of this book is that there are a lot of names to keep track of who is who. Therefore, the family tree in the beginning of the book was handy. I frequently had to use it to understand which of Juliette Gordon Low’s family members was the chapter’s subject. Because Juliette Gordon Low’s biography appears in the last third of the book, it only gave a brief overview of her life. Therefore, I hope to read an in-depth biography of her soon! Nevertheless, it was still a compelling read! I liked learning about Juliette Gordon Low’s family members during the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI, and WWII! This book is a perfect read for women who have once been in Girl Scouts or are planning to enroll their daughters in Girl Scouts! I also recommend this book for fans of How the Girl Guides Won the War, The First Girl Guide: The Story of Agnes Baden-Powell, and The World Chief Guide: Olave, Lady Baden-Powell!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars