jjares reviewed Franklin Roosevelt: A Captivating Guide to the Life of FDR on + 3261 more book reviews
Before I begin, let me share my bias up-front. I absolutely loathe FDR. Period. This book bears out my bias, by the time FDR left the New York governor's house, he'd squandered the $15 million surpluses (in the state) and put it into $90 million debt. He couldn't wait to lead the national government, to squander billions more. OK, I've said my piece, I can evaluate the rest.
FDR was the only child of his parents, from wealthy Dutch and Flemish stock, long in America. Mom was the main influence on FDR's life; father was often gone with business and he died fairly young. Mom wanted to be the most important person in her son's life. She was a constant thorn in Eleanor's life; constantly harping on Eleanor's deficiencies.
The info about Eleanor's six children feeling that she did not know how to love them was tragic. Perhaps it is fortunate that Eleanor and Franklin were so active with politics and the war because they certainly were failures as parents (note the multiple marriages of the children; Elliott himself had 6).
This book isn't shy about sharing the foibles of FDR. It also accurately portrays FDR during the war and how he moved from isolationism to participation in the war. He worked well with Winston Churchill; in fact, Winston stood as a mediator between Stalin and FDR. I thought this book was fair in sharing FDR's faults, as well as his successes.
FDR was the only child of his parents, from wealthy Dutch and Flemish stock, long in America. Mom was the main influence on FDR's life; father was often gone with business and he died fairly young. Mom wanted to be the most important person in her son's life. She was a constant thorn in Eleanor's life; constantly harping on Eleanor's deficiencies.
The info about Eleanor's six children feeling that she did not know how to love them was tragic. Perhaps it is fortunate that Eleanor and Franklin were so active with politics and the war because they certainly were failures as parents (note the multiple marriages of the children; Elliott himself had 6).
This book isn't shy about sharing the foibles of FDR. It also accurately portrays FDR during the war and how he moved from isolationism to participation in the war. He worked well with Winston Churchill; in fact, Winston stood as a mediator between Stalin and FDR. I thought this book was fair in sharing FDR's faults, as well as his successes.
