Book Description

With a friendly narrative and sprightly illustrations, this dualbiography relates how Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt came together to change thecourse of American history.Their strength of character and devotion to publicservice helped them buoy each other--and the nation--through World War I, FDR'spolio, the Great Depression, World War II, and four presidential terms ofoffice.A family tree, chronology, and bibliography are included. ... Read more

Book Description

The leadership of Theodore, Franklin, and Eleanor Roosevelt dramatically reshaped the political landscape of our nation, from TR's Square Deal to FDR's New Deal and wartime leadership to Eleanor Roosevelt's pivotal role in the early days of the United Nations. The Three Roosevelts is the first biography to combine the intertwining lives of these three leaders, who emerged from the closed society of New York's Knickerbocker elite to become unwavering enemies of economic privilege and the most prominent American political family of the twentieth century. As Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning author James MacGregor Burns and acclaimed historian Susan Dunn follow the evolution of the progressive Roosevelt political philosophy, they illuminate how Theodore's vision and example would inspire the careers of his fifth cousin Franklin and niece Eleanor. The Three Roosevelts traces TR's transformation from Harvard-bred socialite to Republican reformer, president, and Bull Moose radical who declared war on the "wealthy scoundrels" and plutocrats. Franklin Roosevelt would continue this crusade as he closely followed TR's example, imitating his career track to the White House. After FDR's death, Eleanor carried on the progressive Roosevelt legacy through personal activism and advocacy, becoming a tireless champion of the rights of women, minorities, and the poor. Insightful and authoritative, The Three Roosevelts is a fascinating portrait of three of America's most forceful leaders, whose legacy is as controversial today as their vigorous brand of progressive politics was in their own lifetimes. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Interesting Writing. Pulitzer Prize Biographer.
This book caught my attention when it received rave reviews from major newspapers, magazines, and critics when it came out (which you can find on the Internet). The writing is interesting and moves along smoothly. James MacGregor Burns knows his material well. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his biography of FDR.

The theme and emphasis of this book is that the three Roosevelts came from very elite and rich of the elite and rich, and yet battled concentrated wealth and attacked the plutocrats. Because of this theme, the book is slightly geared to that perspective.

The book begins with the solemn scene of President Lincoln's funeral procession, which Theodore Roosevelt as a child watched from an upscale residence. The book then shows how Theodore Roosevelt was influenced by Lincoln's presidency.

Despite coming from an elite social class (and young Theodore Roosevelt did view himself as elite), he rejected living only the life of comfortable luxury to do what he thought was right. On the one hand he was rich, educated at Harvard, an intellectual, a writer, mixed with the elite class, and conservative. On the other hand he was progressive, a tough guy, a rough rider, and created government for the benefit of the country as a whole. His intellectualism (masked behind his tough guy persona) brought him into contact with smart ideas of good government.

Theodore Roosevelt acted boldly in some circumtances, while in other circumstances he acted compromising (like a skillful politician.) This was very much in the model of Lincoln who moved at first to only protect the union, seemingly acted in a compromising way (like a skillful politician) until the war seemed to be under control, and then made his masterful move to abolish slavery - a truly magnificent achievement.

Many aspects are Theodore Roosevelt's presidency are not mentioned, such as his vibrant policies in foreign affairs. That is beyond the theme of this book, which emphasizes his very progressive views, which laid the groundwork for the New Deal.

The book shows that Franklin Roosevelt followed the path of Theodore Roosevelt. Like T.R., FDR was born into a rich, elite social class. He entered politics, became under-secretary of the Navy, and then governor of New York. T.R. was in FDR's wedding to Eleanor Roosevelt, who was from T.R.'s family circle. And he used masterful political skills as president like T.R. (and Lincoln), except that FDR took the power and achievements of the presidency to an all-time high, transforming that office into the "imperial presidency."

FDR's presidency is covered fairly well for a concise biography like this. Readers wanting a more thorough understanding should read Conrad Black's "Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Champion of Freedom" or William Leuchtenburg's "Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal."

The book shows that Eleonor Roosevelt was a tireless champion of issues for ordinary people and the disadvantaged. She took up causes that her huspand politically could not. She championed the anti-lynching law when FDR had to be silent or risk losing his political coalition. She astounded a group of impoverished workers on strike by showing up to their gathering to show her support. Here was a well-dressed lady of the highest education and refinement showing up without security to show her support for their cause.

The biography of Eleanor Roosevelt is where the book really shines. There are no other concise biographies of her that rise to this level of excellence.

All three Roosevelts (Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor) made "The Time 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century" list. FDR was ranked the runner-up most important person of the 20th Century. (Einstein and Gandhi were the other two of three people singled out for the top spot).

This enjoyable book is a great way to learn about the three Roosevelts. Just keep in mind that the theme of the book slightly overemphasizes their progressive/liberal aspects and omits other aspects. Recommended, especially for the Eleanor Roosevelt biography.

If you want a superb biography of the Roosevelts that is somewhat concise and a pleasure to read, this book is for you.

In response to the reviewer who states that Burns is a New Dealer and biased, I say that it is not true. Burns is very fair and accurate in this book, and I feel he is very professional and unbiased in his approach to history. For example, I read a newspaper article where he said that Ronald Reagan was a great or near-great president because Reagan was a transformational leader. You would never hear a biased New Deal liberal say something like that. Also, I never read anything to suggest that Burns is a New Dealer. That was a little before his time. He's a historian. His biography of George Washington is also very good.

On the back cover is a glowing review of this book by David Gergen, a Republican and a former advisor to presidents Nixon and Reagan. Also on the back cover are glowing reviews by historians/biographers Robert Dallek, David McCullough, and Blanche Wiesen Cook, who each wrote a book on at least one aspect of one of the three Roosevelts.

"The Three Roosevelts" is simply a terrific book and a great way to learn about the three Roosevelts without having to read three lengthy biographies. I highly recommend it to anyone from high school age and up. It also strikes me as a book that would make a great gift.

FANTASTIC BOOK
This novel was immensely informative and entertaining. I am an English teacher who reads a lot, and I could not put it down.I loved the descriptions of leaders such as Huey Long and Gerald Smith and the isolationist movement.It was also impressive that it was so well-balanced and avoided sensationalism and cheap shots.The authors did not take sides or make quick judgments.You must read this book.My two favorite sections were the descriptions of the New Deal and the class struggle in New York during TR's time.

Politics: Art of the Best Possible Compromise
James MacGregor Burns and Susan Dunn, Democrats by conviction, give an unequal account of the life of three Roosevelts by dedicating most of their biography to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. MacGregor Burns and Dunn show their audience how these three patricians left behind a relatively easy life to descend into the arena of politics. Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt had to overcome their prejudices about other classes, religions, ethnicities and races to get an understanding of the issues at hand and, at times make, painful compromises to get things done. MacGregor Burns and Dunn explain to their readers that the three Roosevelts have ultimately left an indelible imprint on the psyche of the nation by each setting an example of transformational leadership. On the domestic front, the country has been working on the best possible reconciliation of the respective interests of business, labor and consumers as well as the rights and duties of its respective races and ethnicities. Abroad, the country has weighed the pros and cons of an interventionist policy on a case-by-case basis to safeguard its vital interests, and to advance the cause of a world that espouses the values of responsible democracy and capitalism.

Three Roosevelts "In the Arena"
An interesting fact of American politics - that many of our Presidents came from the "upper class" of American society - is the central premise of "The Three Roosevelts: Patrician Leaders Who Transformed America." In this book, co-authors James MacGregor Burns and Susan Dunn examine the role played in American history by arguably the most influential "patrician" family of the twentieth century - the Roosevelts of New York.

"The Three Roosevelts" is essentially a book containing short political biographies of Theodore, Franklin, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt (TR) became one of our greatest Presidents. Early in life, his sense of "noblesse oblige" caused him to choose a career in politics rather than a life as a member of the wealthy elite.He was elected, in turn, state representative; then governor of New York,as a Republican. He was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the McKinley Administration.Three years later, he was elected Vice President of the United States, and succeeded to the Presidencywhen President William McKinley was assassinated on September 14, 1901. His seven years as Chief Executive were some of the most successful of any Chief Executive up to then.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was a young man who appeared to have little of his cousin Theodore's intellectual acumen, driving ambition, or ideological bent. Franklin followed his famous cousin into politics, but unlike his cousin, Franklin became a Democrat. Like Theodore, Franklin's political career advanced steadily. In rapid succession, he was elected State Assemblyman, then State Senator. By age 31, he had been appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy by President Woodrow Wilson.

In 1921, FDR was stricken with polio, which paralyzed him from the waist down. In 1928, after a seven-year hiatus from politics, FDR was elected Governor of New York. His two two-year terms were highly successful, but by then FDR already had his eyes on the biggest prize of them all: the Presidency.

From 1929 to 1932, during the early years of the Great Depression, FDR proved himself a capable governor ofNew York.By 1932, after three years mired in the Depression, Americans were ready for a change. They elected FDR - the man promising Americans a "New Deal" - as President of the United States.

The vast majority of "The Three Roosevelts" is taken up with an account of FDR's "transformation of America" during the Great Depression. Here, Burns and Dunn portray Roosevelt as a man employing a pragmatic approach to governance... try whatever works! Congress passed a body of legislation that was tremendous in scope. For the first time, the Federal government actively intervened in American life in an effort to make life better for all. The modern welfare state was born.

The third of the "three Roosevelts" - Eleanor (ER) - was an integral part of her husband's political success.After her marriage to FDR, Eleanor remained indifferent toward politics, although she steadfastly supported her husband's political ambitions.As FDR's political career progressed, so did Eleanor's interest in politics. In fact, she was much more of an ideologue than Franklin. Burns and Dunn imply that Eleanor grew to have a tremendous influence on Franklin, possibly pulling him more and more to the left of center during his Presidency.

On April 12, 1945, after thirteen years as President, years which saw the United States struggle out of Depression and stumble into a world war, Franklin D. Roosevelt died.He had helped build the modern welfare state, and had guided the United States to a position of victory in the Second World War.

In the years following FDR's death, Eleanor Roosevelt continued to be a major influence on American politics. Through her nationally syndicated newspaper column "My Day," ER continually interjected her ideas and opinions into the national debate. She was appointed as an American delegate to the first organizational meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. Later she would serve on a UN commission that authored the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. She championed the cause of equal rights for all Americans, and was vocal in her support of the new nation of Israel.

When "The Three Roosevelts" appeared in bookstores in the spring of 2001, I eagerly bought a copy. This was the first book I'd seen in over twenty years that was written by James MacGregor Burns, the historian best known for his two volume biography of the 32nd President - "Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox" and "Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom."

My hope was that Burns and co-author Susan Dunn would provide a penetrating examination of what caused this trio of extraordinary individuals to leave behind the values and traditions of their 19th century "patrician" class, in favor of a progressive and at times socialistic political agenda. It is a question left largely unanswered. "The Three Roosevelts" remains a book very long on biographical information and very short on historical analysis.

The authors show an almost complete lack of objectivity toward their subjects. Burns is well known as a liberal "New Deal" Democrat, and his political bias shows on practically every page. He is ably abetted by Dunn. The result:"The Three Roosevelts"is practically a paean of praise to TR, ER, and especially FDR. Criticisms of the "three Roosevelts" are few, and even those are largely muted.Burns and Dunn's unabashed, gushing admiration of the "three Roosevelts" is annoying, and limits the usefulness of the book as an objective study of these fascinating characters in American history.

What's the common theme?
Trodding the well worn path of assessing the administrations of TR and FDR, and the historical significance of THE THREE ROOSEVELTS naturally means covering some very familiar territory. Teddy the extroverted outdoor adventurer; FDR - complex, secretive, manipulative, and Eleanor the activist. So what's new? The authors offer the view that without the three, the course of 20th century US history would have been vastly different. "The genius of these three leaders lay in their recognizing the needs of the people early on, sensing their political mood, mobilizing their support, and then - above all - acting" The common theme then is that the THREE ROOSEVELTS "charted the course of progressive reform in America." They brought "transformational change".

It's a nice try and the book does explore some possible common motives that drove these three activists. Family, culture and the social environment all have some role to play. As a result the biographical sketches provided on each is sufficiently detailed. The problem with the theme is that the two men - their personalities, the way they governed, and their administrations - were more unalike than similar. TR was somewhat puritanical, FDR something else entirely; TR's side of the family was traditionally Republican while FDR is an icon of the liberal democratic tradition; FDR governed through "brain trusts", of personal followers (the first example of modern-day "cronyism" some argue) wheras TR delegated and relied heavily on a very strong cabinet.

Overall the author's portray all three in very favorable terms, moreso FDR and Eleanor; not as much time is spent on Teddy. Negative views of FDR's latter terms, such as in THE NEW DEALER'S WAR by Thomas Fleming, will not be on these author's reading lists. Contrary to such books, here FDR is not seen as weak or ineffective following his 4th term victory in 1944. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Anorexically thin...
The Dying President: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1944-1945 by Robert H. Ferrell isn't much of a book, and it doesn't cover much information not previously published.

Most FDR fans know the basic facts about his life and death.In 1944, his daughter, Anna Roosevelt Boettiger, insisted that her father have a complete physical because of what could be seen as a visible and marked physical decline.Prior to that, the president's standing physician, Dr. Ross McIntire, was a Navy doctor whose specialty was Ear, Nose and Throat.A battery of doctors from Bethesda Naval Hospital discovered that FDR suffered from severe hypertension and congestive heart failure.In 1944, there was little the medical profession could do for these two maladies.Unbelievably, the president was kept in the dark about his health, and he never asked questions about his health, constant medical testing, or his treatments.These medical experts (who took over his treatment) were also not consulted about FDR's decision to run for a fourth term.

There is not much new in The Dying President, except what comes from the diaries of FDR's distant cousin and confident, Margaret Daisy Suckley.But even these revelations don't add much to the story, other than the fact that FDR did know that Dr. Howard Bruenn was a cardiologist.Ferrell does offer the theories that FDR could have suffered from stomach cancer or melanoma.But he provides no additional research to prove or disprove these already published speculations.

When discussing a book written by Dr. Ross McIntire about FDR, Ferrell describes it as "absurdly thin."The same can be said about The Dying President.The body of this book is only 152 pages, and 36 of these pages are photographs.Ferrell also claims that FDR was such an ill man, that his omissions and mistakes changed the course of history.History reveals otherwise.Even his own cabinet member, Frances Perkins, was quoted as saying "He has a great and terrible job to do, and he's got to do it, even if it kills him."

I recommend you save your money and read The Hidden Campaign by Hugh Evans or FDR's Last Year by Jim Bishop for a better accounting of Roosevelt's last years.

Better FDR in a Wheelchair than Dubya on a Horse
Arthur Schlessinger theorized that every thirty years, the political pendulum swings between the left and right wings.No surprise then, that nearly 60 years after his death, there has been a slew of books slamming Franklin Delano Roosevelt's wartime leadership.No surprise, either, is that this book is published by University of Missouri press, since Robert Ferrell goes out of his way to all but directly state that Missourian Harry Truman saved the world from the sick and incompetent FDR.

Ferrell's thesis is that FDR's poor health made him largely ineffective during his last year.His doctors had recommended four-hour work days.Ferrell fails to note that FDR largely ignored his doctors mandates, and continued to submit himself to a punishing schedule which included exhausting summit trips, numerous press conferences, and a re-election campaign.He arbuably worked harder that the physically healthier George W. Bush, and may have worked himself literally to death.

Ferrell's credibilty is obliterated by the ridiculous statement that FDR was nearly as incapacitated as was Woodrow Wilson in 1920.Wilson was a near vegetable following his stroke.But anyone who has read the minutes of the Yalta conference--which I doubt Ferrell has--will realize that despite his physical condition, FDR remained mentally sharp.

There is no denying that FDR was in poor physical shape during his last 15 months in office.He suffered from congestive heart failure and high blood pressure.Ferrell also presents the theory, neither denying nor endorsing it, that FDR may have had melanoma and/or stomach cancer, but there is no evidence for that.What were the root causes of FDR's decline?Common sense points to diet and excercise.FDR's diet during the white house years left much to be desired. For example, the President breakfasted every morning on scrambled eggs and bacon.Of course, in the 1940s far less was known about the dangers of cholesterol that today.Despite his paralysis, FDR tried to remains physically active and healthy by swimming daily.(His correspondence with Daisy Suckley indicates that he was mildly preoccupied with his weight, and he tended to "yo-yo" in weight during his first two terms in office.) As the war made greater demands on his time, he abandoned his excercise routine, which was accompanied by weight gain, loss of upper body muscle tone, and increasing blood pressure.

There is no doubt, also, that FDR husbanded his strength during his last year.He concentrated his work on two overriding goals: 1) Allied victory in World War II, with the greatest possible speed, and the smallest possible loss of Allied soldiers (four of whom were his own sons).2) The creation of the United Nations as a means of preventing a Third World War, which FDR knew humanity would not survive.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was successful on both counts.

Worthwhile reading for our times
Some have written that Ferrell's work is sloppy and depressing. I disagree.Ferrell does an excellent job of showing 21st Century readers just how different this country was 50 years ago. That the entire country could look at Roosevelt during his last run for office - and know that he was a dying man - and not know it at the same time, is amazing.This is the same country that couldn't deal directly with a President in a wheel chair. The country knew it, but didn't know it, all at the same time. How different was the relationship between the press and the White House!

The purpose of this book is not simply to drive home the point that Roosevelt was a dying man when he ran for a fourth term.The point of this book is about collective denial. The fact that most of the country suffered from it, used it, and both benefitted from it in some ways, and paid for it in others.Collective denial isn't much different from individual denial.It is a powerful mechanism that existed not only in the relationship between FDR and the country, but between FDR and himself. It also is the mechanism that allowed the United States to fight WWII to "make the world safe for democracy," while at the same time the country was somehow unaware of its own racist, anti-democratic values.Ferrell's book should be read within the context of the times, so that it may shed light on ours.

Sloppy and Depressing
I couldn't help but contrast this book with the Bishop book, 'FDR's Last Year'.This writer paints FDR as someone and something far different than I've read in many, many other books.He most certainly was ill, he hadpoor medical care, and possibly he deceived the nation about his truecondition.However, he also provided the nation with reassuring leadershipand contributed to our war effort literally until his death.This book ispoorly organized, but worse, is mean-spirited.Definitely a 'pass'.

Disappointing and poorly constructed.
In the 1970's Jim Bishop wrote an excellent book titled "FDR's Last Year," which contained some inaccuracies and a lot of very relevant history, (despite sometimes making it sound like FDR could have died at anygiven moment), but this book by Robert Ferrell is a real mess.Bishop'sbook was good reading, and followed his subject along through a consistentchronological pattern over the course of a year, and while it did focus alot on FDR's health, it also revealed all the work FDR accomplished upuntil his death.This new book is completely unnecessary and a palecomparison to Bishop's.The author's personal agenda must be to prove thatFDR tricked the nation into re-electing him when he knew he was dying.Anold theory, and there's never been any substantial proof, and certainly notin Ferrell's book.Who really needs several pages of FDR's recorded bloodpressure readings on different dates (especially in a book this small)? Who wants to read a book that is so inconsistent in chronologicalsequencing that it is impossible to understand what the author isattempting to construct or prove?Is this book necessary at all whenvirtually all the information in it has been known for decades from otherbooks and sources?The book is not well-written and the subject materialis derivative. Avoid it and search out better material such as Bishop'sbook or other more accomplished biographies such as the recent book byDoris Kearns Goodwin, "No Ordinary Time." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Examines the Lasting Impact of FDR 55 Years Later
Leuchtenburg, and esteemed historian of the Roosevelt era, examines the profound, lasting impact of Roosevelt's policies on America for many decades following his presidency. The book reviews the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt so you can understand his lasting legacy.

Roosevelt still runs the White House. ... Read more

Book Description

Much is known about Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill's close relationship: they had similar backgrounds, education, and tastes, and shared world enemies. What David Stafford adds is an exploration of the touchstone of their mutual trust: an extraordinary and far-reaching sharing of military intelligence and a fascination for clandestine operations. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The secrets behind the secrets
I really enjoyed this book, not because I enjoy reading about FDR all that much, but because it gives so much new information about how he prosecuted the war -- and because it does the same for Churchill, one of my most favorite flawed heroes. The author makes many points about what each knew, but would not tell the other, how at times both men knew that the other knew, but withheld, information, etc., and how they played their parts (and one another) in the delicate diplomatic dance in light of these things.

While admiring much about FDR's service to America and the world in WW2, I have a general antipathy to FDR's character and the way he did some things; but I do give him credit for having known how to move the American people by degrees, almost imperceptibly when that was necessary, into position to crush the Nazis, and this book reveals more about how he accomplished this. His foresight, diplomacy, and preparations surely shortened the war and saved untold lives. Having Churchill woven in as an equal on the world stage and in relation to FDR gave it a very savory counterpoise.

Very interesting
In the beginning of the war, Roosevelt sensed that Churchill even before he became Prime Minister would be important to the war effort. As time went on these men united by a fear of Hitler these men became friends as well as comrades in arms. This book explores there relationship though a rather unique perspective their intelligence departments. It explores how they got their intelligence and what they did with the knowledge that they gained from it. Despite their friendship the used it to advance the agenda of what they wanted for their own countries. At times their intelligence departments actually came into conflict as they both had different hopes and ambitions. As the war progressed these difference became more important.

I found the book very easy to read. Full of information that although I am a WW2 fanatic I have never seen before. I can recommend this book if you want to learn about the relationship of between these two men.

Enjoyable account
An enjoyable account of the circumstances that brought the two men together, and the relationship that they forged.

Often political friendships form out of necessity and mutual self interest. And that is obvious in this case.

But the fact that the two most remarkable and influential men (in a positive sense) were to forge such an important relationship makes for great reading. ... Read more

Book Description

The story of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, the times in which they lived, and the history they made together, as seen through the displays at the Roosevelt family home and Presidential Museum in Hyde Park, NY. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Useful In the Classroom
As a middle school instructor of U.S.history I found Mr. Padowicz's taped presentation: Seeing the Franklin D. Roosevelt Home & Museum to be a valuable teaching tool. His "tell it like it was" approach was refreshing and my students seemed to appreciate his honest and open approach to the many complex facets of the Roosevelt's lives and accomplishments.

In or out of the classroom I highly recommend Mr. Padowicz's book on tape having found it to be both entertaining and informative.

A genuine "theatre of the mind" quality audiobook production
This six hour, five cassette audiobook presentation of Julian Padowicz's experiences and observational commentary showcases the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt museum and home. Julian describes their lives, the history that surrounded them, and the history they made. Listeners will learn about such contemporary notables as Sara Roosevelt, George VI and Elizabeth of Britain, Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Louis Howe, Lucy Mercer, Al Smith, Harry Hopkins, and many, many others. The times and circumstances of the innovative 32nd American president include the Great Depression, the new Deal, World War II, and the personal drama of disability and marital challenges. This highly recommended "theater of the mind" format is superbly recorded and provides listening that is as entertaining as it is informative. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

In the second volume of the four-volume biography, Kenneth Davis moves Roosevelt into the political arena, exploring his power struggles with Al Smith, the devious dealings with Gov. Roosevelt with New York bankers, and more New York politicians. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great pre-war biography
While this biography may lack sufficient depth in parts, it's an excellent examination of FDR's efforts to bring us into WWII. FDR knew we had to fight and, with extraordinary effort, prepared the US even though many: Father Coughlin (the Rush Limbaugh of his day); General Wood; Charles Lindberg; Henry Ford; and many others were fighting against it.

It also puts to rest the idea that FDR knew about the Pearl Harbor attach in advance.

For these reasons, I recommend it.

A Let-Down
It's tempting to say that no biography of FDR can be boring, given his extraordinary life and the length of time he served as President. Ted Morgan's "FDR" has lots going for it: it's a single volume biography (admittedly long); and it's no hagiography in that FDR's failings, both as a politician and human being, are not glossed over.

But, I found that "FDR" had significant faults which marred my enjoyment of it somewhat. It purported to be a serious biography and indeed for much of the time, that's how it read, but Morgan had too much of a prediliction for lapsing into anecdotes and folksy stories, thereby sending the book down unnecessary side alleys. In all, there was too much of that and too little serious analysis: it's almost extraordinary that no attempt was made to do an inquest on the New Deal. Space might have been a problem, but surely an evaluation of FDR's Presidency requires this?

At times, Morgan is just clumsy. In 1925, FDR invited helped some fellow polio victims staying at Warm Springs. Morgan summed it up:

"It felt good to be in command of something again, even if was only half a dozen cripples."

Writing with all the subtlety of a train crash. Surely, by that analysis FDR himself was "only a cripple"?

Not a horribly bad piece of work, but could have been far better.

G Rodgers

A Superb Biography of our greatest 20th-Century President
When historians are asked to rank our greatest Presidents, three men nearly always fill the top 3 positions: Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Although FDR, who served from 1933-1945, is by far the most recent of our truly "great" Presidents, he has become an oddly forgotten figure by many Americans, and lesser Presidents such as Harry Truman and John F Kennedy have captured the public's imagination. Yet Roosevelt accomplished far more than any of his successors, and he has the distinction of leading America through two of the worst crises in its' history: the Great Depression and World War Two. In some ways this may account for FDR's strange obscurity in today's politics and historical memory, for like Lincoln and Washington, FDR's achievements are so great that he doesn't seem as "human" as leaders such as Truman, nor as dramatic and tragic as a Kennedy. In this thoroughly engrossing biography, Ted Morgan brings us not the larger-than-life FDR of myth, but a fully human, "warts-and-all" look at our longest-serving Chief Executive. Morgan vividly brings to life the priviliged world that FDR grew up in, and offers marvelous anecdotes and portraits of FDR and the people in his life that brings the man and his era alive in a way that no other FDR biography even approaches. While other historians may offer a more fact-filled and event-oriented approach, many of their books (such as Frank Freidel's biography) are often dry and fail to grasp why FDR was so popular with the public or why he became such a dominant political figure. Morgan includes most of the great events of Roosevelt's life - his fight against polio, the years as Governor of New York, the New Deal, his leadership in World War Two - but he also mentions little details and stories that illustrate the impact he had on ordinary people's lives during the Depression, and shows how even his personal flaws (such as his endless capacity for telling people exactly what they wanted to hear, even if he had no intention of meeting their requests) were actually political strengths. Morgan doesn't shy away from the dark sides of FDR's life and career that many of his other biographers refuse to mention. Among these are his long love affair with Lucy Mercer, which nearly ended his marriage to his distant cousin Eleanor; his involvement in a sordid sex scandal involving using US Navy sailors to catch a homosexual Episcopalian priest, which FDR approved as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and then lied about his involvement when the scheme was discovered and came under criticism; his habit of lying, even to his closest friends and advisors; and his general lack of parenting skills with his children. But Morgan also includes the more positive aspects of FDR's personality - the sympathy for the underdog; the genuine concern to help the less-fortunate in our society; the ability to innovate, try out new ideas and programs, and the ability to radiate confidence and optimism to a nation that sorely needed both traits in the dark days of the Depression and World War, all these and more are described by Morgan. If you want a straightforward, chronological account of FDR's Presidency, then there are other books which will offer you the basics of FDR's political career. But if you want to understand FDR as a person and human being, as well as a great political leader, then this book is by far your best choice. For its' ability to offer a portrait of a President that literally gives you the feeling that you "knew" the man personally, Ted Morgan's "FDR" is without peer...an excellent read for any US history or political buff!

This is the One
FDR is a frustrating figure, in my opinion, because he was so big, and so transformative a leader (to pin James MacGregor Burns's taxonomy of leadership onto him) that every other biography of him I have seen has become reduced to simply the author's bias and idiosyncratic interpretation of him. Some little twerp laboring over a PhD thesis for 10 years gives us a whole book on FDR and the Supreme Court, or FDR and public works, or FDR and WW II. Boring.

Which is where this one comes in. I bought it more than 15 years ago, but never really read it until last year. Before then, I was only interested in "proof texting" FDR to basically show what a socialist bad guy he was, a poor comparative reflection of cousin Theodore. In this sense, too-high a view of Theodore dooms FDR to second-best. Then I read Churchill's 6 Vol. history of WW II, and through that lens saw a very compelling FDR, one big enough to "run" Churchill. And Churchill makes it clear in his history why it was utterly impossible for the West to save Eastern and Central Europe from the Russians. Explaining this take on things drops the charges against FDR so long-brought by the John Birchers--that somehow he gave away the world to the communists.

Ted Morgan gets deep into this, but by way of Roosevelt's childhood and familial relations, focusing on Franklin's impossible mother--the root of his famous evasiveness, says Morgan. Then on into minor politics after a little Harvard; a glimpse of some adultery, and then polio. The adultery is interesting, because compared to someone like Bill Clinton, FDR's sounds quite focused, or even traditional--his Lucy Mercer of Pre-Presidency fame stays in the picture, and is in the room with him 4 terms later when he has his stroke after going thru the morning's mail at the resort in Georgia he had purchased (in pale, or maybe non-pale imitation of Teddie's purchase of the badlands ranch--both places of rehabilitation for each Roosevelt).

And although Eleanor may have played house in a cottage behind Franklin's Mom's ancestral property, with a few lesbian friends, she, too is a sympathetic figure, putting up with Franklin, then becoming his functional nurse, and raising their children in the scant time left after working on the ills of the rest of the world. Something like Hillary with more empathy, or substance. How about Hillary minus the switchblade?

Somewhere in all of the polio and then political battle, FDR decided to be great; and this seems to have translated, as the story unfolds through Morgan, into a similar decision to make the United States great, and dominant. Doing this while paralyzed from the waist down, and while taking time to "stick it" to old foes in the New York State government throughout his presidency, induces a kind of involuntary admiration which lets me see how people like Bill Clinton are so drawn to the FDR memory, and how they seek to replay FDR's utter commitment to the moment and the audience. Compared to a Clinton, the multimillionaire Dutchman from upstate New York paradoxically had a lot less to prove, but yet accomplished so much more.

So after a long time admiring Teddy and dumping on Frank, this book makes it clear to me that although an FDR without the preexisting Teddy would not have been possible, FDR very arguably accomplished a great deal more than TR. As recent, more critical biographers of Teddy explain (H.W. Brands, TR: The Last Romantic), Teddy sort of fanatacized-out during his third party phase, maybe paralleling Winston Churchill's father's flame-out--an interesting common point which may have given these two leaders in their wartime phase the ability to compromise and survive, when it would be easier to lecture and purify (and get tossed out).

Thus the connection with the mess of the war, and part of the explanation for us coming out on top (in spite of FDR's child like view of India, and some-said-strange courting of Ibn Saud). If these actions were designed to take adavntage not only of Germany's destruction, but also of England's slide, then FDR succeeded. Maybe Churchill would call him another Marlborough, had he been related, due to this balance of power maneuvering. But maybe FDR didn't intend it that way at all, if he was more a tool of providence mingled in with great effort (kind of an Augustinian view of political success).

In summary, I'm not as hacked off as I used to be when I see FDR's face on our dimes, after reading this book. It's OK with me now if stays right there. He puts a better human face on our money than a stylized Mercury-head yanked from mythology. And that's what this author has also done for me.

One thing I'd like to see a future historian look into: Campobello Island, the family's version of the Kennedy compound, is actually in Canadian territorial water (so I'm told). What relationship did this have to the Roosevelt family import fortune of glass and hardware back in the 1700s and 1800s? Was there a tax avoidance or illegality angle, like the Forbes family, the Bronfmans of Canada (See Peter Newman's book "Bronfman Dynasty" on that), and the Kennedys? That would complete the economic substrate of our knowledge of this family, long since passed, it seems, into fashionable senescense. And sure, all families seem to decline; but few leave behind such great men.

Which gets us back to the pack of FDR authors. They're everywhere, some of their books skinny, some quite fat. But this one really stands out. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

exellent narative story
Sunday, December seventh 1941, that "infamous" day, is generally regarded by historians to be a major tuning point in American History. It marked the emergence of the United States as the supreme power in the realm of word politics. On that day, Japan attacked the United States binging her into the Second World War. The events leading up to this pivotal point in American history, however, deserve much scrutiny. The second world war, taken from the American perspective, often times runs the risk of being viewed in a vacuum, marked from 1941 to 1945. The war however had been going on for some time, arguably since the Japanese had invaded china in the mid 1930's. In Europe it had been an open conflict from the time of Germany's invasion of Poland. United states involvement in the war must be viewed in this larger context in order it's true significance to be appreciated. Indeed the United States was from the outset of hostilities deeply involved in the war, just not in a direct military sense. Joseph Lash in his book Roosevelt and Churchill: the partnership that saved the west examines these years from the perspectives of the United States and Great Britain. He pays particular attention to the personal and professional relationship between the two respective leaders of the countries, who played key roles in shaping the nature of the overall conflict.

After setting up the stage, it is the conflict: between Roosevelt, American popular opinion and an ever more desperate Britain led by Churchill, between the years of 1939-1941 that the narrative centers mainly around. Written primarily through memoirs and the words of the key players: Lash depicts with growing excitement the success of Roosevelt in molding popular opinion in aiding the British. He traces with scrutiny the growing involvement of the United states in the second world war through such milestone acts as the cash and carry provision, and the lend lease act. He illustrates the tremendous willpower and resolve of Churchill's Britain in surviving the tremendous onslaught of the Axis powers in all theatres of war. The burgeoning friendship of Churchill and Roosevelt is traced till it comes to full fruition aboard the Prince of Wales in a symbolic joint Sunday service, where Churchill would remark: "the sun shone bright and warm while we all sang the old hymns which are our common inheritance" . The steps to war taken by the Japanese and forced upon the Russians are accounted for with growing uncertainty. Finally all events, movements, and personal accomplishments converge in an explosive climax with the United States entering the war after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Lash does an excellent job of putting the individual tensions, and mutual cooperation within the framework of pragmatic diplomacy. The Main characters are fist and foremost held within the confines of a harsh reality. They must adjust to circumstances as best as they can. In Churchill's case, he must try to hold his crumbling empire together while courting aid from a nation that is reluctant to give it. Roosevelt must try to do as much as he can for his friend, while having his hands tied by a reluctant populace, before he is too late. Both men struggle to work together in establishing Naval supremacy in the midst of a continuous German and rising Japanese threat. Amidst all this looms the question of what to do with the Soviet Union. .

Apparent in his work is Lash's hypothesis that the contributions of Churchill and Roosevelt were nothing less than absolutely invaluable to the favorable outcome of the war. The two leaders are endowed by Lash with an almost divine understanding of issues and forces in the world, enabling them to make the key decisions, which ensure success. Conversely the Axis leaders are depicted as mere mortals possessing both brilliance and folly. Hitler's mistakes of attacking Russia, then his unnecessary declaration of war on the United State are incidents used to illustrate this. Lash however runs a danger in this area. He never even entertains the thought of different leaders being able to fill the roles of each effectively. By neglecting to answer this question Lash slightly weakens his argument. In ignoring this leftist historical viewpoint, Lash misses a chance to greatly strengthen his stand that individual achievements were the single most decisive factor in the outcome of the war.

Despite this missed opportunity, Lash's book is a stunning work, offering an unpopular but by no means invalidated perception of history that emphasizes the value of individuals and their actions in shaping the course of human events. The book is written almost entirely utilizing the letters and direct quotes of key players to tell the story. The reader is inundated with names of generals, diplomats and political figures. Personal dramas, disputes, jealousies, friendships and the like unfold as told through the first hand accounts of these characters letters and memoirs. The effect that Lash's narrative style has on the reader comes in helping him to view the early war years as an unfolding drama, with a formidable and unique cast of characters. The Book reads like an exciting novel, in which one is drawn into the drama and uncertainty of the times. Lash's perception of history placing on emphasis individual accomplishment is greatly aided by his writing style, which like a novel lends itself to telling a story of people and the importance of their actions.

In the end Lash succeeds in writing a timeless and thorough history of the early war years. He succeeds in turning a possibly dull and dry study into a captivating story, told in effect by those who dominated it: Roosevelt and Churchill. Were the eventual outcome not listed in the annals of common knowledge Lash would have succeeded in writing a truly suspenseful novel. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A superb first biography for students to learn about FDR
I am currently working my way through various juvenile biographies of the Presidents in alphabetical order and the Profiles of the Presidents series has carved out a niche as the best volumes for young readers to be introduced to the occupants of the White House.This look at Franklin D. Roosevelt by Michael Burgan provides a solid introduction to the wheelchair-bound president who optimistically led the United States through more than a decade of economic, social, and political problems.After establishing FDR as "A President with Hope," Burgan provides the standard biography of Roosevelt's rich childhood, his early involvement in politics, and the polio that paralyzed his legs.From that point on the book is organized more by national events: the Great Depression, the New Deal, and World War II.Burgan does a nice job of explaining how FDR responded to each of these challenges and underscores that it was this President who changed the role of the president and the role of the government in people's lives.

The Profiles of the Presidents series goes from George Washington to George W. Bush and each book features a glossary, fast facts about the president, a parallel timeline of world and presidential events, an index, and other resourcs intended to help young students better understand the life and times of each president. The books are lavishly illustrated and even the black & white photographs sometimes have golden frames around them to keep the look of the book up to date, which it proves with the final photo of the statues of FDR and his dog, Fala, that are part of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial on the Mall in Washington, D.C.The result is another solid effort in a fine series.Young students can get more information about FDR from other books later in their education, but this would be the ideal choice for their first book about the man who was elected President of the United States four times. ... Read more