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FDR
One of today’s premier biographers has written a modern, comprehensive, indeed ultimate book on the epic life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In this superlative volume, Jean Edward Smith combines contemporary scholarship and a broad range of primary source material to provide an engrossing narrative of one of America’s greatest presidents.
This is a portrait painted in broad strokes and fine details. We see how Roosevelt’s restless energy, fierce intellect, personal magnetism, and ability to project effortless grace permitted him to master countless challenges throughout his life. Smith recounts FDR’s battles with polio and physical disability, and how these experiences helped forge the resolve that FDR used to surmount the economic turmoil of the Great Depression and the wartime threat of totalitarianism. Here also is FDR’s private life depicted with unprecedented candor and nuance, with close attention paid to the four women who molded his personality and helped to inform his worldview: His mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt, formidable yet ever supportive and tender; his wife, Eleanor, whose counsel and affection were instrumental to FDR’s public and individual achievements; Lucy Mercer, the great romantic love of FDR’s life; and Missy LeHand, FDR’s longtime secretary, companion, and confidante, whose adoration of her boss was practically limitless.
Smith also tackles head-on and in-depth the numerous failures and miscues of Roosevelt’s public career, including his disastrous attempt to reconstruct the Judiciary; the shameful internment of Japanese-Americans; and Roosevelt’s occasionally self-defeating Executive overreach. Additionally, Smith offers a sensitive and balanced assessment of Roosevelt’s response to the Holocaust, noting its breakthroughs and shortcomings.
Summing up Roosevelt’s legacy, Jean Smith declares that FDR, more than any other individual, changed the relationship between the American people and their government. It was Roosevelt who revolutionized the art of campaigning and used the burgeoning mass media to garner public support and allay fears. But more important, Smith gives us the clearest picture yet of how this quintessential Knickerbocker aristocrat, a man who never had to depend on a paycheck, became the common man’s president. The result is a powerful account that adds fresh perspectives and draws profound conclusions about a man whose story is widely known but far less well understood. Written for the general reader and scholars alike, FDR is a stunning biography in every way worthy of its subject.
From the Hardcover edition.
This is a portrait painted in broad strokes and fine details. We see how Roosevelt’s restless energy, fierce intellect, personal magnetism, and ability to project effortless grace permitted him to master countless challenges throughout his life. Smith recounts FDR’s battles with polio and physical disability, and how these experiences helped forge the resolve that FDR used to surmount the economic turmoil of the Great Depression and the wartime threat of totalitarianism. Here also is FDR’s private life depicted with unprecedented candor and nuance, with close attention paid to the four women who molded his personality and helped to inform his worldview: His mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt, formidable yet ever supportive and tender; his wife, Eleanor, whose counsel and affection were instrumental to FDR’s public and individual achievements; Lucy Mercer, the great romantic love of FDR’s life; and Missy LeHand, FDR’s longtime secretary, companion, and confidante, whose adoration of her boss was practically limitless.
Smith also tackles head-on and in-depth the numerous failures and miscues of Roosevelt’s public career, including his disastrous attempt to reconstruct the Judiciary; the shameful internment of Japanese-Americans; and Roosevelt’s occasionally self-defeating Executive overreach. Additionally, Smith offers a sensitive and balanced assessment of Roosevelt’s response to the Holocaust, noting its breakthroughs and shortcomings.
Summing up Roosevelt’s legacy, Jean Smith declares that FDR, more than any other individual, changed the relationship between the American people and their government. It was Roosevelt who revolutionized the art of campaigning and used the burgeoning mass media to garner public support and allay fears. But more important, Smith gives us the clearest picture yet of how this quintessential Knickerbocker aristocrat, a man who never had to depend on a paycheck, became the common man’s president. The result is a powerful account that adds fresh perspectives and draws profound conclusions about a man whose story is widely known but far less well understood. Written for the general reader and scholars alike, FDR is a stunning biography in every way worthy of its subject.
From the Hardcover edition.
880 pages, Hardcover
First published May 15, 2007
About the author
Jean Edward Smith
18 books335 followersJean Edward Smith was the John Marshall Professor of Political Science at Marshall University and professor emeritus at the University of Toronto after having served as professor of political economy there for thirty-five years. Smith also served as professor of history and government at Ashland University.
A graduate of McKinley High School in Washington, D.C., Smith received an A.B. from Princeton University in 1954. While attending Princeton, Smith was mentored under law professor and political scientist William M. Beaney. Professor Beaney's American Constitutional Law: Introductory Essays & Selected Cases, became a standard text and was widely used in university constitutional law classes for several years. Serving in the military from 1954-1961, he rose from the rank of Second Lieutenant to Captain (RA) US Army (Artillery). Smith served in West Berlin and Dachau, Germany. In 1964, he obtained a Ph.D. from the Department of Public Law and Government of Columbia University. Smith began his teaching career as assistant professor of government at Dartmouth College, a post he held from 1963 until 1965. He then became a professor of political economy at the University of Toronto in 1965 until his retirement in 1999. Professor Smith also served as visiting professor at several universities during his tenure at the University of Toronto and after his retirement including the Freie Universität in Berlin, Georgetown University[2], the University of Virginia’s Woodrow Wilson Department of Government and Foreign Affairs, and the University of California at San Diego.
A graduate of McKinley High School in Washington, D.C., Smith received an A.B. from Princeton University in 1954. While attending Princeton, Smith was mentored under law professor and political scientist William M. Beaney. Professor Beaney's American Constitutional Law: Introductory Essays & Selected Cases, became a standard text and was widely used in university constitutional law classes for several years. Serving in the military from 1954-1961, he rose from the rank of Second Lieutenant to Captain (RA) US Army (Artillery). Smith served in West Berlin and Dachau, Germany. In 1964, he obtained a Ph.D. from the Department of Public Law and Government of Columbia University. Smith began his teaching career as assistant professor of government at Dartmouth College, a post he held from 1963 until 1965. He then became a professor of political economy at the University of Toronto in 1965 until his retirement in 1999. Professor Smith also served as visiting professor at several universities during his tenure at the University of Toronto and after his retirement including the Freie Universität in Berlin, Georgetown University[2], the University of Virginia’s Woodrow Wilson Department of Government and Foreign Affairs, and the University of California at San Diego.
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August 2, 2023
American Colossus.
Who was Franklin Delano Roosevelt? How does posterity judge him? Was he a great man? These are all questions I asked of this huge figure of history before knowing much about him. So to correct some of my gaps in knowledge I turned to this book. Jean Edward Smith’s ‘FDR’ is one of the most popular biographies of the thirty-second president of the United States and with good reason. Superbly written and carefully constructed, I walked away from reading this book with an admiration of one of the greatest figures of the 20th century. FDR did have his faults but he also achieved great things. Smith is clearly a fan of him, but is able to provide a balanced narrative of a man who was president for an unprecedented three terms, where he took the USA out of the depression and navigated it to success during the Second World War, all whilst being disabled.
Thankfully this book is not thematic and is traditional in a cradle to the grave account of FDR. It starts in the usual way, the family background, with emphasis on the grandeur of the Roosevelt family and his connection to his famous cousin Theodore Roosevelt. As FDR starts his political life in the New York State Senate, the book sets into his pace for the rest of the book: steady with detailed footnotes. This is heavy reading, but what I enjoy for this type of topic. Smith gives clear direction that there are three women in FDR’s life who had a great impact on him. In fact FDR was closer to women than men. The three main ones are his mother Sara, his wife Eleanor and his mistress Lucy Mercer Rutherford. However it is worth pointing out that his secretary Alice ‘Mizzy’ LeHand was hugely important to FDR, whilst Louis Howe FDR’s political advisor was probably the closest male friend in his life. Smith is also quick to correct some of the misconceptions about FDR, such as having a distant father and an over dominating mother. Sara was a rock and for me supported FDR from his political journey, relationships to his set up of Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital.
FDR’s first major role was assistant secretary of the navy under Woodrow Wilson. Here he built his reputation. After the disaster of contracting Polio whilst on holiday in the summer of 1921, FDR spent three years getting back to health. His legs never fully recovered, but he did not dwell on this or use his disability for political gains. FDR won the presidency in 1933 and Smith gives a detailed account of the first 100 days where a huge amount of work was done and great amount of legislation was passed. Pushing the USA out of depression.
Then the Second World War came and this dominates the rest of FDR’s life. Smith shows the FDR was aware of the deterioration of the situation with the Japanese and shows that he like most top officials thought that if an attack came, it would most likely be on the Philippines. Pearl Harbour was thought to be too shallow for torpedos. So under guarded, and underestimating the ingenious of the Japanese Navy, war came on 07/12/1941. Did FDR provoke a Japanese attack to intervene in the European war? Smith does not answer either way. What Smith does show is that Roosevelt wanted to help Britain, but public it was massively against going to war. Before Hitler declared war on Germany soon after Pearl Harbour (and without knowing it had happened), Roosevelt had long crossed the ‘neutrality line’ anyway. FDR was a great war leader, not only able to boost morale but also in his understanding of strategy. He chose Dwight D Eisenhower to take overall command in the west, this masterful appointment was not an obvious choice. We however are also shown the dark side of FDR’s policies, such as the shameful interment of Japanese aliens in California during the war, who were never fully compensated for the loss of their land. Smith however agrees with FDR’s strategy for saving the Jews; the best way was to win the war as fast as possible. This is most likely to be right.
I do have a couple of criticisms of this book, but they do not detract from Smith’s achievement. Firstly this is a majority political book, with little focus on FDR as a private or family man. We do learn about his children and some of their difficulties and his relationship with them, but these are mostly glanced over. My lasting impression is that he was close to them, but I cannot say with confidence if he was like as a father or a friend. Smith does an excellent job however of showing the reader FDR’s complex relationship with Eleanor with changed dramatically after his affair with Lucy. She stuck by him, if not to live almost a separate life there on in. She famously didn’t want him to become president, not wanting to be trapped as the president’s wife. His mother Sara, also was against him going into politics preferring him to live the life of a country gentleman. FDR was his own man. Secondly, there isn’t much analysis on how FDR transformed from a Hudson River aristocrat to a champion of the common people. This is part of Smith’s opening remarks on FDR, perhaps the basis for writing this book, but it isn’t nailed down and clearly shown by Smith. Thirdly there is no conclusion, the book ends with his death and then an anecdote about how American POWs are informed by German guards in a prison camp. There is no closing analysis or statement. He does provide this at the start, but there is nothing to solidify is findings at the end.
In spite of this the book is still a great piece of scholarship and I recommend it to anyone interested in history. FDR was a great man, he was extremely hard working, pleasant and politically literate. He was innovative, being the first president to fly to another country and using automobiles to ‘fly’ (at 25 miles an hour) to different parts of the country to deliver as many speeches as possible. He formed essential partnerships with Sir Winston Churchill and King George VI during WWII and also gained the admiration of Josef Stalin. His political manoeuvring during the war was quite exceptional. His New Deal to drive the US out of depression was as also incredible. All whilst he suffered from Polio. In the end he worked himself to death for the sake of his country. Good read and be inspired.
Who was Franklin Delano Roosevelt? How does posterity judge him? Was he a great man? These are all questions I asked of this huge figure of history before knowing much about him. So to correct some of my gaps in knowledge I turned to this book. Jean Edward Smith’s ‘FDR’ is one of the most popular biographies of the thirty-second president of the United States and with good reason. Superbly written and carefully constructed, I walked away from reading this book with an admiration of one of the greatest figures of the 20th century. FDR did have his faults but he also achieved great things. Smith is clearly a fan of him, but is able to provide a balanced narrative of a man who was president for an unprecedented three terms, where he took the USA out of the depression and navigated it to success during the Second World War, all whilst being disabled.
Thankfully this book is not thematic and is traditional in a cradle to the grave account of FDR. It starts in the usual way, the family background, with emphasis on the grandeur of the Roosevelt family and his connection to his famous cousin Theodore Roosevelt. As FDR starts his political life in the New York State Senate, the book sets into his pace for the rest of the book: steady with detailed footnotes. This is heavy reading, but what I enjoy for this type of topic. Smith gives clear direction that there are three women in FDR’s life who had a great impact on him. In fact FDR was closer to women than men. The three main ones are his mother Sara, his wife Eleanor and his mistress Lucy Mercer Rutherford. However it is worth pointing out that his secretary Alice ‘Mizzy’ LeHand was hugely important to FDR, whilst Louis Howe FDR’s political advisor was probably the closest male friend in his life. Smith is also quick to correct some of the misconceptions about FDR, such as having a distant father and an over dominating mother. Sara was a rock and for me supported FDR from his political journey, relationships to his set up of Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital.
FDR’s first major role was assistant secretary of the navy under Woodrow Wilson. Here he built his reputation. After the disaster of contracting Polio whilst on holiday in the summer of 1921, FDR spent three years getting back to health. His legs never fully recovered, but he did not dwell on this or use his disability for political gains. FDR won the presidency in 1933 and Smith gives a detailed account of the first 100 days where a huge amount of work was done and great amount of legislation was passed. Pushing the USA out of depression.
Then the Second World War came and this dominates the rest of FDR’s life. Smith shows the FDR was aware of the deterioration of the situation with the Japanese and shows that he like most top officials thought that if an attack came, it would most likely be on the Philippines. Pearl Harbour was thought to be too shallow for torpedos. So under guarded, and underestimating the ingenious of the Japanese Navy, war came on 07/12/1941. Did FDR provoke a Japanese attack to intervene in the European war? Smith does not answer either way. What Smith does show is that Roosevelt wanted to help Britain, but public it was massively against going to war. Before Hitler declared war on Germany soon after Pearl Harbour (and without knowing it had happened), Roosevelt had long crossed the ‘neutrality line’ anyway. FDR was a great war leader, not only able to boost morale but also in his understanding of strategy. He chose Dwight D Eisenhower to take overall command in the west, this masterful appointment was not an obvious choice. We however are also shown the dark side of FDR’s policies, such as the shameful interment of Japanese aliens in California during the war, who were never fully compensated for the loss of their land. Smith however agrees with FDR’s strategy for saving the Jews; the best way was to win the war as fast as possible. This is most likely to be right.
I do have a couple of criticisms of this book, but they do not detract from Smith’s achievement. Firstly this is a majority political book, with little focus on FDR as a private or family man. We do learn about his children and some of their difficulties and his relationship with them, but these are mostly glanced over. My lasting impression is that he was close to them, but I cannot say with confidence if he was like as a father or a friend. Smith does an excellent job however of showing the reader FDR’s complex relationship with Eleanor with changed dramatically after his affair with Lucy. She stuck by him, if not to live almost a separate life there on in. She famously didn’t want him to become president, not wanting to be trapped as the president’s wife. His mother Sara, also was against him going into politics preferring him to live the life of a country gentleman. FDR was his own man. Secondly, there isn’t much analysis on how FDR transformed from a Hudson River aristocrat to a champion of the common people. This is part of Smith’s opening remarks on FDR, perhaps the basis for writing this book, but it isn’t nailed down and clearly shown by Smith. Thirdly there is no conclusion, the book ends with his death and then an anecdote about how American POWs are informed by German guards in a prison camp. There is no closing analysis or statement. He does provide this at the start, but there is nothing to solidify is findings at the end.
In spite of this the book is still a great piece of scholarship and I recommend it to anyone interested in history. FDR was a great man, he was extremely hard working, pleasant and politically literate. He was innovative, being the first president to fly to another country and using automobiles to ‘fly’ (at 25 miles an hour) to different parts of the country to deliver as many speeches as possible. He formed essential partnerships with Sir Winston Churchill and King George VI during WWII and also gained the admiration of Josef Stalin. His political manoeuvring during the war was quite exceptional. His New Deal to drive the US out of depression was as also incredible. All whilst he suffered from Polio. In the end he worked himself to death for the sake of his country. Good read and be inspired.
March 18, 2020
Seeking Solace from the Sakura and "FDR"
I am typing this with one hand as our cat Muffin is sleeping in my lap. On Sundays I bike to the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., home to hundreds of Korean-Japanese cherry trees and several memorials. I usually loop by the Jefferson Memorial and then head on to Hains Point, where there are hundreds more cherry trees, but this time I headed straight for the FDR Memorial to find solace in these gut-wrenching times.
"Masterful" and "even-handed" are the first words that come to mind when I contemplate "FDR" by Jean Edward Smith. I am still getting my feet wet when it comes to presidential biographies, but having read equally impressive biographies of Washington and Lincoln, I have concluded that FDR is America's greatest president. I thought I knew plenty about FDR and his two greatest accomplishments, establishing the New Deal and winning World War II, but Smith taught me so much and inspired me to dig deeper.
Rather than focus on his accomplishments, I would like to consider his biggest shortcomings. He and Eleanor may not have been the best parents. Their five surviving children were married 19 times. To his credit, his son James and daughter Anna stuck by him when he needed them most. By far FDR's biggest sin was the internment of tens of thousands of Japanese-Americans. It was not his idea, but he should have rejected the proposal from the assistant secretary who proposed it. French also does a masterful job of assigning blame for the attack on Pearl Harbor. FDR's attempt to pack the Supreme Court doesn't bother me because it failed so miserably. Indeed, his whole second term was a wash, but my, what he accomplished during his other two and a (small) fraction terms.
Turning to Smith's writing, I thought the pacing was just right. His short punchy sentences to start or end some paragraphs are wonderful. My favorite: "Churchill hit the White House like a cyclone." He then proceeds to describe how Churchill picked his own bedroom to sleep in and put the White House butler on notice (p. 543). French finds so many amazingly colorful quotes. I found myself repeatedly laughing out loud. Smith is also my first multi-lingual American biographer. He includes sources in French, German and Italian.
This is a also a two-bookmark book as you will need a second to follow the footnotes. Smith follows the unusual practice of including footnotes both on the page (which I love) and over 15o more pages of them at the back of the book (which is annoying). Most just provide sources, but others are priceless, such as the Molotov secretary who performs more than one type of "dictation" for him and a skinny-dipping Churchill described by an aide as "half submerged in the water like a hippopotamus in a swamp."
I had already found a copy of "Traitor to His Class," but GoodReads convinced me to read "FDR" instead. I was going to go back and read about Monroe, but I have decided to move on to McCullugh's "Truman." Unlike the "founding brothers" there is very little overlap between FDR and Roosevelt. Truman had just become VP when when FDR passed. In addition, Smith doesn't discuss FDR's death until the fourth-to-last paragraph in the book!
I also want to read about more of the people that surrounded FDR than any other president I have read about so far. First I will read a biography of the mother of the New Deal, Frances Perkins. She served all four terms as FDR's Secretary of Labor and started working with Roosevelt from his first days in the NY legislature. Just as importantly, she maintained a certain level of detachment. On the third page of his preface, Smith quotes her as referring to FDR as "the most complicated human being I had ever known." Several steadfast aides and brilliant generals who served him also are going onto my reading list. Eleanor? No thanks. She was no Edith Wilson. Accomplishments after FDR's death notwithstanding, she was in her own world and clueless about her husband's declining health.
From My Facebook Posting Yesterday:
Washington, D.C.'s Cherry Blossom Festival has been cancelled, but families were still out basking in the beauty of blossoms that will reach their peak later this week instead of the usual April. The mood was somber. It reminded me of biking along Tokyo’s Meguro River after the earthquake and tsunami exactly nine years ago. No one was drinking the usual sake/shochu under the blossoms. Foreigners were fleeing Japan (becoming known as “fly-gin”) out of fear that the Fukushima nuclear reactors would melt down. I didn’t (and they didn’t). Why? I wanted to experience what Japanese were experiencing and see how they responded. My grad school roommate Nakamoto Yoshihiko and I decided we would walk to his lovely parents’ home in a neighboring prefecture if we did face a “China Syndrome.” The blossoms became symbols of hope and renewal.
The economic freefall we are currently experiencing reminds me of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. I had just gotten my first real job at the Korea Economic Institute in D.C. The debt levels of a disturbing number of U.S. companies are as high as the average Korean conglomerate was at the time. When I made a new Korean-American friend last year, he reminded me that I concluded an article I wrote soon after the crisis hit with my favorite Korean proverb, “Even if the sky comes crashing down, there is a hole we can pass through.” If only our current crisis could be as brief.
Even Fox News lovers are slowly grasping that the COVID-19 pandemic is real. Just over a week ago the LEAD headline at fox.com concerned a former Democratic Party official (remember Howard Dean?) criticizing a minor elected official! My father’s parents were both born in rural Virginia in 1918 during the Spanish Flu. How I wish I could ask them what it was like to grow up in the shadow of the last global pandemic and first global war. They never spoke about it. Does that mean it didn’t affect them or it was too horrible to speak of?
After my daily dose of the Beatles, my favorite radio station just played Jason Isbel’s new song “Be Afraid.” He couldn’t have known what we would be facing right now, but the song includes these words,
We won’t shut up and sing
Tell the truth enough and you’ll find it rhymes with everything
We’ve been testing you
And you failed
Who knew that America’s third German-American president would be as clueless as the first one to crash the U.S. economy, Herbert Hoover? Drumpf is no more up to the challenge than Huber was. For starters, you cannot rally the country when only 42% (for now) of the public believes in you. Given that Trump is calling the governor of the hardest hit state “a snake” and telling the governor of the second hardest hit state to “do more” and find his own respirators, his approval rating can only go down as more Americans lose their lives or jobs. I was aghast yesterday watching the shambolic way DHS mismanaged the return of 40,000 panicked and sick Americans as a result of a woefully inadequate Oval Office address. It doesn’t help that Trump lacks even an atom of empathy.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Moscow/Machine Gun Mitch takes a long weekend off instead of passing the House’s relief bill. And Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz mocks virus warnings by wearing a gas mask on the House floor days before one of his constituents dies of COVID-19 and he himself must self-quarantine. And the Oklahoma governor encourages his constituents to eat at their restaurants. I can only hope the Republicans are routed in November as badly as they were in 1932, the same year my grandfather--himself the grandson of a Confederate captured at Gettysburg--became a Democrat.
I parked my bike at the FDR Memorial because we will need that kind of leadership to overcome our current crisis. Historians argue over whether Lincoln or Washington was our greatest president, but having just finished reading biographies of all of America’s greatest presidents, I would pick FDR. Neither GW nor Abe had to fight a war AND overcome an economic collapse.
Roosevelt never called himself a socialist or a revolutionary, but the Depression enabled this “Traitor to His Class” (the title of my next FDR biography) to enact unprecedented economic reforms that form the foundation of the social safety net we have today. I can only hope Americans will elect a “Team of Rivals” this November. Meantime, I have added Camus’ “The Plague” to my reading table.
Time for a long ride before we have to “shelter in place.” I don’t do panic buying or selling. I am a Costco member and I got out of the stock market when Trump became president. W surprised me, but Trump has proven to be every bit as awful as I expected.
I am typing this with one hand as our cat Muffin is sleeping in my lap. On Sundays I bike to the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., home to hundreds of Korean-Japanese cherry trees and several memorials. I usually loop by the Jefferson Memorial and then head on to Hains Point, where there are hundreds more cherry trees, but this time I headed straight for the FDR Memorial to find solace in these gut-wrenching times.
"Masterful" and "even-handed" are the first words that come to mind when I contemplate "FDR" by Jean Edward Smith. I am still getting my feet wet when it comes to presidential biographies, but having read equally impressive biographies of Washington and Lincoln, I have concluded that FDR is America's greatest president. I thought I knew plenty about FDR and his two greatest accomplishments, establishing the New Deal and winning World War II, but Smith taught me so much and inspired me to dig deeper.
Rather than focus on his accomplishments, I would like to consider his biggest shortcomings. He and Eleanor may not have been the best parents. Their five surviving children were married 19 times. To his credit, his son James and daughter Anna stuck by him when he needed them most. By far FDR's biggest sin was the internment of tens of thousands of Japanese-Americans. It was not his idea, but he should have rejected the proposal from the assistant secretary who proposed it. French also does a masterful job of assigning blame for the attack on Pearl Harbor. FDR's attempt to pack the Supreme Court doesn't bother me because it failed so miserably. Indeed, his whole second term was a wash, but my, what he accomplished during his other two and a (small) fraction terms.
Turning to Smith's writing, I thought the pacing was just right. His short punchy sentences to start or end some paragraphs are wonderful. My favorite: "Churchill hit the White House like a cyclone." He then proceeds to describe how Churchill picked his own bedroom to sleep in and put the White House butler on notice (p. 543). French finds so many amazingly colorful quotes. I found myself repeatedly laughing out loud. Smith is also my first multi-lingual American biographer. He includes sources in French, German and Italian.
This is a also a two-bookmark book as you will need a second to follow the footnotes. Smith follows the unusual practice of including footnotes both on the page (which I love) and over 15o more pages of them at the back of the book (which is annoying). Most just provide sources, but others are priceless, such as the Molotov secretary who performs more than one type of "dictation" for him and a skinny-dipping Churchill described by an aide as "half submerged in the water like a hippopotamus in a swamp."
I had already found a copy of "Traitor to His Class," but GoodReads convinced me to read "FDR" instead. I was going to go back and read about Monroe, but I have decided to move on to McCullugh's "Truman." Unlike the "founding brothers" there is very little overlap between FDR and Roosevelt. Truman had just become VP when when FDR passed. In addition, Smith doesn't discuss FDR's death until the fourth-to-last paragraph in the book!
I also want to read about more of the people that surrounded FDR than any other president I have read about so far. First I will read a biography of the mother of the New Deal, Frances Perkins. She served all four terms as FDR's Secretary of Labor and started working with Roosevelt from his first days in the NY legislature. Just as importantly, she maintained a certain level of detachment. On the third page of his preface, Smith quotes her as referring to FDR as "the most complicated human being I had ever known." Several steadfast aides and brilliant generals who served him also are going onto my reading list. Eleanor? No thanks. She was no Edith Wilson. Accomplishments after FDR's death notwithstanding, she was in her own world and clueless about her husband's declining health.
From My Facebook Posting Yesterday:
Washington, D.C.'s Cherry Blossom Festival has been cancelled, but families were still out basking in the beauty of blossoms that will reach their peak later this week instead of the usual April. The mood was somber. It reminded me of biking along Tokyo’s Meguro River after the earthquake and tsunami exactly nine years ago. No one was drinking the usual sake/shochu under the blossoms. Foreigners were fleeing Japan (becoming known as “fly-gin”) out of fear that the Fukushima nuclear reactors would melt down. I didn’t (and they didn’t). Why? I wanted to experience what Japanese were experiencing and see how they responded. My grad school roommate Nakamoto Yoshihiko and I decided we would walk to his lovely parents’ home in a neighboring prefecture if we did face a “China Syndrome.” The blossoms became symbols of hope and renewal.
The economic freefall we are currently experiencing reminds me of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. I had just gotten my first real job at the Korea Economic Institute in D.C. The debt levels of a disturbing number of U.S. companies are as high as the average Korean conglomerate was at the time. When I made a new Korean-American friend last year, he reminded me that I concluded an article I wrote soon after the crisis hit with my favorite Korean proverb, “Even if the sky comes crashing down, there is a hole we can pass through.” If only our current crisis could be as brief.
Even Fox News lovers are slowly grasping that the COVID-19 pandemic is real. Just over a week ago the LEAD headline at fox.com concerned a former Democratic Party official (remember Howard Dean?) criticizing a minor elected official! My father’s parents were both born in rural Virginia in 1918 during the Spanish Flu. How I wish I could ask them what it was like to grow up in the shadow of the last global pandemic and first global war. They never spoke about it. Does that mean it didn’t affect them or it was too horrible to speak of?
After my daily dose of the Beatles, my favorite radio station just played Jason Isbel’s new song “Be Afraid.” He couldn’t have known what we would be facing right now, but the song includes these words,
We won’t shut up and sing
Tell the truth enough and you’ll find it rhymes with everything
We’ve been testing you
And you failed
Who knew that America’s third German-American president would be as clueless as the first one to crash the U.S. economy, Herbert Hoover? Drumpf is no more up to the challenge than Huber was. For starters, you cannot rally the country when only 42% (for now) of the public believes in you. Given that Trump is calling the governor of the hardest hit state “a snake” and telling the governor of the second hardest hit state to “do more” and find his own respirators, his approval rating can only go down as more Americans lose their lives or jobs. I was aghast yesterday watching the shambolic way DHS mismanaged the return of 40,000 panicked and sick Americans as a result of a woefully inadequate Oval Office address. It doesn’t help that Trump lacks even an atom of empathy.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Moscow/Machine Gun Mitch takes a long weekend off instead of passing the House’s relief bill. And Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz mocks virus warnings by wearing a gas mask on the House floor days before one of his constituents dies of COVID-19 and he himself must self-quarantine. And the Oklahoma governor encourages his constituents to eat at their restaurants. I can only hope the Republicans are routed in November as badly as they were in 1932, the same year my grandfather--himself the grandson of a Confederate captured at Gettysburg--became a Democrat.
I parked my bike at the FDR Memorial because we will need that kind of leadership to overcome our current crisis. Historians argue over whether Lincoln or Washington was our greatest president, but having just finished reading biographies of all of America’s greatest presidents, I would pick FDR. Neither GW nor Abe had to fight a war AND overcome an economic collapse.
Roosevelt never called himself a socialist or a revolutionary, but the Depression enabled this “Traitor to His Class” (the title of my next FDR biography) to enact unprecedented economic reforms that form the foundation of the social safety net we have today. I can only hope Americans will elect a “Team of Rivals” this November. Meantime, I have added Camus’ “The Plague” to my reading table.
Time for a long ride before we have to “shelter in place.” I don’t do panic buying or selling. I am a Costco member and I got out of the stock market when Trump became president. W surprised me, but Trump has proven to be every bit as awful as I expected.
March 13, 2023
I loved Jean Edward Smith’s biography of Eisenhower, and I wasn’t disappointed here either.
The book was incredibly fast paced. Nothing is covered in any depth. Some of the topics seemed almost comical to try to cover in one chapter of one book. Like all the New Deal legislation. It seemed like a machine gun fire of quick descriptions of different programs.
But I guess that can’t be helped if you are going to cover FDR in one book. It did make things lively and interesting all the way through.
Smith is a deep admirer of FDR. The New Deal programs are described as what lifted the country from Depression, though the analysis is very cursory.
As a war leader, Smith depicts him as a great leader. Someone who had command of the details but also a clear vision of the “big picture” and what was at stake. Someone who could explain what was happening to his constituents and persuade them of what needed to be done, but also had a level-headed awareness of his political constraints. And someone who could build rapport and work well with other allied leaders.
Smith let him off more easily than I expected on some issues. Japanese internment happened because he trusted others to make that decision, and he was too busy and preoccupied to review it. He didn’t do more to stop the Nazi concentration camps because the best way to do this was what he was already doing - trying to win the war as soon as possible. As for why he didn’t do more to help Jews escape from Germany in the 1930’s, Smith depicts him as doing what was possible given his political constraints. Similarly, he didn’t do more on Civil Rights because he just didn’t have the domestic support (particularly because his strongest base of support was the South, and he did not want to risk upsetting this).
He did criticize FDR for his Court Packing scheme, though more for being a dumb move politically than for being an abuse of power. And he did criticize FDR for focusing on balancing the budget in his second term, which Jean says led to the resurgence of the depression in 1937-38.
One thing that was surprising to me is that Eleanor Roosevelt is depicted as having basically no influence on FDR. That’s different from what I’ve read elsewhere, for instance from Doris Kearns Goodwin.
Another thing that is different from other accounts is the way FDR is described while handling the pre-war years. In Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941 Lynne Olson describes FDR as indecisive and reluctant to make any firm moves to help the allies. According to Olson, he was more of a follower of public opinion than a leader. Smith, on the other hand, describes FDR as highly aware of what is at stake if the Allies lose, and doing everything in his power (which had a lot of limitations) to help.
Overall, I would recommend this book, though I think you would have to be in some sort of sweet spot of “interested enough in the topic to read a really long book” and “not knowledgeable enough to be frustrated by the lack of detail”.
The book was incredibly fast paced. Nothing is covered in any depth. Some of the topics seemed almost comical to try to cover in one chapter of one book. Like all the New Deal legislation. It seemed like a machine gun fire of quick descriptions of different programs.
But I guess that can’t be helped if you are going to cover FDR in one book. It did make things lively and interesting all the way through.
Smith is a deep admirer of FDR. The New Deal programs are described as what lifted the country from Depression, though the analysis is very cursory.
As a war leader, Smith depicts him as a great leader. Someone who had command of the details but also a clear vision of the “big picture” and what was at stake. Someone who could explain what was happening to his constituents and persuade them of what needed to be done, but also had a level-headed awareness of his political constraints. And someone who could build rapport and work well with other allied leaders.
Smith let him off more easily than I expected on some issues. Japanese internment happened because he trusted others to make that decision, and he was too busy and preoccupied to review it. He didn’t do more to stop the Nazi concentration camps because the best way to do this was what he was already doing - trying to win the war as soon as possible. As for why he didn’t do more to help Jews escape from Germany in the 1930’s, Smith depicts him as doing what was possible given his political constraints. Similarly, he didn’t do more on Civil Rights because he just didn’t have the domestic support (particularly because his strongest base of support was the South, and he did not want to risk upsetting this).
He did criticize FDR for his Court Packing scheme, though more for being a dumb move politically than for being an abuse of power. And he did criticize FDR for focusing on balancing the budget in his second term, which Jean says led to the resurgence of the depression in 1937-38.
One thing that was surprising to me is that Eleanor Roosevelt is depicted as having basically no influence on FDR. That’s different from what I’ve read elsewhere, for instance from Doris Kearns Goodwin.
Another thing that is different from other accounts is the way FDR is described while handling the pre-war years. In Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941 Lynne Olson describes FDR as indecisive and reluctant to make any firm moves to help the allies. According to Olson, he was more of a follower of public opinion than a leader. Smith, on the other hand, describes FDR as highly aware of what is at stake if the Allies lose, and doing everything in his power (which had a lot of limitations) to help.
Overall, I would recommend this book, though I think you would have to be in some sort of sweet spot of “interested enough in the topic to read a really long book” and “not knowledgeable enough to be frustrated by the lack of detail”.
February 4, 2023
If you read only one biography of FDR, this should be it. Smith has a reputation for being the best biographer in recent times, and he proves why in this magnificent tome. He examines FDR, warts and all, and arrives at a picture that is worthy of the man. While dispelling the lies about the president and Pearl Harbor, and explains why more wasn't done to help Jews immigrate to the U.S.. Providing deep research that proves how he tried to bring in more people but was prevented by a State Department, Congress, and people who were deeply antisemitic and wouldn't hear of it. Smith also points to his efforts to improve the lives of African Americans and although he did improve their lives in a limited way, he was unable to do more than he did. Everything he passed depended on the solid South where any attempts would be blocked. He does not however, excuse the way Japanese were treated.
FDR and ER's marriage was also discussed from his affair on down. One thing that surprised me was that people around ER claimed then and at the time that she had a long term affair with her body guard, Earl Miller. It is usually said that Eleanor was a lesbian. This certainly raises questions about that.
Read this book, you will not regret it.
FDR and ER's marriage was also discussed from his affair on down. One thing that surprised me was that people around ER claimed then and at the time that she had a long term affair with her body guard, Earl Miller. It is usually said that Eleanor was a lesbian. This certainly raises questions about that.
Read this book, you will not regret it.
June 5, 2022
My grandfather worked on FDR's first presidential campaign in New Hampshire. He would tell me stories of what a great man FDR was. This biography was outstanding. Highly recommended.
July 29, 2016
Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) has been called one of the three most important US presidents of all time, by historians and political figures alike. Known best for his New Deal to help America and acting as one of the three Allies political leaders during the Second World War, Roosevelt's legacy is thoroughly documented in the history books. But there is more to this man, as Jean Edward Smith argues in this lengthy biography. The leader behind these great acts helped shape America in ways known to fewer people, doing so with all the vigour he could muster. As Smith recounts throughout, FDR tried to better America in the only way he knew how, by forging ahead and changing some of its current practices. FDR sought to protect the common American, even if his upbringing did not mirror that of the large portion of the electorate. The man who feared little, pulled America out of its doldrums, and faced enemies on all fronts, FDR ought not be left remembered in the history books solely as the man of the Sunday night radio broadcast or he who was confined to a wheelchair. Smith takes up this challenge and delivers a stellar piece of biographical writing that is a must-read for the curious reader who thirsts for knowledge.
Smith reserves the early portion of this biography to show the reader some of the foundational aspect of the man's upbringing. That FDR was a silver-spoon socialite is by no means a shock to the reader who attentively sifts through these chapters. Born into a family of some wealth, FDR was the only child his parents had, permitting him to be doted upon like few others. Smith discusses in passing that FDR constantly lived under the shadow of his ever-popular relative Theodore, whose ascendancy in New York politics had yet to reach its climax in the late 19th century. After wading through life at Harvard and Columbia, FDR complained about not wanting to work for a living, which was supported by his mother and the significant monies amassed in the Roosevelt accounts. It was only when FDR began making a name for himself in the New York Democratic Party that he caught the eye of Woodrow Wilson, whose 1912 presidential victory paved the way for young FDR to make his first solid connection to the common American. His selection as Assistant Secretary of the Navy allowed him not only to oversee fleet production, but to liaise with the workers and those serving in the Navy, giving him a much needed dose of the plight the commoner faces on a regular basis. Smith recounts numerous anecdotes about this and how FDR did not isolate himself from others, as he tried to better understand the world around him. Smith accentuates the fallibility of FDR in a poignant event that led to the man's diagnosis of infantile paralysis (polio), which would strike him down and force him to use braces, crutches, and a wheelchair for the rest of his life. This sobering experience could, as Smith hints at, have knocked the effervescent FDR down a rung or two, leaving him to suffer through a hardship he could not have predicted or auctioned away. These moments shaped the earlier years of FDR's life, preparing him for some of the most exciting and harrowing years that lay ahead.
Smith utilises the central portion of the biography to focus on FDR's political ambitions and how he successfully ensconced himself into the Democratic machine, having tasted some power while a senior bureaucrat. After the political bug bit him, FDR sought to transform running for elected office. Use of his wealth pushed the limit of how to reach the people and make a name for himself; driving in cars at a time when they were still luxurious or flying to Democratic Conventions to receive the nomination. Pretentious, perhaps, but Smith argues that this pushed FDR into the limelight and allowed the common American to see him and react. Success in a short-lived New York gubernatorial position (his ascendency echoes that of Woodrow Wilson), FDR tossed his hat into the ring for President of the United States and endured a battle to the end, which Smith illustrates brilliantly. After gaining the keys to the White House, FDR began dismantling the 'woe is me' mentality that the Depression had put upon America and dished out some much-needed legislative medicine. From a reorganisation of the banks to social programs supporting those who needed it most, FDR fought a Congress whose ideals were still firmly rooted in a laissez-faire mentality and proved that safety nets to protect the most vulnerable would better America, rather than make it a more socialistic beast. Surely, the Depression years were more about being ill-prepared than pushing a stronger class divide amongst its citizens, as Smith argues and FDR posited in his speeches around New Deal legislation. That FDR could inject hope into a crumbling economy in the first 100 days after assuming office is something that stands out and deserves much notice. Smith forges on in the narrative to look at other areas of the American system that FDR felt needed his intervention. The attempt to pack the US Supreme Court, which failed abysmally, proved that FDR was not always in the right and that his ideas could be driven by his own desires. Smith details the congressional struggles and clashes, which brings the events to life and allows the reader a better understanding of this controversial time in FDR's presidency.
FDR made a difference on the domestic front, but he came into his own internationally when unrest on the world scene in the form of build-up by the Nazis in Europe and Japanese imperialism pushed the the world back into military conflict. Smith uses the final chapters of the biography to illustrate FDR's role on the international scene and illustrates some of his hardest decisions of all. Smith posits that FDR was too busy with domestic events to pay much attention to the Nazi chess playing in Europe before the 1939 Polish invasion, though he was not completely oblivious. Once European states began falling like dominoes, FDR faced increased pressure to enter the war and back American allies. Much like Wilson, FDR tried to stay out of the fray, though the latter president used antics to fund and arm the British rather than decry the need for outright diplomacy. Smith spins detailed narratives about the fall of Europe and the fight that FDR had with himself, Congress, and the GOP during the 1940 General Election, all of which pushed America closer to the precipice of war. When Japan did take major aggressive action, Smith argues persuasively that FDR knew of the military build-up in the region and that Japan had been playing the thorn in the side of many of those within the region. Repeated diplomatic attempts failed, to the point that America refused to continue passive actions. Sanctions and financial punishments only sought to goad Japan into pushing things to the brink of war. While Pearl Harbour was not known as the location of an attack, there was little doubt that Japan would take some form of retribution. The 'infamy' commentary that has covered history books for over six decades seems diluted after reading Smith's narrative on the subject. With this attack, FDR pushed America into the war, using the Pacific Theatre to open their attack. Once the Axis Powers sought to formally declare war on America, FDR sent help to Europe and the bloodbath began. Smith uses much of the latter portion of the book to paint the horrors and muscle-flexing of America on two fronts in order to restore order. This is understandable, as FDR would not survive the end of the war. Still, the narrative and last-ditch efforts during the 1944 presidential campaign show that Roosevelt was invested in an Allied victory, so much so that he left America to run itself on the domestic front. As his health deteriorated, FDR soon slid backwards until his death early in 1945, with Allied victory imminent and Japan soon to play the role of nuclear whipping boy. Stunning description to the very last paragraph!
There is much more to this biography than is listed above, which is indicative that Smith did such a thorough job that any reader will have to sit down and enjoy the text to learn everything. Discussions surrounding the strained marriage between FDR and Eleanor highlight some of the early chapters, including the negotiation they made to act as a united front when needed and live in independent spheres otherwise. Smith is also masterful in his discussion of the dirty fights for nomination at Democratic National Conventions of '32 and '36, where the Democratic Party almost imploded as it sought to resolve the North and South with their divisive beliefs. Of greatest interest to me, was some of the back story leading up to the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbour, where Smith lays out the argument that the road to Japanese aggression was anything but shocking. That said, Smith is able to condense the life of a man who broke barriers of presidential longevity and yet still provide a captivating biography. Any reader who invests the needed time will surely appreciate that fact.
This is the first of at least a few presidential biographies that I will undertake with Jean Edward Smith at the helm. This has helped solidify my belief that I am in for a wonderful treat in the coming months. Rich in detail and poignant in choice of anecdotes to include, Smith is a masterful storyteller and presents his opinions with the greatest of foundational argument.
Kudos, Mr. Smith, for you not only took us to Washington, but through the tumultuous life of a man who changed the world and America for the better, while not subjugating his detractors.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Smith reserves the early portion of this biography to show the reader some of the foundational aspect of the man's upbringing. That FDR was a silver-spoon socialite is by no means a shock to the reader who attentively sifts through these chapters. Born into a family of some wealth, FDR was the only child his parents had, permitting him to be doted upon like few others. Smith discusses in passing that FDR constantly lived under the shadow of his ever-popular relative Theodore, whose ascendancy in New York politics had yet to reach its climax in the late 19th century. After wading through life at Harvard and Columbia, FDR complained about not wanting to work for a living, which was supported by his mother and the significant monies amassed in the Roosevelt accounts. It was only when FDR began making a name for himself in the New York Democratic Party that he caught the eye of Woodrow Wilson, whose 1912 presidential victory paved the way for young FDR to make his first solid connection to the common American. His selection as Assistant Secretary of the Navy allowed him not only to oversee fleet production, but to liaise with the workers and those serving in the Navy, giving him a much needed dose of the plight the commoner faces on a regular basis. Smith recounts numerous anecdotes about this and how FDR did not isolate himself from others, as he tried to better understand the world around him. Smith accentuates the fallibility of FDR in a poignant event that led to the man's diagnosis of infantile paralysis (polio), which would strike him down and force him to use braces, crutches, and a wheelchair for the rest of his life. This sobering experience could, as Smith hints at, have knocked the effervescent FDR down a rung or two, leaving him to suffer through a hardship he could not have predicted or auctioned away. These moments shaped the earlier years of FDR's life, preparing him for some of the most exciting and harrowing years that lay ahead.
Smith utilises the central portion of the biography to focus on FDR's political ambitions and how he successfully ensconced himself into the Democratic machine, having tasted some power while a senior bureaucrat. After the political bug bit him, FDR sought to transform running for elected office. Use of his wealth pushed the limit of how to reach the people and make a name for himself; driving in cars at a time when they were still luxurious or flying to Democratic Conventions to receive the nomination. Pretentious, perhaps, but Smith argues that this pushed FDR into the limelight and allowed the common American to see him and react. Success in a short-lived New York gubernatorial position (his ascendency echoes that of Woodrow Wilson), FDR tossed his hat into the ring for President of the United States and endured a battle to the end, which Smith illustrates brilliantly. After gaining the keys to the White House, FDR began dismantling the 'woe is me' mentality that the Depression had put upon America and dished out some much-needed legislative medicine. From a reorganisation of the banks to social programs supporting those who needed it most, FDR fought a Congress whose ideals were still firmly rooted in a laissez-faire mentality and proved that safety nets to protect the most vulnerable would better America, rather than make it a more socialistic beast. Surely, the Depression years were more about being ill-prepared than pushing a stronger class divide amongst its citizens, as Smith argues and FDR posited in his speeches around New Deal legislation. That FDR could inject hope into a crumbling economy in the first 100 days after assuming office is something that stands out and deserves much notice. Smith forges on in the narrative to look at other areas of the American system that FDR felt needed his intervention. The attempt to pack the US Supreme Court, which failed abysmally, proved that FDR was not always in the right and that his ideas could be driven by his own desires. Smith details the congressional struggles and clashes, which brings the events to life and allows the reader a better understanding of this controversial time in FDR's presidency.
FDR made a difference on the domestic front, but he came into his own internationally when unrest on the world scene in the form of build-up by the Nazis in Europe and Japanese imperialism pushed the the world back into military conflict. Smith uses the final chapters of the biography to illustrate FDR's role on the international scene and illustrates some of his hardest decisions of all. Smith posits that FDR was too busy with domestic events to pay much attention to the Nazi chess playing in Europe before the 1939 Polish invasion, though he was not completely oblivious. Once European states began falling like dominoes, FDR faced increased pressure to enter the war and back American allies. Much like Wilson, FDR tried to stay out of the fray, though the latter president used antics to fund and arm the British rather than decry the need for outright diplomacy. Smith spins detailed narratives about the fall of Europe and the fight that FDR had with himself, Congress, and the GOP during the 1940 General Election, all of which pushed America closer to the precipice of war. When Japan did take major aggressive action, Smith argues persuasively that FDR knew of the military build-up in the region and that Japan had been playing the thorn in the side of many of those within the region. Repeated diplomatic attempts failed, to the point that America refused to continue passive actions. Sanctions and financial punishments only sought to goad Japan into pushing things to the brink of war. While Pearl Harbour was not known as the location of an attack, there was little doubt that Japan would take some form of retribution. The 'infamy' commentary that has covered history books for over six decades seems diluted after reading Smith's narrative on the subject. With this attack, FDR pushed America into the war, using the Pacific Theatre to open their attack. Once the Axis Powers sought to formally declare war on America, FDR sent help to Europe and the bloodbath began. Smith uses much of the latter portion of the book to paint the horrors and muscle-flexing of America on two fronts in order to restore order. This is understandable, as FDR would not survive the end of the war. Still, the narrative and last-ditch efforts during the 1944 presidential campaign show that Roosevelt was invested in an Allied victory, so much so that he left America to run itself on the domestic front. As his health deteriorated, FDR soon slid backwards until his death early in 1945, with Allied victory imminent and Japan soon to play the role of nuclear whipping boy. Stunning description to the very last paragraph!
There is much more to this biography than is listed above, which is indicative that Smith did such a thorough job that any reader will have to sit down and enjoy the text to learn everything. Discussions surrounding the strained marriage between FDR and Eleanor highlight some of the early chapters, including the negotiation they made to act as a united front when needed and live in independent spheres otherwise. Smith is also masterful in his discussion of the dirty fights for nomination at Democratic National Conventions of '32 and '36, where the Democratic Party almost imploded as it sought to resolve the North and South with their divisive beliefs. Of greatest interest to me, was some of the back story leading up to the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbour, where Smith lays out the argument that the road to Japanese aggression was anything but shocking. That said, Smith is able to condense the life of a man who broke barriers of presidential longevity and yet still provide a captivating biography. Any reader who invests the needed time will surely appreciate that fact.
This is the first of at least a few presidential biographies that I will undertake with Jean Edward Smith at the helm. This has helped solidify my belief that I am in for a wonderful treat in the coming months. Rich in detail and poignant in choice of anecdotes to include, Smith is a masterful storyteller and presents his opinions with the greatest of foundational argument.
Kudos, Mr. Smith, for you not only took us to Washington, but through the tumultuous life of a man who changed the world and America for the better, while not subjugating his detractors.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
July 23, 2024
5.0 ⭐
GENRE - HISTORY - POLITICS - NONFICTION.
PAGES - 880 PAGES.
The best presidential biography I have read so far!! A treat of a book, having read Abraham Lincoln by Lord Charnwood, Barrack Obama, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Golda Meir this was by the most well written, easily understandable, engaging and intriguing biographies of them all.
The thing with political biographies are they should be easily understandable or else they get boring after a while.
Talking about FDR, I am an Indian and I haven't read or learnt much about American history or politics growing up as a child. My first acquaintance of FDR was when a teacher from my 10th grade asked us to watch the movie Pearl Harbor to understand a particular chapter in the history textbook. In the movie I was moved with this personality FDR who was crippled on a wheelchair but still was able to change the spirits of his people and men in his cabinet to infuse inspiration in order to get America moving in the Second World War.
About the book :- It is an absolute treat of a read,
FDR growing up years, his relationship with his parents Sara and James, his cousin Teddy Roosevelt. His courtship with Eleanor and his marriage as well as the ups and downs in their relationship. His affair with Lucy Mercer, his election campaigns and later on his tenure as president everything has been so well presented that you will absolutely admire his book.
Louis Howe and Missy Lehand were his close and most trust advisors and their relationship was absolutely candid, they never hesitated in speaking their mind to him, tell him unpleasant truth or expressing an unfavorable opinion which is worth understanding in this book.
I extremely loved every part of the book and must admit that is my favorite read of the year 2024 I would also love to read more works of the author Jean Edward Smith.
Thank you 😊🙏❤️
GENRE - HISTORY - POLITICS - NONFICTION.
PAGES - 880 PAGES.
The best presidential biography I have read so far!! A treat of a book, having read Abraham Lincoln by Lord Charnwood, Barrack Obama, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Golda Meir this was by the most well written, easily understandable, engaging and intriguing biographies of them all.
The thing with political biographies are they should be easily understandable or else they get boring after a while.
Talking about FDR, I am an Indian and I haven't read or learnt much about American history or politics growing up as a child. My first acquaintance of FDR was when a teacher from my 10th grade asked us to watch the movie Pearl Harbor to understand a particular chapter in the history textbook. In the movie I was moved with this personality FDR who was crippled on a wheelchair but still was able to change the spirits of his people and men in his cabinet to infuse inspiration in order to get America moving in the Second World War.
About the book :- It is an absolute treat of a read,
FDR growing up years, his relationship with his parents Sara and James, his cousin Teddy Roosevelt. His courtship with Eleanor and his marriage as well as the ups and downs in their relationship. His affair with Lucy Mercer, his election campaigns and later on his tenure as president everything has been so well presented that you will absolutely admire his book.
Louis Howe and Missy Lehand were his close and most trust advisors and their relationship was absolutely candid, they never hesitated in speaking their mind to him, tell him unpleasant truth or expressing an unfavorable opinion which is worth understanding in this book.
I extremely loved every part of the book and must admit that is my favorite read of the year 2024 I would also love to read more works of the author Jean Edward Smith.
Thank you 😊🙏❤️
July 15, 2017
I enjoyed reading this book about one of if not the most important figure in 20th Century American History. I will be starting the author's Eisenhower biography soon.
May 2, 2021
FDR avoided further friction simply by refusing to recognize that a problem existed. That was a trait he would hone to an art form in public life. “If something was unpleasant and he didn’t want to know about it, he just ignored it and never talked about it,” said Eleanor. “I think he always thought that if you ignored a thing long enough it would settle itself.
This is the 7th biography that I’ve read on FDR and it is the best one.
Why this obsession about FDR you might ask? It’s simply that there are more award winning biographies written on the man than anyone in history including those written about his distant cousin TR. And for many years now I have been working my way through the Pulitzer, National Book Award, and Francis Parkman lists. He is also an interesting figure in history.
So this is the most critical biography of FDR that I’ve read. There were more quotes sourced in this book than others and perhaps the least emphasis on Eleanor compared with the other books. Eleanor is a fascinating figure in her own right but she can overshadow him with her quotations. Since FDR did not write in a journal like Eleanor there is a tendency in many biographies for her voice and opinion to dominate.
This book is excellent in that regard and takes a good neutral path and doesn’t spend much time on salacious details. It also is a worthy companion to the more personal biography by Joseph Lash called Eleanor and Franklin.
There were a few areas of interesting emphasis and detail here in this book that were lacking in other books.
1. Eleanor was prone to making many anti-Semitic statements. I won’t quote them here.
2. FDR’s background as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for eight long years was important in his role as the future president. For example, at FDR’s request the U.S. war budget began increasing ahead of America’s involvement in WWII, it increased in 1939 by four fold and almost all of this increase in money went to the Navy for building ships. This was fortuitous for getting more ships built especially since the disaster at Pearl Harbor occurred just two years later but the initiative was already pumping out battleships.
3. When FDR was running the Navy during WWI he encountered an intransigent Joe Kennedy (father of future president JFK). Joe was running Bethlehem Steel’s Shipyard in Quincy but Bethlehem Steel was playing hardball with the government. So FDR sent warships into the harbor and with tugboats the Navy seized four Bethlehem steel vessels for the war effort.
4. FDR personally rammed through the Civilian Conservation Corps initiative through Congress. It eventually provided jobs for more than 3 million young men during the Great Depression. There was a lack of support and indifference in Congress but since it was FDR’s first year as President, he got Congressional approval.
5. FDR knew who his enemies were. He outmaneuvered the fascist Father Coughlin and moved forward with his New Deal. When Charles Lindbergh supported the Nazis years later FDR froze him out from any role in the military.
6. While defending the New Deal FDR included these memorable words in his speech.
Better the occasional faults of a Government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a Government frozen in the ice of its own indifference.
7. FDR did not have a good civil rights record
During the twelve years FDR was president not one piece of civil rights legislation became law. No federal effort was made to abolish the white primary in the South or overturn the poll tax. Roosevelt’s closest aides—Stephen Early, Marvin McIntyre, and Pa Watson—were southerners who shared the prejudice of the times. To the best of their ability they smothered controversial issues that might offend voters in the South. No effort was made to use the bully pulpit of the White House to advance the cause of racial justice.
8. There were fewer chapters on WWII than other FDR bios which was fine with me. There was however extensive coverage of FDR’s friendship with Winston Churchill - who adored FDR and once called FDR the greatest man who he ever met.
9. Eleanor was not enamored with Churchill or at least his habits. Here is FDR’s retort.
When Eleanor said she feared Churchill was a bad influence on her husband because of his drinking, FDR cut her short with a reminder that it was not his side of the family that had a problem with alcohol.
4.5 stars. I have read four other biographies by Jean Smith and this is the best one.
This is the 7th biography that I’ve read on FDR and it is the best one.
Why this obsession about FDR you might ask? It’s simply that there are more award winning biographies written on the man than anyone in history including those written about his distant cousin TR. And for many years now I have been working my way through the Pulitzer, National Book Award, and Francis Parkman lists. He is also an interesting figure in history.
So this is the most critical biography of FDR that I’ve read. There were more quotes sourced in this book than others and perhaps the least emphasis on Eleanor compared with the other books. Eleanor is a fascinating figure in her own right but she can overshadow him with her quotations. Since FDR did not write in a journal like Eleanor there is a tendency in many biographies for her voice and opinion to dominate.
This book is excellent in that regard and takes a good neutral path and doesn’t spend much time on salacious details. It also is a worthy companion to the more personal biography by Joseph Lash called Eleanor and Franklin.
There were a few areas of interesting emphasis and detail here in this book that were lacking in other books.
1. Eleanor was prone to making many anti-Semitic statements. I won’t quote them here.
2. FDR’s background as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for eight long years was important in his role as the future president. For example, at FDR’s request the U.S. war budget began increasing ahead of America’s involvement in WWII, it increased in 1939 by four fold and almost all of this increase in money went to the Navy for building ships. This was fortuitous for getting more ships built especially since the disaster at Pearl Harbor occurred just two years later but the initiative was already pumping out battleships.
3. When FDR was running the Navy during WWI he encountered an intransigent Joe Kennedy (father of future president JFK). Joe was running Bethlehem Steel’s Shipyard in Quincy but Bethlehem Steel was playing hardball with the government. So FDR sent warships into the harbor and with tugboats the Navy seized four Bethlehem steel vessels for the war effort.
4. FDR personally rammed through the Civilian Conservation Corps initiative through Congress. It eventually provided jobs for more than 3 million young men during the Great Depression. There was a lack of support and indifference in Congress but since it was FDR’s first year as President, he got Congressional approval.
5. FDR knew who his enemies were. He outmaneuvered the fascist Father Coughlin and moved forward with his New Deal. When Charles Lindbergh supported the Nazis years later FDR froze him out from any role in the military.
6. While defending the New Deal FDR included these memorable words in his speech.
Better the occasional faults of a Government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a Government frozen in the ice of its own indifference.
7. FDR did not have a good civil rights record
During the twelve years FDR was president not one piece of civil rights legislation became law. No federal effort was made to abolish the white primary in the South or overturn the poll tax. Roosevelt’s closest aides—Stephen Early, Marvin McIntyre, and Pa Watson—were southerners who shared the prejudice of the times. To the best of their ability they smothered controversial issues that might offend voters in the South. No effort was made to use the bully pulpit of the White House to advance the cause of racial justice.
8. There were fewer chapters on WWII than other FDR bios which was fine with me. There was however extensive coverage of FDR’s friendship with Winston Churchill - who adored FDR and once called FDR the greatest man who he ever met.
9. Eleanor was not enamored with Churchill or at least his habits. Here is FDR’s retort.
When Eleanor said she feared Churchill was a bad influence on her husband because of his drinking, FDR cut her short with a reminder that it was not his side of the family that had a problem with alcohol.
4.5 stars. I have read four other biographies by Jean Smith and this is the best one.
April 18, 2018
One of the great challenges of writing a biography of America's 32nd president is encapsulating such a challenging character, complex life, and momentous career into the pages of a single volume. Doing so successfully requires incorporating his patrician background and upbringing, his marriage to one of the most remarkable women in American history, his early career in state and national politics, his affliction and adaptation to polio, his successful ascent to the presidency, and his management of two of the greatest challenges the United States and the world has ever faced. Though many have tried, few have pulled it off as well as Jean Edward Smith. A longtime political scientist and biographer, he draws upon both an enormous documentary record and the numerous studies that have been published to describe Franklin Roosevelt's life and achievements within the context of a changing America. Though he uncovers little that s new, he examines it with a critical eye that discovers quite a few insights missed by previous chroniclers. Thanks in no small measure to this, Smith's book stands among the finest biographies of Franklin Roosevelt ever written, one that can be read with profit both by the experienced reader and by anyone seeking a thorough yet accessible account of Franklin Roosevelt and his presidency.
August 28, 2008
"FDR," by Jean Edward Smith (also author of the highly acclaimed biography "Grant"), adds to the long list of biographies of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, one of our greatest presidents. At the outset, Smith makes clear his admiration for FDR – the book is dedicated to his parents, "proud Mississippians devoted to Franklin Roosevelt," and the epigraph states, "He lifted himself from his wheelchair to lift this nation from its knees." In the preface to his book, Smith mentions the biggest riddle for an FDR biographer: to explain how "this Hudson River aristocrat, a son of privilege who never depended on a paycheck, became the champion of the common man." In presenting FDR’s life story, though, Smith keeps to the conventional life story – from FDR’s privileged upbringing through the affair with Lucy Mercy through the bout with polio – covering the basics but never breaking new ground.
Smith, like most biographers, largely attributes FDR’s connection with the common man to his own bout with polio – not just because of the paralysis and helplessness FDR suffered himself but because FDR recovered in Warm Springs, Georgia, where he learned a great deal about rural poverty and strove to better the lives of these ordinary Americans. In addition to polio, Smith cites FDR’s affair with Lucy Mercer as a major factor in his growth as a person, quoting a friend of FDR’s who wrote that, in having to give up Lucy, FDR became a tougher and more resilient person. Smith describes in depth FDR’s accomplishments as president – from the GI Bill which opened up college education to the lower classes to Social Security to solving the housing and banking crises – making the clear case for how FDR "did more to alter the relationship between ordinary citizens and the government than any other American."
However, in making the case for FDR’s greatness as president, Smith sticks mostly to ground that has already been covered and breaks no new ground. In her extraordinary biography, "No Ordinary Time," Doris Kearns Goodwin not only covered the basics, but provided insight into that time by describing letters and thoughts of ordinary Americans – i.e., actually describing the connection ordinary Americans felt to the Roosevelts. Telling the story of FDR’s life through only FDR’s view point, Smith never succeeds in capturing the relationship between FDR and the American people. In addition, by including Eleanor Roosevelt as part of her biography, Goodwin added key insight into FDR’s thinking. While Smith dismisses Eleanor’s role as "tangential," Goodwin attributed great importance to Eleanor’s trips across the country – visiting the poor from the shacks of Appalachia to the sweatshops of Puerto Rico and reporting back to FDR – as something that allowed the Roosevelts to keep in touch with regular Americans. In "No Ordinary Time," the connection between FDR and the American people was personal and one of the great storylines in the book, culminating with America’s tearful reply to his death. In "FDR," Roosevelt’s life is presented more in terms of what he did rather than how he affected others and how they affected him.
As a result, "FDR" succeeds in its straightforward telling of the life of FDR but fails to present insight into his character and evolution from aristocrat to champion of the people. In the preface to "FDR," Smith wrote that it was time to recall "that cheerful man who could not walk, who could not stand unassisted, yet who remained serenely confident as he calmly guided the nation into a prosperous, peaceful future." In fact, FDR succeeds in recalling the life of FDR, but for readers who want to do more than recall his life – but want to get to know FDR and what he was about – the same ground is covered better in "No Ordinary Time," a more personal and compelling retelling of the extraordinary life of one of America's greatest presidents.
Smith, like most biographers, largely attributes FDR’s connection with the common man to his own bout with polio – not just because of the paralysis and helplessness FDR suffered himself but because FDR recovered in Warm Springs, Georgia, where he learned a great deal about rural poverty and strove to better the lives of these ordinary Americans. In addition to polio, Smith cites FDR’s affair with Lucy Mercer as a major factor in his growth as a person, quoting a friend of FDR’s who wrote that, in having to give up Lucy, FDR became a tougher and more resilient person. Smith describes in depth FDR’s accomplishments as president – from the GI Bill which opened up college education to the lower classes to Social Security to solving the housing and banking crises – making the clear case for how FDR "did more to alter the relationship between ordinary citizens and the government than any other American."
However, in making the case for FDR’s greatness as president, Smith sticks mostly to ground that has already been covered and breaks no new ground. In her extraordinary biography, "No Ordinary Time," Doris Kearns Goodwin not only covered the basics, but provided insight into that time by describing letters and thoughts of ordinary Americans – i.e., actually describing the connection ordinary Americans felt to the Roosevelts. Telling the story of FDR’s life through only FDR’s view point, Smith never succeeds in capturing the relationship between FDR and the American people. In addition, by including Eleanor Roosevelt as part of her biography, Goodwin added key insight into FDR’s thinking. While Smith dismisses Eleanor’s role as "tangential," Goodwin attributed great importance to Eleanor’s trips across the country – visiting the poor from the shacks of Appalachia to the sweatshops of Puerto Rico and reporting back to FDR – as something that allowed the Roosevelts to keep in touch with regular Americans. In "No Ordinary Time," the connection between FDR and the American people was personal and one of the great storylines in the book, culminating with America’s tearful reply to his death. In "FDR," Roosevelt’s life is presented more in terms of what he did rather than how he affected others and how they affected him.
As a result, "FDR" succeeds in its straightforward telling of the life of FDR but fails to present insight into his character and evolution from aristocrat to champion of the people. In the preface to "FDR," Smith wrote that it was time to recall "that cheerful man who could not walk, who could not stand unassisted, yet who remained serenely confident as he calmly guided the nation into a prosperous, peaceful future." In fact, FDR succeeds in recalling the life of FDR, but for readers who want to do more than recall his life – but want to get to know FDR and what he was about – the same ground is covered better in "No Ordinary Time," a more personal and compelling retelling of the extraordinary life of one of America's greatest presidents.
October 24, 2021
This biography is a well written and comprehensive account of the facts of FDR's life. Smith also does a good job of capturing FDR's pre-disability personality. However, the book does very little to help us understand the mature man who served as governor of NY and US president. For instance, I was left wondering how FDR, a wealthy "aristocrat," came to embrace such ultra progressive policies and why he regularly used Eleanor in a political capacity, but excluded her from policy matters. While FDR is known to be an enigmatic figure, some effort to answer such questions might have transformed this very good biography into a great one.
April 21, 2018
Another excellent bio from Jean Edward Smith. Well researched, very engaging, and relatively objective (the author is clearly a fan but is not afraid to discuss FDR’s political ruthlessness, character flaws, or mistakes). Like his book on Eisenhower, the conclusion is rather unsatisfying, abruptly ending with FDR’s death. FDR was hugely consequential and his life and accomplishments are impossible to fit into a single volume but Smith’s does a great job fitting so much into a mere 636 pages. Only marked down to 4 stars because I know from other books (mostly WWII history) how much had to be cut out. If you’re looking for a single volume on FDR, I highly recommend this one.
What follows are my notes on the book.
Descended from Dutch settlers who landed in New Amsterdam in the 1650s. Originally, the Roosevelts were Federalists, then Whigs. When the Whig party fell apart over slavery, Teddy Roosevelt’s staunchly abolitionist branch of the family became Republicans. The Hudson River branch preferred the moderation of James Buchanan and became Democrats (7). FDR’s father James purchased the family estate in Hyde Park in 1866 and life was like that of an English country manor. They also divided their time between a NYC townhouse & long vacations abroad. After James first wife died, he (age 58) married Sara Delano (age 26). The Delanos were a wealthy, adventurous seafaring family with a lineage back to the Mayflower (10). Sara was pregnant 6 months into their European honeymoon.
FDR was born in 1882, named after Sara’s uncle. The world was at peace (Concert of Europe) but dangerous times lay ahead with rapid industrialization, massive immigration, labor unrest, and political violence (Garfield and Alexander II both assassinated in 1881). FDR grew up privileged & care-free. Most rich families entrusted their babies to nurses. Not Sara, she was determined raise him herself. He was homeschooled and had a series of tutors (giving him an excellent education but depriving him of the rough and tumble of public school). He spent most his time with adults and was expected to act like one (21). He traveled extensively, annually to Europe but also to Campobello (a Canadian Island near Maine), and Washington DC.
Raised an Episcopalian, his faith was a source of his unflagging optimism, giving a sense of divine purpose to his actions and a belief that all would work out in the end. After his father’s heart attack, FDR and Sara grew extremely close. His father’s enthusiasm for the healing power of baths likely contributed to FDR’s attachment to the mineral waters at Warm Springs, GA later in his life. At 14, he attended boarding school at Groton. Despite his pampered upbringing he adjusted well to the austere environment. “Playing the game” came naturally and although he excelled academically, he was too small to achieve athletic success. In 1900, he entered Harvard, living opulently in his expensive suite (29). His father died during his first term. During his summer in Europe, he learned of McKinley’s assassination and that “Cousin Theodore” was president (31).
After graduating, he married his fifth cousin Eleanor Roosevelt. Unlike FDR, Eleanor was a solemn child who took everything (especially herself) seriously. She had few childhood friends and went to boarding school in England at age 15 where her closest friend was the 70 year old headmistress (45). She was sheltered & naïve beyond despair, never dated let alone spoke with young men. She was stunned that FDR expressed interest in her. TR gave the bride away (50).
He attended Columbia law school & passed the NY bar midway thru his 3rd year, at which point he dropped out, never earning his law degree (56). They would go on to have 6 kids (1 died in infancy). Unlike Sara, Eleanor delegated the raising of her children to caregivers. FDR was “hands off” leaving the childrearing decisions to his wife (57). With such marital role models, I found it unsurprising that FDR’s children were so “unlucky” in marriage (Anna married three times, James four, Elliot five, Franklin Jr five, and John twice (234)).
In 1907, he joined a Wall Street firm but had no love for the law and intended to run for office at his first opportunity. In his bid for a state senate seat, he campaigned by automobile (risky since they were seen as a luxury). Yet it allowed him to cross the district like nobody had done before. He bankrolled his own campaign and benefited from Cousin Theodore’s re-entry into politics that divided the GOP. Even though the senate was only in session for ten weeks a year, FDR made it his full time profession (“a rich man’s hobby”(69)). Having campaigned against “bossism”, FDR joined a group of insurgents looking to scuttle Tammany’s selection of a new US Senator. The insurgents failed to get their candidate elected but claimed victory in forcing the selection of a compromise candidate (76). A speech early in his career is as close as he ever came to providing a philosophical explanation for his actions. In it, he suggested the course of modern history was a struggle for individual liberty. But since it has been accomplished in Europe and the US, that liberty must be channeled for the betterment of the community. We needed liberty for the community now. This means regulation, but FDR said “don’t call it regulation…if we call the same process co-operation” it won’t produce the same backlash of the American people (84).
TR’s third party run threatened to siphon of progressive votes, exacerbating a rupture in the NY Democratic Party. Facing a GOP and a Bull Moose opponent in his own campaign, FDR made peace with Tammany Hall to win every vote possible. He entrusted his campaign to NY Herald reporter Louis Howe. An astute tactician, Howe supplied practical political guidance and even campaigned for FDR when he couldn’t walk from virulent Typhoid (foreshadowing his later Presidential campaigns). When Wilson was elected, FDR was appointed Asst Secretary of the Navy, a position he would hold for the next 8 years. Howe became his secretary, the junior partner of a two man team (111). Howe managed everything (correspondence, patronage, speechwriting, all while keeping tabs on NY politics). In his position, FDR’s impact on the Wilson administration was minimal, yet his 8 years in DC provided him an education in national politics, the workings of Congress, and the importance of accommodating regional politicians in the diverse Democratic Party (113).
FDR aspired to higher office and assumed the NY governorship would be easy to grasp but he had “Potomac Myopia” (overestimating your importance in your home state). Because Wilson needed the votes of Tammany-dominated NY congressional delegation, he refused to endorse FDR. The outbreak of WWI interrupted his run for Senate (119). FDR translated Wilson’s neutrality proclamations into practical policy (relief for Americans stranded in the war). FDR ran and lost the Dem Senate primary. After that, he made peace with Tammany Hall because his career required it; he never publicly criticized the NY machine again (125). As the national mood became more militant, FDR was elated when Wilson called for a huge Navy build up (131). When Congress declared war, FDR threw himself into his procurement and mobilization duties. The Navy swelled from 60K to 500K personnel. The UK was on the cusp of being starved into submission by U-boat attacks. FDR encouraged the UK and France to ask for US assistance and promised to provide 30 destroyers to the UK (139-142). In 1917, Tammany began to court FDR for office, yet he stayed in his post both out of duty and because he thought 1918 would be a Republican year (146).
FDR’s long hours and Eleanor’s volunteer work meant they drifted apart during the war. They also stopped having sex after their 6th child was born (the only sure means of birth control then (149)). FDR began an affair with secretary Lucy Mercer. Beautiful and charming, she and FDR were irresistibly attracted to each other. In 1918, FDR contracted the Spanish Flu crossing the Atlantic to visit the Front. When he returned, Eleanor found love letters in his luggage. Both FDR’s mom (who threatened to cut him off financially) and Howe (worried about FDR’s political career) intervened to prevent divorce (160). The marriage survived but love and trust were gone. Eleanor became more independent and outspoken. FDR didn’t see Lucy again until 1941 and she was with him when he died in 1945.
In 1919, FDR headed to Paris to dismantle the Navy’s vast European establishment (contracts, ports, mountains of supplies, etc) (165). Wilson, arrogantly dismissing Congressional reservations, saw his League of Nations rejected at home. After his stroke, the Democratic Party fell apart every man for himself. FDR resigned his post when nominated as the Dem VP candidate (181). Having tied themselves to Wilson’s League of Nations, they went down to defeat as the electorate yearned for Harding’s “return to normalcy” (182). Now in the political wilderness, he looked to restore his finances. He secured a job as a front man for a Wall Street firm that just wanted his name (184). With an eye to the 1922 election, FDR began speaking around the state. Little did he know, at the Boy Scout Jamboree, he ingested a mysterious virus that would change his life (186).
As FDR retired to Campobello his condition worsened dramatically. Polio rendered him unable to walk and couldn’t function without the aid of his Negro valet LeRoy Jones (205). His personal secretary Missy LeHand proved invaluable screening his visitors and she was one of the few people to always tell it to FDR straight (206). FDR became chairman of the Smith presidential campaign and his nominating speech made him the star of the DNC convention (212). Yet internal Dem divisions meant Coolidge would win the election.
FDR spent half his time in Warm Springs, GA from 1926-1928. He spent 2/3rds of his fortune purchasing cottages and pools, converting them into an aftercare facility for Polio victims. In a custom modified car, he drove the GA countryside listening and talking to people about anything (bank failures, farm prices, etc). In 1928 FDR again gave the nominating speech, this time to a radio audience of 15M. Except for farmers, the US basked in unprecedented prosperity and Hoover was likely to win the election. Smith needed to carry NY and FDR was pushed into running for governor (he wanted to wait another cycle because he thought 1928 was another GOP year). The GOP dominated elections nationwide but FDR squeaked out a narrow win (228).
With NY a key state in national politics, talk of “Roosevelt-in-’32” began immediately. FDR had to consolidate power first; Hoover’s win meant Smith (NY Gov for last 8 years) was out of a job and he tried to run the state behind the scenes. Eleanor refused to become a ceremonial first lady nor give up her teaching and political activism. FDR instinctively knew how to handle the controls of government. He thought through problems, made a decision, and then moved on. He tackled public power, farm relief, and conservation. Once the Depression hit he moved to relief and social security. He gave his first fireside chat, simplifying complex issues and bringing people into his confidence. His cultivated delivery and easy manner made the audience feel like they were participating directly in the highest levels of government (236-8).
The severity of the Depression caught everyone by surprise. By 1930, FDR established a commission to stabilize employment and endorsed unemployment insurance (242). Tammany was as corrupt as ever, but FDR relied on their votes so he was reluctant to criticize them. Eleanor began an affair with her bodyguard Earl Miller in 1929 which lasted until 1962 (248).
Howe was a great strategist but had little interest in policy. So FDR tapped universities to establish a “brain trust” to flesh out his ideas on using the power of government to redress economic ills. Much of his support came from “dry” areas in the South and West. The issue of repealing prohibition put their support at risk so FDR dodged the issue at the convention, saying he would support whatever platform the convention adopted (267). FDR won the nomination on the 4th ballot, pledging a New Deal for the American people. His coalition of Western populists, white southerners, ethnic minorities, and big-city machines trounced Hoover on the Election Day and gained overwhelming majorities in the House and Senate (287). The most calculating politician of his generation, he reached out to Republicans, progressives, and independents but snuffed out rivals in his own party (295).
FDR declared a bank holiday, embargoed the transfer of gold, and prohibited the exchange of dollars to foreign currency. He met with all 48 governors (attending the inauguration) and recalled Congress. Before going left he went right, cutting veteran benefits and government salaries 15% to balance the budget and fund emergency relief (314). His first fireside chat before banks reopened, eased the fears of the populace. In his first 100 days he passed more major legislation than ever before: Emergency Banking Act, amending the Volstead Act (allowed sale of beer), Agricultural Adjustment Act (government paid farmers not to overproduce, reducing supply and raising farm income), Civilian Conservation Corps (unemployed put to work on reforestation and flood control projects), Tennessee Valley Authority (economic development of poor South), Glass-Steagall Act (split investment and commercial banking and established FDIC which permanently eliminated the peril of bank failure), Emergency Farm Mortgage Act (mortgage relief), Truth-in-Securities Act (regulated markets), and the Public Works Administration ($6B for infrastructure projects). Each of these measures was a nimble response to circumstances rather than any grand design (327-332). To fund these, he took the US off the Gold Standard.
FDR and Eleanor lived completely apart. FDR smoked two packs a day (333). He made all his own decisions, rarely consulting his Cabinet (335). Eleanor ran the White House, employing loyal but horrible cooks (Truman fired them later). His diversions included poker, fishing, movies, and his prized stamp collection. In the 2nd session of the 73rd Congress, FDR pushed laws establishing the SEC and FCC (346). In the 74th Congress, he passed Social Security. The last big New Deal push came in 1935 with the creation of the Rural Electrification Administration and Wagner Labor Relations Act (357). FDR was reelected in 1936, winning 46 states (374). The Supreme Court declared 6 New Deal laws unconstitutional so FDR tried to added a member to the Court for every Justice over age 70 (6 justices were then 70+(376-383)). Such a fundamental change to the constitutional order and separation of powers sparked backlash.
FDR persisted, shattering his coalition, giving common cause to conservative Democrats and Republicans. A year after his landslide, he lost control of his party and no new legislation was passed (391). A series of Labor strikes (the outgrowth of his Labor Act) coupled with Federal spending cuts, tanked the economy (394). FDR behaved like Hoover this time, saying it would all work out on its own (397). Anti-lynching legislation alienated the South & wreaked havoc on his coalition (398). The GOP made massive midterm gains.
Before 1939, foreign affairs were secondary to challenges at home. He distrusted and ignored his State Department (417). As the world situation worsened, FDR became consumed with defense. A new coalition of Southern Dems and Wall Street Republicans formed around FDR & Isolationist progressives and western populists fell away (429). Unable to repeal the Neutrality Act, FDR worked a deal to sell weapons on a cash-and-carry basis, avoiding economic entanglement and keeping US ships out of the warzone (438). Had Hitler not invaded France, FDR would not have run for a third term (444). FDR pushed a $1B defense appropriation and added Republicans Knox and Stimson to his Cabinet (dividing the GOP before the election). He alienated allies by picking Wallace as his VP candidate (purely for Electoral College reasons (461)). He bypassed Congress, trading (not selling) 50 destroyers to the UK for bases in the Western Hemisphere (468). FDR was convincingly re-elected.
As the British exhausted their treasury, FDR came up with Lend-Lease. In his “arsenal of democracy” fireside chat, he explained we would lend our allies the tools needed to protect us, and when finished would be returned or repaid in kind (485). With 81% still opposed to entering the war, FDR was careful not to get too far in front of public opinion. After Barbarossa, lend-lease was extended to the USSR. Consumed with Europe, FDR ignored the Pacific. He was unwilling to cut off all oil but wanted to deter Japan and slapped them with a limited oil embargo. It produced the opposite effect, convincing Tokyo of the need for alternate supplies (80% came from the US (510)). When FDR was out of the country meeting Churchill, Dean Acheson (Asst Sec of State) cut off all trade with Japan, stunning Tokyo.
FDR’s Cabinet was split, some for war, others not wanting a distraction from the Atlantic. FDR proposed a cooling off period and peaceful solution but Sec State Hull never presented it to the Japanese (528-9). FDR learned of Pearl Harbor at 1:40PM. After all the warnings, FDR couldn’t understand how the Navy was caught off guard (537). The following day, he asked Congress for a declaration of war. The attack united Americans like nothing else could’ve. The US underestimated the Japs and couldn’t comprehend their early defeats so some blamed saboteurs. FDR signed an executive order interning Japanese Americans (549). He conceived of the Doolittle raid to boost US morale (553).
Churchill and FDR developed a strong relationship. Churchill convinced FDR to invade North Africa, putting off a cross channel invasion in 1942 (560). German U-Boats almost won the war. FDR transfer of 60 B-24s to the Atlantic turned the tide and U-Boat losses skyrocketed (571). With the sea lanes open, US mass production overwhelmed Axis quality. FDR conceived “unconditional surrender” intentionally but was willing to cut a deal with Italy (576). FDR agreed to collaborate with the UK on the atomic bomb. In 1944, FDR signed the GI Bill, changing the face of America. It made universities accessible and upended the taboo of federal funding for education (585).
He traveled to Teheran to meet with Churchill and Stalin (who bugged FDR’s room). FDR’s shunning of State meant they were unfamiliar with his plans for post-war Germany. The fumbling of the boundaries plagued the US throughout the Cold War (586). They agreed to OVERLORD and named Ike the commander (FDR’s last major military decision). By Spring 1944, his health problems (congestive heart failure) were evident. The public was misled on his health due to the upcoming election. He signed an executive order creating a War Refugee Board (bypassing the foot dragging of his anti-Semitic State Dep) to help European Jews (611).
FDR reluctantly recognized De Gaulle and the Free French government. His delay poisoned US-French relations to this day (616). FDR was re-nominated, but Wallace was dropped for Truman at the insistence of the Party (619). FDR won his 4th election and then his health immediately took a downturn. He traveled to Malta, principally concerned with getting the USSR into the fight against Japan (The A-bomb was still untested (629)). When the USSR was unflinching on Poland as a buffer state, FDR settled for a broad Declaration of Liberated Europe that was unenforceable (631). After one last speech to Congress, FDR retired to Warm Springs where he died on 12 April 45.
What follows are my notes on the book.
Descended from Dutch settlers who landed in New Amsterdam in the 1650s. Originally, the Roosevelts were Federalists, then Whigs. When the Whig party fell apart over slavery, Teddy Roosevelt’s staunchly abolitionist branch of the family became Republicans. The Hudson River branch preferred the moderation of James Buchanan and became Democrats (7). FDR’s father James purchased the family estate in Hyde Park in 1866 and life was like that of an English country manor. They also divided their time between a NYC townhouse & long vacations abroad. After James first wife died, he (age 58) married Sara Delano (age 26). The Delanos were a wealthy, adventurous seafaring family with a lineage back to the Mayflower (10). Sara was pregnant 6 months into their European honeymoon.
FDR was born in 1882, named after Sara’s uncle. The world was at peace (Concert of Europe) but dangerous times lay ahead with rapid industrialization, massive immigration, labor unrest, and political violence (Garfield and Alexander II both assassinated in 1881). FDR grew up privileged & care-free. Most rich families entrusted their babies to nurses. Not Sara, she was determined raise him herself. He was homeschooled and had a series of tutors (giving him an excellent education but depriving him of the rough and tumble of public school). He spent most his time with adults and was expected to act like one (21). He traveled extensively, annually to Europe but also to Campobello (a Canadian Island near Maine), and Washington DC.
Raised an Episcopalian, his faith was a source of his unflagging optimism, giving a sense of divine purpose to his actions and a belief that all would work out in the end. After his father’s heart attack, FDR and Sara grew extremely close. His father’s enthusiasm for the healing power of baths likely contributed to FDR’s attachment to the mineral waters at Warm Springs, GA later in his life. At 14, he attended boarding school at Groton. Despite his pampered upbringing he adjusted well to the austere environment. “Playing the game” came naturally and although he excelled academically, he was too small to achieve athletic success. In 1900, he entered Harvard, living opulently in his expensive suite (29). His father died during his first term. During his summer in Europe, he learned of McKinley’s assassination and that “Cousin Theodore” was president (31).
After graduating, he married his fifth cousin Eleanor Roosevelt. Unlike FDR, Eleanor was a solemn child who took everything (especially herself) seriously. She had few childhood friends and went to boarding school in England at age 15 where her closest friend was the 70 year old headmistress (45). She was sheltered & naïve beyond despair, never dated let alone spoke with young men. She was stunned that FDR expressed interest in her. TR gave the bride away (50).
He attended Columbia law school & passed the NY bar midway thru his 3rd year, at which point he dropped out, never earning his law degree (56). They would go on to have 6 kids (1 died in infancy). Unlike Sara, Eleanor delegated the raising of her children to caregivers. FDR was “hands off” leaving the childrearing decisions to his wife (57). With such marital role models, I found it unsurprising that FDR’s children were so “unlucky” in marriage (Anna married three times, James four, Elliot five, Franklin Jr five, and John twice (234)).
In 1907, he joined a Wall Street firm but had no love for the law and intended to run for office at his first opportunity. In his bid for a state senate seat, he campaigned by automobile (risky since they were seen as a luxury). Yet it allowed him to cross the district like nobody had done before. He bankrolled his own campaign and benefited from Cousin Theodore’s re-entry into politics that divided the GOP. Even though the senate was only in session for ten weeks a year, FDR made it his full time profession (“a rich man’s hobby”(69)). Having campaigned against “bossism”, FDR joined a group of insurgents looking to scuttle Tammany’s selection of a new US Senator. The insurgents failed to get their candidate elected but claimed victory in forcing the selection of a compromise candidate (76). A speech early in his career is as close as he ever came to providing a philosophical explanation for his actions. In it, he suggested the course of modern history was a struggle for individual liberty. But since it has been accomplished in Europe and the US, that liberty must be channeled for the betterment of the community. We needed liberty for the community now. This means regulation, but FDR said “don’t call it regulation…if we call the same process co-operation” it won’t produce the same backlash of the American people (84).
TR’s third party run threatened to siphon of progressive votes, exacerbating a rupture in the NY Democratic Party. Facing a GOP and a Bull Moose opponent in his own campaign, FDR made peace with Tammany Hall to win every vote possible. He entrusted his campaign to NY Herald reporter Louis Howe. An astute tactician, Howe supplied practical political guidance and even campaigned for FDR when he couldn’t walk from virulent Typhoid (foreshadowing his later Presidential campaigns). When Wilson was elected, FDR was appointed Asst Secretary of the Navy, a position he would hold for the next 8 years. Howe became his secretary, the junior partner of a two man team (111). Howe managed everything (correspondence, patronage, speechwriting, all while keeping tabs on NY politics). In his position, FDR’s impact on the Wilson administration was minimal, yet his 8 years in DC provided him an education in national politics, the workings of Congress, and the importance of accommodating regional politicians in the diverse Democratic Party (113).
FDR aspired to higher office and assumed the NY governorship would be easy to grasp but he had “Potomac Myopia” (overestimating your importance in your home state). Because Wilson needed the votes of Tammany-dominated NY congressional delegation, he refused to endorse FDR. The outbreak of WWI interrupted his run for Senate (119). FDR translated Wilson’s neutrality proclamations into practical policy (relief for Americans stranded in the war). FDR ran and lost the Dem Senate primary. After that, he made peace with Tammany Hall because his career required it; he never publicly criticized the NY machine again (125). As the national mood became more militant, FDR was elated when Wilson called for a huge Navy build up (131). When Congress declared war, FDR threw himself into his procurement and mobilization duties. The Navy swelled from 60K to 500K personnel. The UK was on the cusp of being starved into submission by U-boat attacks. FDR encouraged the UK and France to ask for US assistance and promised to provide 30 destroyers to the UK (139-142). In 1917, Tammany began to court FDR for office, yet he stayed in his post both out of duty and because he thought 1918 would be a Republican year (146).
FDR’s long hours and Eleanor’s volunteer work meant they drifted apart during the war. They also stopped having sex after their 6th child was born (the only sure means of birth control then (149)). FDR began an affair with secretary Lucy Mercer. Beautiful and charming, she and FDR were irresistibly attracted to each other. In 1918, FDR contracted the Spanish Flu crossing the Atlantic to visit the Front. When he returned, Eleanor found love letters in his luggage. Both FDR’s mom (who threatened to cut him off financially) and Howe (worried about FDR’s political career) intervened to prevent divorce (160). The marriage survived but love and trust were gone. Eleanor became more independent and outspoken. FDR didn’t see Lucy again until 1941 and she was with him when he died in 1945.
In 1919, FDR headed to Paris to dismantle the Navy’s vast European establishment (contracts, ports, mountains of supplies, etc) (165). Wilson, arrogantly dismissing Congressional reservations, saw his League of Nations rejected at home. After his stroke, the Democratic Party fell apart every man for himself. FDR resigned his post when nominated as the Dem VP candidate (181). Having tied themselves to Wilson’s League of Nations, they went down to defeat as the electorate yearned for Harding’s “return to normalcy” (182). Now in the political wilderness, he looked to restore his finances. He secured a job as a front man for a Wall Street firm that just wanted his name (184). With an eye to the 1922 election, FDR began speaking around the state. Little did he know, at the Boy Scout Jamboree, he ingested a mysterious virus that would change his life (186).
As FDR retired to Campobello his condition worsened dramatically. Polio rendered him unable to walk and couldn’t function without the aid of his Negro valet LeRoy Jones (205). His personal secretary Missy LeHand proved invaluable screening his visitors and she was one of the few people to always tell it to FDR straight (206). FDR became chairman of the Smith presidential campaign and his nominating speech made him the star of the DNC convention (212). Yet internal Dem divisions meant Coolidge would win the election.
FDR spent half his time in Warm Springs, GA from 1926-1928. He spent 2/3rds of his fortune purchasing cottages and pools, converting them into an aftercare facility for Polio victims. In a custom modified car, he drove the GA countryside listening and talking to people about anything (bank failures, farm prices, etc). In 1928 FDR again gave the nominating speech, this time to a radio audience of 15M. Except for farmers, the US basked in unprecedented prosperity and Hoover was likely to win the election. Smith needed to carry NY and FDR was pushed into running for governor (he wanted to wait another cycle because he thought 1928 was another GOP year). The GOP dominated elections nationwide but FDR squeaked out a narrow win (228).
With NY a key state in national politics, talk of “Roosevelt-in-’32” began immediately. FDR had to consolidate power first; Hoover’s win meant Smith (NY Gov for last 8 years) was out of a job and he tried to run the state behind the scenes. Eleanor refused to become a ceremonial first lady nor give up her teaching and political activism. FDR instinctively knew how to handle the controls of government. He thought through problems, made a decision, and then moved on. He tackled public power, farm relief, and conservation. Once the Depression hit he moved to relief and social security. He gave his first fireside chat, simplifying complex issues and bringing people into his confidence. His cultivated delivery and easy manner made the audience feel like they were participating directly in the highest levels of government (236-8).
The severity of the Depression caught everyone by surprise. By 1930, FDR established a commission to stabilize employment and endorsed unemployment insurance (242). Tammany was as corrupt as ever, but FDR relied on their votes so he was reluctant to criticize them. Eleanor began an affair with her bodyguard Earl Miller in 1929 which lasted until 1962 (248).
Howe was a great strategist but had little interest in policy. So FDR tapped universities to establish a “brain trust” to flesh out his ideas on using the power of government to redress economic ills. Much of his support came from “dry” areas in the South and West. The issue of repealing prohibition put their support at risk so FDR dodged the issue at the convention, saying he would support whatever platform the convention adopted (267). FDR won the nomination on the 4th ballot, pledging a New Deal for the American people. His coalition of Western populists, white southerners, ethnic minorities, and big-city machines trounced Hoover on the Election Day and gained overwhelming majorities in the House and Senate (287). The most calculating politician of his generation, he reached out to Republicans, progressives, and independents but snuffed out rivals in his own party (295).
FDR declared a bank holiday, embargoed the transfer of gold, and prohibited the exchange of dollars to foreign currency. He met with all 48 governors (attending the inauguration) and recalled Congress. Before going left he went right, cutting veteran benefits and government salaries 15% to balance the budget and fund emergency relief (314). His first fireside chat before banks reopened, eased the fears of the populace. In his first 100 days he passed more major legislation than ever before: Emergency Banking Act, amending the Volstead Act (allowed sale of beer), Agricultural Adjustment Act (government paid farmers not to overproduce, reducing supply and raising farm income), Civilian Conservation Corps (unemployed put to work on reforestation and flood control projects), Tennessee Valley Authority (economic development of poor South), Glass-Steagall Act (split investment and commercial banking and established FDIC which permanently eliminated the peril of bank failure), Emergency Farm Mortgage Act (mortgage relief), Truth-in-Securities Act (regulated markets), and the Public Works Administration ($6B for infrastructure projects). Each of these measures was a nimble response to circumstances rather than any grand design (327-332). To fund these, he took the US off the Gold Standard.
FDR and Eleanor lived completely apart. FDR smoked two packs a day (333). He made all his own decisions, rarely consulting his Cabinet (335). Eleanor ran the White House, employing loyal but horrible cooks (Truman fired them later). His diversions included poker, fishing, movies, and his prized stamp collection. In the 2nd session of the 73rd Congress, FDR pushed laws establishing the SEC and FCC (346). In the 74th Congress, he passed Social Security. The last big New Deal push came in 1935 with the creation of the Rural Electrification Administration and Wagner Labor Relations Act (357). FDR was reelected in 1936, winning 46 states (374). The Supreme Court declared 6 New Deal laws unconstitutional so FDR tried to added a member to the Court for every Justice over age 70 (6 justices were then 70+(376-383)). Such a fundamental change to the constitutional order and separation of powers sparked backlash.
FDR persisted, shattering his coalition, giving common cause to conservative Democrats and Republicans. A year after his landslide, he lost control of his party and no new legislation was passed (391). A series of Labor strikes (the outgrowth of his Labor Act) coupled with Federal spending cuts, tanked the economy (394). FDR behaved like Hoover this time, saying it would all work out on its own (397). Anti-lynching legislation alienated the South & wreaked havoc on his coalition (398). The GOP made massive midterm gains.
Before 1939, foreign affairs were secondary to challenges at home. He distrusted and ignored his State Department (417). As the world situation worsened, FDR became consumed with defense. A new coalition of Southern Dems and Wall Street Republicans formed around FDR & Isolationist progressives and western populists fell away (429). Unable to repeal the Neutrality Act, FDR worked a deal to sell weapons on a cash-and-carry basis, avoiding economic entanglement and keeping US ships out of the warzone (438). Had Hitler not invaded France, FDR would not have run for a third term (444). FDR pushed a $1B defense appropriation and added Republicans Knox and Stimson to his Cabinet (dividing the GOP before the election). He alienated allies by picking Wallace as his VP candidate (purely for Electoral College reasons (461)). He bypassed Congress, trading (not selling) 50 destroyers to the UK for bases in the Western Hemisphere (468). FDR was convincingly re-elected.
As the British exhausted their treasury, FDR came up with Lend-Lease. In his “arsenal of democracy” fireside chat, he explained we would lend our allies the tools needed to protect us, and when finished would be returned or repaid in kind (485). With 81% still opposed to entering the war, FDR was careful not to get too far in front of public opinion. After Barbarossa, lend-lease was extended to the USSR. Consumed with Europe, FDR ignored the Pacific. He was unwilling to cut off all oil but wanted to deter Japan and slapped them with a limited oil embargo. It produced the opposite effect, convincing Tokyo of the need for alternate supplies (80% came from the US (510)). When FDR was out of the country meeting Churchill, Dean Acheson (Asst Sec of State) cut off all trade with Japan, stunning Tokyo.
FDR’s Cabinet was split, some for war, others not wanting a distraction from the Atlantic. FDR proposed a cooling off period and peaceful solution but Sec State Hull never presented it to the Japanese (528-9). FDR learned of Pearl Harbor at 1:40PM. After all the warnings, FDR couldn’t understand how the Navy was caught off guard (537). The following day, he asked Congress for a declaration of war. The attack united Americans like nothing else could’ve. The US underestimated the Japs and couldn’t comprehend their early defeats so some blamed saboteurs. FDR signed an executive order interning Japanese Americans (549). He conceived of the Doolittle raid to boost US morale (553).
Churchill and FDR developed a strong relationship. Churchill convinced FDR to invade North Africa, putting off a cross channel invasion in 1942 (560). German U-Boats almost won the war. FDR transfer of 60 B-24s to the Atlantic turned the tide and U-Boat losses skyrocketed (571). With the sea lanes open, US mass production overwhelmed Axis quality. FDR conceived “unconditional surrender” intentionally but was willing to cut a deal with Italy (576). FDR agreed to collaborate with the UK on the atomic bomb. In 1944, FDR signed the GI Bill, changing the face of America. It made universities accessible and upended the taboo of federal funding for education (585).
He traveled to Teheran to meet with Churchill and Stalin (who bugged FDR’s room). FDR’s shunning of State meant they were unfamiliar with his plans for post-war Germany. The fumbling of the boundaries plagued the US throughout the Cold War (586). They agreed to OVERLORD and named Ike the commander (FDR’s last major military decision). By Spring 1944, his health problems (congestive heart failure) were evident. The public was misled on his health due to the upcoming election. He signed an executive order creating a War Refugee Board (bypassing the foot dragging of his anti-Semitic State Dep) to help European Jews (611).
FDR reluctantly recognized De Gaulle and the Free French government. His delay poisoned US-French relations to this day (616). FDR was re-nominated, but Wallace was dropped for Truman at the insistence of the Party (619). FDR won his 4th election and then his health immediately took a downturn. He traveled to Malta, principally concerned with getting the USSR into the fight against Japan (The A-bomb was still untested (629)). When the USSR was unflinching on Poland as a buffer state, FDR settled for a broad Declaration of Liberated Europe that was unenforceable (631). After one last speech to Congress, FDR retired to Warm Springs where he died on 12 April 45.
April 27, 2014
Excellent biography for the general reader. There have been many books on Roosevelt recently, several about his relationship with Churchill specifically, but not a complete biography. Smith sees Roosevelt as, with Washington and Lincoln, in the top echelon of influential American presidents and her book is intended to show why. But he is also sensitive to his faults and doesn’t hesitate to condemn a number of his actions and attitudes, not the least of which was his attempt to "pack" the Supreme Court by mandating another justice for every justice who turned 70. The reader has a sense of a factual and balanced view of an extraordinary man.
This isn’t a biography with startlingly new information. I’ve read a lot of books about Roosevelt and a lot of histories in which Roosevelt figures prominently and was surprised by nothing but still delighted with the book because of Smith's ability to analyze Roosevelt’s attitudes and actions in detail, free of political and popular bias. The one section of the book that seemed to me particularly good was her analysis of the build up to the attack on Pearl Harbor which revisionist historians recently have construed to suggest that Roosevelt deliberately allowed to happen in order to have an excuse for the US to enter the war. Certainly Roosevelt saw that necessity before the country as a whole was willing to abandon its isolationism, but after reading Smith’s account I’m convinced that the revisionist’s were wrong about Roosevelt. One particularly interesting facet was the attempt of Ambassador Joseph C. Grew to broker a rapprochement with Japan through the Japanese prime minister who did not want war but who was facing an ever-more-militant party within the government. Grew cabled the prime minister’s offer of talks to Roosevelt, but Roosevelt was in Placentia Bay at the time meeting with Churchill and drafting what became the Atlantic Charter. Evidently Grew’s cable was dealt with by more militant and anti-Japanese elements within the State Department.
Smith devoted more attention to the New Deal, both its successes and its failures, than to WWII which seemed odd to me, but after all, those years constituted a larger proportion of FDR’s presidency and the war years have been covered so thoroughly in the recent spate of books on WWII and Roosevelt’s role and influence. I was particularly convinced of Roosevelt’s power as a politician and leader when Smith showed how his positive attitude and ability to communicate with all Americans appealed to the people who had heard nothing but doom and gloom from Hoover who was not an inspiring communicator. In fact, with the US facing a Presidential choice at this time, it reminds me that sometimes the ability to communicate a vision is the most important job of a national leader.
This book clarified in my mind that Obama was the one to support in 2009.
This isn’t a biography with startlingly new information. I’ve read a lot of books about Roosevelt and a lot of histories in which Roosevelt figures prominently and was surprised by nothing but still delighted with the book because of Smith's ability to analyze Roosevelt’s attitudes and actions in detail, free of political and popular bias. The one section of the book that seemed to me particularly good was her analysis of the build up to the attack on Pearl Harbor which revisionist historians recently have construed to suggest that Roosevelt deliberately allowed to happen in order to have an excuse for the US to enter the war. Certainly Roosevelt saw that necessity before the country as a whole was willing to abandon its isolationism, but after reading Smith’s account I’m convinced that the revisionist’s were wrong about Roosevelt. One particularly interesting facet was the attempt of Ambassador Joseph C. Grew to broker a rapprochement with Japan through the Japanese prime minister who did not want war but who was facing an ever-more-militant party within the government. Grew cabled the prime minister’s offer of talks to Roosevelt, but Roosevelt was in Placentia Bay at the time meeting with Churchill and drafting what became the Atlantic Charter. Evidently Grew’s cable was dealt with by more militant and anti-Japanese elements within the State Department.
Smith devoted more attention to the New Deal, both its successes and its failures, than to WWII which seemed odd to me, but after all, those years constituted a larger proportion of FDR’s presidency and the war years have been covered so thoroughly in the recent spate of books on WWII and Roosevelt’s role and influence. I was particularly convinced of Roosevelt’s power as a politician and leader when Smith showed how his positive attitude and ability to communicate with all Americans appealed to the people who had heard nothing but doom and gloom from Hoover who was not an inspiring communicator. In fact, with the US facing a Presidential choice at this time, it reminds me that sometimes the ability to communicate a vision is the most important job of a national leader.
This book clarified in my mind that Obama was the one to support in 2009.
February 17, 2016
http://bestpresidentialbios.com/2016/...
“FDR” is Jean Edward Smith’s 2007 biography of the thirty-second U.S. president and is the 2008 recipient of the Francis Parkman Prize. Smith taught political science at the University of Toronto for 35 years and at Marshall University for 12 years. His next biography “Bush” will be released July 2016.
“FDR” is among the most widely read and beloved of biographies and for good reason. It is meticulously researched, exceedingly well-footnoted, admiring but balanced, and surprisingly facile for a book containing 636 pages of text.
The biography begins with an articulate, engaging preface and rarely disappoints during its twenty-six chapters. Smith clearly admires FDR but proves nearly as quick to criticize Roosevelt as to praise him; the strengths and weaknesses of this complicated man are on full display.
Early chapters provide interesting background into FDR’s ancestry and a brisk but competent walk through the first two decades of his life. The pace slows and the focus sharpens as Roosevelt begins his political life in the New York State Senate. From this point Smith furnishes greater-than-average detail but the reader is left with the distinct impression this book could have put an additional 100 pages to excellent use.
The author offers excellent insight into the women who strongly influenced FDR’s life (including his mother, his wife and his mistress) and provides the reader a sharper account of Herbert Hoover’s “Bonus Army” problem than even Hoover’s own biographers. Smith’s description of the enormous toll of the Great Depression and his coverage of the Japanese preparation for the attack on Pearl Harbor leave a vivid and indelible impression on the reader.
For all that is conveyed of Roosevelt and his colleagues, however, comparatively less is disclosed about his six children or his family life (to the extent it even existed). About two-thirds into the book the reader is treated to a robust review of their personalities and whereabouts but, more often than not, the author (like FDR) is focused elsewhere.
Smith’s writing style is clear, sober and often captivating. But this is not a highly animated, dramatic narrative in the style exhibited by some biographers. Facts consistently take precedence over scene-setting and readers predisposed to colorful or carefree prose may find this biography occasionally dry.
Early in the book the author alludes to the mystery of FDR’s evolution from Hudson River aristocrat to champion of the common man. Unfortunately, this dramatic but improbable transformation is never fully explored. And after carefully documenting the tragedy of FDR’s personal life and the majesty of his political life the book ends just three paragraphs after his death with no conclusion or sweeping review of his legacy.
Overall, Jean Edward Smith’s “FDR” is a thorough, engaging and penetrating exploration of the life of this renowned US president. More an intellectual than an emotional biography, this book is well-balanced in tone, thoughtful in content and makes excellent use of every page. Readers seeking a comprehensive but not exhaustive review of FDR’s life will find this biography an excellent choice.
Overall rating: 4½ stars
“FDR” is Jean Edward Smith’s 2007 biography of the thirty-second U.S. president and is the 2008 recipient of the Francis Parkman Prize. Smith taught political science at the University of Toronto for 35 years and at Marshall University for 12 years. His next biography “Bush” will be released July 2016.
“FDR” is among the most widely read and beloved of biographies and for good reason. It is meticulously researched, exceedingly well-footnoted, admiring but balanced, and surprisingly facile for a book containing 636 pages of text.
The biography begins with an articulate, engaging preface and rarely disappoints during its twenty-six chapters. Smith clearly admires FDR but proves nearly as quick to criticize Roosevelt as to praise him; the strengths and weaknesses of this complicated man are on full display.
Early chapters provide interesting background into FDR’s ancestry and a brisk but competent walk through the first two decades of his life. The pace slows and the focus sharpens as Roosevelt begins his political life in the New York State Senate. From this point Smith furnishes greater-than-average detail but the reader is left with the distinct impression this book could have put an additional 100 pages to excellent use.
The author offers excellent insight into the women who strongly influenced FDR’s life (including his mother, his wife and his mistress) and provides the reader a sharper account of Herbert Hoover’s “Bonus Army” problem than even Hoover’s own biographers. Smith’s description of the enormous toll of the Great Depression and his coverage of the Japanese preparation for the attack on Pearl Harbor leave a vivid and indelible impression on the reader.
For all that is conveyed of Roosevelt and his colleagues, however, comparatively less is disclosed about his six children or his family life (to the extent it even existed). About two-thirds into the book the reader is treated to a robust review of their personalities and whereabouts but, more often than not, the author (like FDR) is focused elsewhere.
Smith’s writing style is clear, sober and often captivating. But this is not a highly animated, dramatic narrative in the style exhibited by some biographers. Facts consistently take precedence over scene-setting and readers predisposed to colorful or carefree prose may find this biography occasionally dry.
Early in the book the author alludes to the mystery of FDR’s evolution from Hudson River aristocrat to champion of the common man. Unfortunately, this dramatic but improbable transformation is never fully explored. And after carefully documenting the tragedy of FDR’s personal life and the majesty of his political life the book ends just three paragraphs after his death with no conclusion or sweeping review of his legacy.
Overall, Jean Edward Smith’s “FDR” is a thorough, engaging and penetrating exploration of the life of this renowned US president. More an intellectual than an emotional biography, this book is well-balanced in tone, thoughtful in content and makes excellent use of every page. Readers seeking a comprehensive but not exhaustive review of FDR’s life will find this biography an excellent choice.
Overall rating: 4½ stars
August 6, 2017
One of the best biographies I have ever read, about one of the greatest Americans to have led and served his nation. A very balanced portrait of FDR, revealing his flaws as well as his talents and attributes. FDR transformed this country, and many of the ideas and political views that were so vociferously argued during his time are the same that challenge and vex us today. We can learn from history and example if we are willing.
February 24, 2021
FDR is one of those figures that towers over American and to some extent world history. Yet, I was surprised at how little I knew about the man. Despite having a degree in history, my knowledge of him could be summarized in a very short list: only four term President of the U.S., sponsored the New Deal, and led the States through the Great Depression and the Second World War. True, that's a big list of accomplishments for any leader, but I just knew it must only scratch the surface.
Part of what led me to read this monstrously huge biography (it clocks in at a modest 1164 pages!) was to flesh out my superficial understanding of the man. The other part was my disgust at the events on January 6, 2021. How did we go from the progressive, forward looking policies of the 30s (that gave us Social Security, the SEC, the WPA, brought electricity to much of rural America, and more) to a set of regressive politics that led directly to the storming of the capital? What was I missing?
Long story short, I'm very glad I read this book. It was an excellent and comprehensive survey of the man's life and times. Like any good biography, you feel as if you know the subject by the time you are finished reading. It also expands your knowledge of their life and times. At times you will feel great respect for them, and at other times disappointment. Critically for me, I think it helped answer some of my questions.
FDR was a charismatic, visionary man. Sometimes branded a "traitor to his class," he saw the poverty and struggles of the ordinary people around him and wanted to do something about it. Much of rural America (especially in the South) was without electricity and plumbing. Most people could not afford to retire and lived in abject poverty. His fundamental desire to resolve these and other problems led directly to solutions that improved the lives of ordinary people. It also galvanized support behind the his party leading to years of Democratic domination of Congress and the Presidency.
So what happened? Fundamentally, to get his agenda passed, FDR had to make a deal with the more repressive side of US politics. In particular, he had to placate the Dixiecrats (Southern Democrats). This is why he could get some things done but not others. For example, the Tennessee Valley Authority was created because what Southern Senator or Congressman didn't want to bring electricity to their constituents? On the other hand, shaking hands with Jesse Owens or cracking down on lynchings ("states' rights!") was not possible as it would've cost his coalition the support of those same Dixiecrats. I think it is this dark seam in US politics that we saw on January 6th. There are, sadly, those people that are threatened by change.
Looking at this bind FDR was in also led to a series of engaging (often heated) discussions with friends and family. (Definitely a sign of a good read!) Does FDR's refusal to do more for the African American community make him less of a great man? Personally, I don't think so. You can't evaluate people who lived in the past by the standard's of today. It doesn't make his inaction right, but it makes it understandable. To confront the racism of his day (and the 30s are significantly closer to the Civil War than to the present) would've destroyed the Democratic party and spelled the end of the New Deal. He was in a bind and he played the cards he was dealt. Further, he did what he could when he could. Millions of African Americans were directly benefited by his programs, and, as the US war machine was ramping up in the late 30s, he ended racial discrimination in any company that did business with the Federal Government. (Additionally, it is worth noting that his wife, Eleanor, was very active in advocating and working for the rights of African Americans.)
The war is another gargantuan aspect of his Presidency. Unlike so many other leaders (both inside and outside the US) he saw the storm clouds gathering over Europe and Asia. Despite the strong isolationist movement, he quietly began re-arming the US and preparing to assist Britain (and the USSR). It is not an understatement to say that his at the time controversial Lend-Lease program saved the United Kingdom from capitulating to Nazi Germany in 1940 (and the USSR in 1941).
All of this only touches the man. He was an inventive, charismatic campaigner. For example, he won his first election by driving around upstate New York. At the time, the law required cars to stop for carriages. So he stopped for every carriage and used it as an opportunity to personally connect with a voter. He also connected directly with voters via his Fire Side Chats on the radio. Layered on top of this, he was a master of the political machine and used political patronage like a scalpel. I could go on and on with more accomplishments and firsts, but I'm getting tired of writing (and you might be getting tired of reading my thoughts).
In summary, this was a very good biography of FDR. If you want to learn more about the man, this is a good read. It was thick, but well written and engaging. I appreciated the use of letters and telegraphs to flesh things out.
Four stars out of five.
Part of what led me to read this monstrously huge biography (it clocks in at a modest 1164 pages!) was to flesh out my superficial understanding of the man. The other part was my disgust at the events on January 6, 2021. How did we go from the progressive, forward looking policies of the 30s (that gave us Social Security, the SEC, the WPA, brought electricity to much of rural America, and more) to a set of regressive politics that led directly to the storming of the capital? What was I missing?
Long story short, I'm very glad I read this book. It was an excellent and comprehensive survey of the man's life and times. Like any good biography, you feel as if you know the subject by the time you are finished reading. It also expands your knowledge of their life and times. At times you will feel great respect for them, and at other times disappointment. Critically for me, I think it helped answer some of my questions.
FDR was a charismatic, visionary man. Sometimes branded a "traitor to his class," he saw the poverty and struggles of the ordinary people around him and wanted to do something about it. Much of rural America (especially in the South) was without electricity and plumbing. Most people could not afford to retire and lived in abject poverty. His fundamental desire to resolve these and other problems led directly to solutions that improved the lives of ordinary people. It also galvanized support behind the his party leading to years of Democratic domination of Congress and the Presidency.
So what happened? Fundamentally, to get his agenda passed, FDR had to make a deal with the more repressive side of US politics. In particular, he had to placate the Dixiecrats (Southern Democrats). This is why he could get some things done but not others. For example, the Tennessee Valley Authority was created because what Southern Senator or Congressman didn't want to bring electricity to their constituents? On the other hand, shaking hands with Jesse Owens or cracking down on lynchings ("states' rights!") was not possible as it would've cost his coalition the support of those same Dixiecrats. I think it is this dark seam in US politics that we saw on January 6th. There are, sadly, those people that are threatened by change.
Looking at this bind FDR was in also led to a series of engaging (often heated) discussions with friends and family. (Definitely a sign of a good read!) Does FDR's refusal to do more for the African American community make him less of a great man? Personally, I don't think so. You can't evaluate people who lived in the past by the standard's of today. It doesn't make his inaction right, but it makes it understandable. To confront the racism of his day (and the 30s are significantly closer to the Civil War than to the present) would've destroyed the Democratic party and spelled the end of the New Deal. He was in a bind and he played the cards he was dealt. Further, he did what he could when he could. Millions of African Americans were directly benefited by his programs, and, as the US war machine was ramping up in the late 30s, he ended racial discrimination in any company that did business with the Federal Government. (Additionally, it is worth noting that his wife, Eleanor, was very active in advocating and working for the rights of African Americans.)
The war is another gargantuan aspect of his Presidency. Unlike so many other leaders (both inside and outside the US) he saw the storm clouds gathering over Europe and Asia. Despite the strong isolationist movement, he quietly began re-arming the US and preparing to assist Britain (and the USSR). It is not an understatement to say that his at the time controversial Lend-Lease program saved the United Kingdom from capitulating to Nazi Germany in 1940 (and the USSR in 1941).
All of this only touches the man. He was an inventive, charismatic campaigner. For example, he won his first election by driving around upstate New York. At the time, the law required cars to stop for carriages. So he stopped for every carriage and used it as an opportunity to personally connect with a voter. He also connected directly with voters via his Fire Side Chats on the radio. Layered on top of this, he was a master of the political machine and used political patronage like a scalpel. I could go on and on with more accomplishments and firsts, but I'm getting tired of writing (and you might be getting tired of reading my thoughts).
In summary, this was a very good biography of FDR. If you want to learn more about the man, this is a good read. It was thick, but well written and engaging. I appreciated the use of letters and telegraphs to flesh things out.
Four stars out of five.
April 9, 2021
What can you say about a biography of one of the most consequential Americans in the nation's history, written by a scholar who uses primary sources, correspondence, thorough reporting -- and on certain occasions reveals that she was present when something took place?
Brilliant, encyclopedic, focused on its subject despite the unending temptations to digress (did Eleanor have lovers? What was Truman like?). Now I understand how Roosevelt sped so much legislation through Congress in order to end the Great Depression. Now I have a better notion of the political forces that prevented him from doing more on behalf of the Jews in Germany.
The FDR in this book is not a saint, though. Smith quotes without mercy his letter to Eleanor about taking the kids away from Washington's humidity for the summer, which is actually a ruse on behalf of the affair he's having. Likewise we see his dismissiveness over American citizens with Japanese heritage being forced from their homes into internment camps.
Nonetheless, the courage of this president, facing the worst economy and then worst foe in the nation's history, rings though on every page.
Brilliant, encyclopedic, focused on its subject despite the unending temptations to digress (did Eleanor have lovers? What was Truman like?). Now I understand how Roosevelt sped so much legislation through Congress in order to end the Great Depression. Now I have a better notion of the political forces that prevented him from doing more on behalf of the Jews in Germany.
The FDR in this book is not a saint, though. Smith quotes without mercy his letter to Eleanor about taking the kids away from Washington's humidity for the summer, which is actually a ruse on behalf of the affair he's having. Likewise we see his dismissiveness over American citizens with Japanese heritage being forced from their homes into internment camps.
Nonetheless, the courage of this president, facing the worst economy and then worst foe in the nation's history, rings though on every page.
February 17, 2016
This is a well-balanced, thoroughly researched biography of FDR. The notes section is excellent - there is so much more information contained in both the footnotes and the end notes that I followed along with the end notes as I finished each corresponding chapter. Smith does an admirable job of balancing the strengths and weaknesses, flaws and virtues, that made FDR such a complex person. Smith details certain instances of FDR's ruthlessness (1938 congressional elections, for example), while also showing how FDR changed his will to give half of his estate to Missy LeHand in exchange for her years of loyal service to him.
FDR was a truly incredible man and leader, and one of my favorite Presidents. However, he certainly did many things that were not upstanding. Smith does a good job of detailing FDR's time as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under Woodrow Wilson during WWI. I did not think that Smith devoted much attention to FDR's tenure as Governor of New York, but then again, FDR seemed to have his sights set on the presidency by that point.
I also do not think that Smith talked a great deal of Eleanor's impact during the White House years. Once the affair with Lucy Mercer was revealed, she seemed to fade more or less into the background. Which, perhaps, is what happened from FDR's point of view. And the book ends abruptly - FDR dies on the final page. So, there is no Epilogue to talk about some of the many lasting legacies that FDR left us with, and nothing much of reaction in the way of his death. For example, FDR kept Truman at arm's length and didn't share any information with him. This while knowing that he was in ill heath. It seems to me that he did a great disservice to Truman personally, and the country and war effort in general, by keeping Truman in the dark. Again, maybe Smith ended the book in this fashion to signify the abruptness of FDR's death and the shock that it caused to the country.
One final comment: Smith structured the book in a manner where almost all of the chapters read all the way through, with no breaks contained within the chapters themselves when he switches to a different subject. I prefer books that have some breaks - more for the reason that I can read a few quick pages here and there. Whereas with a book like Smith's, once I started a chapter I wanted to try to finish it so that I am not picking it up in the middle of something later. But that does not detract from the quality of the book.
FDR was a truly incredible man and leader, and one of my favorite Presidents. However, he certainly did many things that were not upstanding. Smith does a good job of detailing FDR's time as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under Woodrow Wilson during WWI. I did not think that Smith devoted much attention to FDR's tenure as Governor of New York, but then again, FDR seemed to have his sights set on the presidency by that point.
I also do not think that Smith talked a great deal of Eleanor's impact during the White House years. Once the affair with Lucy Mercer was revealed, she seemed to fade more or less into the background. Which, perhaps, is what happened from FDR's point of view. And the book ends abruptly - FDR dies on the final page. So, there is no Epilogue to talk about some of the many lasting legacies that FDR left us with, and nothing much of reaction in the way of his death. For example, FDR kept Truman at arm's length and didn't share any information with him. This while knowing that he was in ill heath. It seems to me that he did a great disservice to Truman personally, and the country and war effort in general, by keeping Truman in the dark. Again, maybe Smith ended the book in this fashion to signify the abruptness of FDR's death and the shock that it caused to the country.
One final comment: Smith structured the book in a manner where almost all of the chapters read all the way through, with no breaks contained within the chapters themselves when he switches to a different subject. I prefer books that have some breaks - more for the reason that I can read a few quick pages here and there. Whereas with a book like Smith's, once I started a chapter I wanted to try to finish it so that I am not picking it up in the middle of something later. But that does not detract from the quality of the book.
December 18, 2020
Easily the best single volume presidential biography I've read this year. The author details the struggles FDR faced in his fight to conquer polio, and how he led a nation back from the brink of disaster. The book covers FDR's political rise and personal life as well. The only complaint I had about the book was that it was heavily footnoted, and also that it didn't have much of a conclusion. Other than those two things, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about a true 20th century icon.
October 1, 2014
I have to say Jean Edward Smith has become one of my favorites. He did such a great job on Grant, so I read this one. He synthesizes so much information in such a great way. It is the best one-volume biography I have found on FDR. I would really rate this 4.5. If there is a flaw it is that he moved through WWII pretty fast, but you can find other books related to FDR and the war. It is a wonderful book.
October 10, 2021
He is the man who served in office the longest and once the most Presidential elections in history, he is most identifiable by his initials. FDR by Jean Edward Smith shows the life of the 32nd President of the United States from his birth in high society New York to his death just months before total victory in World War II.
From the outset Smith makes the reader aware Franklin Delano Roosevelt is one of the most written about of Presidents thus giving an indication that he will not do anything new but give a new generation of readers a straightforward look into Roosevelt’s life. Three-quarters of the book is Smith’s text with the final quarter being notes and an index, but during the biography proper Smith’s footnotes are in-depth and as interesting as what is in the text proper. Smith devotes a little over a third of the biography to Roosevelt’s life before his run for the 1932 Democratic nomination thus transitioning to focusing on the final 13 years of Roosevelt’s life. During that first third, Smith not only covers Roosevelt’s life but also foreshadows how his early political career in New York would later affect his entrance to Washington politics as Assistant Secretary of State and his later New York career as Governor. While in Washington Smith shows how Roosevelt learned the ways of the city that would come in handing once he assumed the Presidency. Once on the national stage, Smith gives the political backstories to campaigns and later to battles for legislation as well as the overall atmosphere of the Great Depression of the time. Yet while Smith devotes most of the biography to Roosevelt in the White House there is no really in-depthness like some books that devote themselves entirely to an individual’s Presidency and this is telling once the U.S. enters World War II as Smith essentially says ‘FDR did not micromanage the military once he made decision to an objective and left the generals do their thing’ while barely covering his relationship with Churchill.
FDR gives a detailed—but not in-depth—look at the life of the longest-serving President in the history of the United States. Jean Edward Smith writes in an engaging style for a very readable book but with wonderful footnotes that adds to the text. For a general biography this is a must read, but those looking for political or military details this is not.
From the outset Smith makes the reader aware Franklin Delano Roosevelt is one of the most written about of Presidents thus giving an indication that he will not do anything new but give a new generation of readers a straightforward look into Roosevelt’s life. Three-quarters of the book is Smith’s text with the final quarter being notes and an index, but during the biography proper Smith’s footnotes are in-depth and as interesting as what is in the text proper. Smith devotes a little over a third of the biography to Roosevelt’s life before his run for the 1932 Democratic nomination thus transitioning to focusing on the final 13 years of Roosevelt’s life. During that first third, Smith not only covers Roosevelt’s life but also foreshadows how his early political career in New York would later affect his entrance to Washington politics as Assistant Secretary of State and his later New York career as Governor. While in Washington Smith shows how Roosevelt learned the ways of the city that would come in handing once he assumed the Presidency. Once on the national stage, Smith gives the political backstories to campaigns and later to battles for legislation as well as the overall atmosphere of the Great Depression of the time. Yet while Smith devotes most of the biography to Roosevelt in the White House there is no really in-depthness like some books that devote themselves entirely to an individual’s Presidency and this is telling once the U.S. enters World War II as Smith essentially says ‘FDR did not micromanage the military once he made decision to an objective and left the generals do their thing’ while barely covering his relationship with Churchill.
FDR gives a detailed—but not in-depth—look at the life of the longest-serving President in the history of the United States. Jean Edward Smith writes in an engaging style for a very readable book but with wonderful footnotes that adds to the text. For a general biography this is a must read, but those looking for political or military details this is not.
March 15, 2011
This book is a delicious meal made up of turn of the century politics and a side order of regret on how modern political discourse (and positions) have reverted. The beginning of the book which covers FDR's childhood and early political career, goes into Wilson's administration which offers an insight to a political party that no longer exists. That being one made up of religious conservatives with socially conscious progressive ideals in foreign relations, taxation, and the role to be played by government with industry/government "co-operation" (regulation).
The introduction of Herbert Hoover in this biography gave insight to many parallels between 1933 and 2009. Hoover maintained the modern day Republican ideals of "leave the depression alone and it will fix itself". Much of the fiscally conservative modern day rhetoric was executed to the letter by President Hoover with damaging effects that make the Bush era pale in comparison.
At the close of this book, I felt as though Jean Edward Smith did a prodigious job taking me through FDR's history. This story painted FDR as a political paladin while not omitting his downfalls such as his sometimes questionable interpretation of executive power.
This biography is as much a history of America's greatest time and the birth of its best generation as is FDR's life and presidency. It become a 5 start book 100 pages in and maintained that rating to the last sentence.
The introduction of Herbert Hoover in this biography gave insight to many parallels between 1933 and 2009. Hoover maintained the modern day Republican ideals of "leave the depression alone and it will fix itself". Much of the fiscally conservative modern day rhetoric was executed to the letter by President Hoover with damaging effects that make the Bush era pale in comparison.
At the close of this book, I felt as though Jean Edward Smith did a prodigious job taking me through FDR's history. This story painted FDR as a political paladin while not omitting his downfalls such as his sometimes questionable interpretation of executive power.
This biography is as much a history of America's greatest time and the birth of its best generation as is FDR's life and presidency. It become a 5 start book 100 pages in and maintained that rating to the last sentence.
July 29, 2014
So well researched that you imagine that you are with him cheek-by-jowl. You see, perhaps genetically, that FDR had the same tenacity, audacity and courage as his relative Theodore. An amazing individual. One thing that he had that few US presidents have, indeed any politician, was class. FDR had class.
March 10, 2019
I have mixed feelings about this one, but mostly it is no fault of the author. FDR's life really deserves multiple volumes, but even as single-volume biography, this one could have used a couple hundred more pages. The handling of World War II was both disappointing and brilliant, as this was after all a book about a man and not about a war. But his term as governor of New York seemed little more than campaigning for reelection and then election to president, and surely deserved more attention. I disfavor any biography that ends with little more than the subject's death, with little to no detail about the funeral, burial, and mourning that followed, and fails to mention the life of survivors, such as a spouse. I realize there are plenty of other books about FDR, Eleanor, Churchill, and others that take care of them, but I wanted something more from this. I have other follow-up books on FDR and those in his orbit, but this ultimately was just good, not great. I do enjoy good footnotes, and there were plenty of those. But for someone reading only once of FDR, I would recommend finding a series and setting aside a month or more to the task.
May 26, 2024
The United States has been blessed to have amazing presidents at crucial times in our history: George Washington at the founding if the country, Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and Franklin Roosevelt who saved the country from economic collapse and guided us to victory in World War II.
Smith's FDR is a magnificent biography. He details Roosevelt's early privileged life and his ambitious and meteoric rise in state and national politics. All the while he develops unique connections that propel his career to the next step. But, Smith's biography does not downplay FDR'S shortcomings as as a husband, father, politician and friend. Smith gives us an unvarnished view of the man and how he dealt with his own issues and still became one of the most iconic figures of the 20th century.
Smith's account of Roosevelt 's leadership skills during the New Deal and World War II is extremely well researched. The stories of FDR and Churchill presented a look at an uncommon bond and friendship that I don't believe has existed between World leaders before or since.
This is an exceptional biography...well written .... we'll researched and certainly well worth reading.
Smith's FDR is a magnificent biography. He details Roosevelt's early privileged life and his ambitious and meteoric rise in state and national politics. All the while he develops unique connections that propel his career to the next step. But, Smith's biography does not downplay FDR'S shortcomings as as a husband, father, politician and friend. Smith gives us an unvarnished view of the man and how he dealt with his own issues and still became one of the most iconic figures of the 20th century.
Smith's account of Roosevelt 's leadership skills during the New Deal and World War II is extremely well researched. The stories of FDR and Churchill presented a look at an uncommon bond and friendship that I don't believe has existed between World leaders before or since.
This is an exceptional biography...well written .... we'll researched and certainly well worth reading.
January 17, 2016
FDR by Jean Edward Smith
5 Stars and a heart
FDR is almost deified by those on the left and attacked vociferously by those on the right. As is usually the case, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. It is difficult for an author to write a truly objective biography on a subject. Most authors either detest or adore their subjects, and that bias readily shows. After all, there almost certainly has to be strong feelings one way or another in order to commit the kind of time necessary to accomplish a biography. However, as in the other works Smith produces, he shows an ability to look critically at his subjects. What is interesting about FDR is Smith, in the end, successfully demystifies a subject that if the reader allows him/herself to be open to the facts provides fascinating lessons.
Regardless of how FDR’s administration fits into one’s political ideology, his presidency drastically changed the relationship between this country’s government and its people and transformed the Democratic Party in a way that made it more competitive than any other time since the Civil War. Within the first 100 days of his administration he aggressively confronted the Great Depression with almost unanimous support across the aisle providing the country’s first robust social programs. Contrary, to an assumed “tax and spend” mentality that is often assigned to him, he did so while trying to maintain a balanced budget and readily cut federal spending in order to do so. FDR adroitly included members of both parties to push his agenda forward. This is particularly interesting to read today in a time when bi-partisanship is anathema to the nation’s voters and at a time when a president didn’t need to rely on support from the opposition, having large majorities in both houses. This was a skill he learned at the feet of Secretary of Navy Josephus Daniels.
Ironically, at times, he seemed to work better across the aisle than within his own party.
FDR appeared to be at his best when working in crisis mode like his initial 100 days or in confronting WWII. However, when not in crisis mode he could become petty and vindictive as evidenced by the court packing scheme and the attempted purge of the party of those who didn’t whole-heartedly support his agenda, leading to an attempt to wrest the nomination in 1940 from his vice-president. What is particularly disturbing about the court-packing scheme is he had precedent to get support from the legislature, with a majority in both houses, to add additional Supreme Court justices as earlier presidents/legislatures had done (there is no constitutional directive as the number of justices). But, to push out justices based on an age benchmark is viewed by history as a complete overreach of authority and feeds into a narrative that isn’t kind to his legacy.
It is no secret I adore Smith’s work. However, here he was lacking in some areas. The most obvious was in his assertion to claim FDR “was not an original thinker” he never discussed how, then, FDR developed ideas that on such a broad scale that so radically changed the government’s relationship with its citizen. He spent very little time on his term as governor where it appeared FDR experimented with these ideas, but left of me want of understanding of the genesis of these ideas. Secondly, I was really disappointed in his handling of the war time president. While I did appreciate the revelation that FDR had the ability to employee vastly different management styles (hands on related to domestic policy and delegator in regards to war implementation), a skill not easily mastered, there was really nothing new here. There was little focus on FDR’s specific activities and more of a retelling of events, although he does provide excellent context for the country’s history with Japan since Grant’s administration.
If you have any interest in our country’s history and are interested in drawing lessons that could be pertinent today, this is an absolute must-read. It may be one of the most important biographies I’ve read.
5 Stars and a heart
FDR is almost deified by those on the left and attacked vociferously by those on the right. As is usually the case, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. It is difficult for an author to write a truly objective biography on a subject. Most authors either detest or adore their subjects, and that bias readily shows. After all, there almost certainly has to be strong feelings one way or another in order to commit the kind of time necessary to accomplish a biography. However, as in the other works Smith produces, he shows an ability to look critically at his subjects. What is interesting about FDR is Smith, in the end, successfully demystifies a subject that if the reader allows him/herself to be open to the facts provides fascinating lessons.
Regardless of how FDR’s administration fits into one’s political ideology, his presidency drastically changed the relationship between this country’s government and its people and transformed the Democratic Party in a way that made it more competitive than any other time since the Civil War. Within the first 100 days of his administration he aggressively confronted the Great Depression with almost unanimous support across the aisle providing the country’s first robust social programs. Contrary, to an assumed “tax and spend” mentality that is often assigned to him, he did so while trying to maintain a balanced budget and readily cut federal spending in order to do so. FDR adroitly included members of both parties to push his agenda forward. This is particularly interesting to read today in a time when bi-partisanship is anathema to the nation’s voters and at a time when a president didn’t need to rely on support from the opposition, having large majorities in both houses. This was a skill he learned at the feet of Secretary of Navy Josephus Daniels.
Ironically, at times, he seemed to work better across the aisle than within his own party.
FDR appeared to be at his best when working in crisis mode like his initial 100 days or in confronting WWII. However, when not in crisis mode he could become petty and vindictive as evidenced by the court packing scheme and the attempted purge of the party of those who didn’t whole-heartedly support his agenda, leading to an attempt to wrest the nomination in 1940 from his vice-president. What is particularly disturbing about the court-packing scheme is he had precedent to get support from the legislature, with a majority in both houses, to add additional Supreme Court justices as earlier presidents/legislatures had done (there is no constitutional directive as the number of justices). But, to push out justices based on an age benchmark is viewed by history as a complete overreach of authority and feeds into a narrative that isn’t kind to his legacy.
It is no secret I adore Smith’s work. However, here he was lacking in some areas. The most obvious was in his assertion to claim FDR “was not an original thinker” he never discussed how, then, FDR developed ideas that on such a broad scale that so radically changed the government’s relationship with its citizen. He spent very little time on his term as governor where it appeared FDR experimented with these ideas, but left of me want of understanding of the genesis of these ideas. Secondly, I was really disappointed in his handling of the war time president. While I did appreciate the revelation that FDR had the ability to employee vastly different management styles (hands on related to domestic policy and delegator in regards to war implementation), a skill not easily mastered, there was really nothing new here. There was little focus on FDR’s specific activities and more of a retelling of events, although he does provide excellent context for the country’s history with Japan since Grant’s administration.
If you have any interest in our country’s history and are interested in drawing lessons that could be pertinent today, this is an absolute must-read. It may be one of the most important biographies I’ve read.
October 30, 2015
Very easy to read , accessible, fast-paced (as biographies go) and extremely interesting/informative. This book has been called the best one-volume bio of FDR and, even though this is the only bio of FDR that I've read, I can see how this could be true. Without hesitation, I would recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in history, US presidents, WW II, and of course, FDR himself.
There are, however, a couple of things that prevent me from awarding this biography a full 5-Star rating:
(1) The book ends very abruptly. On page 636, about a third of the page down, FDR dies of a brain hemorrhage. A paragraph filling the second third of the page tells us the world mourned. One paragraph. The bottom third of the page recounts how a band of American POWs in Germany played Taps and had a moment of silence, before marching on. The End.
I'm sorry. What?! After reading 636 pages about FDR, maybe even developing a sort of bond (or whatever) with the subject matter, after investing a number of hours on this book, it seems to me that a chapter (or two) to wrap things up/recap would not have been too much.
** Although ** :
Well, maybe it's all for the best, because in Walter Isaacson's Benjamin Franklin: An American Life, the author has an 18-page 'Conclusions' chapter... which is about 14 pages too long! It starts off and blah-blabla-bla-blah, I didn't have the patience to finish it.
I guess a compromise somewhere between zero and eighteen pages (four, five maybe?) would be the ideal.
(2) Being well aware that this is a one-volume biography of an extraordinary man's extraordinary life, and that consequently some fat must be trimmed to keep the book at a reasonable page count, it seems to me that some parts could have benefitted from a bit more material. And even though about a third of the book covers 1939-1945, a short but important period, I feel like I barely skimmed the surface.
The author keeps up the fast pace - which I appreciate, by the way (thanks, Jean Edward Smith) - but so many historically significant things happpened in those years that more could've been said about them. At times it feels more like a 'by-the-way' comment from the author's part.
There are, however, a couple of things that prevent me from awarding this biography a full 5-Star rating:
(1) The book ends very abruptly. On page 636, about a third of the page down, FDR dies of a brain hemorrhage. A paragraph filling the second third of the page tells us the world mourned. One paragraph. The bottom third of the page recounts how a band of American POWs in Germany played Taps and had a moment of silence, before marching on. The End.
I'm sorry. What?! After reading 636 pages about FDR, maybe even developing a sort of bond (or whatever) with the subject matter, after investing a number of hours on this book, it seems to me that a chapter (or two) to wrap things up/recap would not have been too much.
** Although ** :
Well, maybe it's all for the best, because in Walter Isaacson's Benjamin Franklin: An American Life, the author has an 18-page 'Conclusions' chapter... which is about 14 pages too long! It starts off and blah-blabla-bla-blah, I didn't have the patience to finish it.
I guess a compromise somewhere between zero and eighteen pages (four, five maybe?) would be the ideal.
(2) Being well aware that this is a one-volume biography of an extraordinary man's extraordinary life, and that consequently some fat must be trimmed to keep the book at a reasonable page count, it seems to me that some parts could have benefitted from a bit more material. And even though about a third of the book covers 1939-1945, a short but important period, I feel like I barely skimmed the surface.
The author keeps up the fast pace - which I appreciate, by the way (thanks, Jean Edward Smith) - but so many historically significant things happpened in those years that more could've been said about them. At times it feels more like a 'by-the-way' comment from the author's part.
October 6, 2015
Not too long ago I read the FDR Biography
Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Rendezvous with Destiny by Frank Freidel and was rather disappointed by it. After consulting with some friends on Goodreads, I bought this biography and, I have to say, it was money well spent. Mr. Smith has written a fabulous one-volume biography of FDR that truly brings the man to life. Despite it being roughly 630-plus pages, Mr. Smith's narrative flows freely and rapidly with few wasted words. It is also surprisingly detailed about his relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt, the first three conventions and elections of FDR's presidency, his New Deal policies, and more. Not only that, but his chapter on U.S. foreign policy with Japan prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor surprisingly nuanced and well worth studying. His analysis on the major points in FDR's life and career seem spot on. Where Mr. Smith seems to fall flat is in the very last chapter, which covers FDR's life from D-Day to his death in April 1945. Mr. Smith's descriptions of the prior conventions and campaigns were thrilling as was his coverage of the Tehran conference before this chapter, but that was totally missing in this chapter as Mr. Smith seemed to just want to get through the last convention and campaign swiftly as well as through Yalta. FDR's failing health is given a great deal of scrutiny, but some more analysis dealing with the controversy over Yalta would have been appreciated. And there was no mention at all about FDR's funeral and little about the outpouring of national grief upon hearing the news of FDR's death. Also, oddly the Dust Bowl of the mid-1930s is mentioned only obliquely, but never by name nor how serious it really was nor FDR's response to it. In spite of these failures, this is a must-read biography for anyone interested in Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Rendezvous with Destiny by Frank Freidel and was rather disappointed by it. After consulting with some friends on Goodreads, I bought this biography and, I have to say, it was money well spent. Mr. Smith has written a fabulous one-volume biography of FDR that truly brings the man to life. Despite it being roughly 630-plus pages, Mr. Smith's narrative flows freely and rapidly with few wasted words. It is also surprisingly detailed about his relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt, the first three conventions and elections of FDR's presidency, his New Deal policies, and more. Not only that, but his chapter on U.S. foreign policy with Japan prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor surprisingly nuanced and well worth studying. His analysis on the major points in FDR's life and career seem spot on. Where Mr. Smith seems to fall flat is in the very last chapter, which covers FDR's life from D-Day to his death in April 1945. Mr. Smith's descriptions of the prior conventions and campaigns were thrilling as was his coverage of the Tehran conference before this chapter, but that was totally missing in this chapter as Mr. Smith seemed to just want to get through the last convention and campaign swiftly as well as through Yalta. FDR's failing health is given a great deal of scrutiny, but some more analysis dealing with the controversy over Yalta would have been appreciated. And there was no mention at all about FDR's funeral and little about the outpouring of national grief upon hearing the news of FDR's death. Also, oddly the Dust Bowl of the mid-1930s is mentioned only obliquely, but never by name nor how serious it really was nor FDR's response to it. In spite of these failures, this is a must-read biography for anyone interested in Franklin D. Roosevelt. 
March 9, 2013
If you're a political buff in America, then reading a biography of FDR for the first timeis a bit like watching Casablanca for the first time--maybe you don't know the story entirely, but you could quote all the memorable lines (even the one that isn't even in the movie). And given the breadth and depth of FDR's influence on America, any single volume, no matter how long, is going to struggle to give any particular accomplishment more than cursory attention.
So how does Jean Edward Smith fare, with those challenges in mind? On the New Deal, Smith's account struck me as generally solid but conventional, and this was somewhat disappointing. He generally minimizes the role of race in the New Deal, and his concession that Roosevelt was no hero on civil rights struck me as a little inadequate. Roosevelt needed the cooperation of committee chairmen from the Jim Crow South, who supported his New Deal programs so long as they buttressed white supremacy.
The result was an emphasis on 'local control' where local administrators (like Strom Thurmond in South Carolina) would steer aid largely to struggling white families. The income disparity between white workers and black workers grow markedly until the civil rights era thirty years later. The irony is that Roosevelt's symbolic, rhetorical support for the black population helped encourage a later generation of liberals to embrace civil rights more fully.
Smith is generally better when it comes to Roosevelt's wartime leadership. He seems much more energized by the material. The chapter about the deterioration of Japanese-American relations leading up to the bombing at Pearl Harbor is probably the most compelling material in the book. I was struck by how Roosevelt's relative indifference allowed relatively minor figures to play crucial roles. Smith's account was sufficiently intriguing to me that I'd like to read a book that explores the subject in more depth.
In general, I think this is a good book if you're looking for a straightforward narrative of Roosevelt's life and his importance in American history. I often found myself wishing that he had devoted more space to particular subjects, but to a large extent that's inherent in the subject matter.
So how does Jean Edward Smith fare, with those challenges in mind? On the New Deal, Smith's account struck me as generally solid but conventional, and this was somewhat disappointing. He generally minimizes the role of race in the New Deal, and his concession that Roosevelt was no hero on civil rights struck me as a little inadequate. Roosevelt needed the cooperation of committee chairmen from the Jim Crow South, who supported his New Deal programs so long as they buttressed white supremacy.
The result was an emphasis on 'local control' where local administrators (like Strom Thurmond in South Carolina) would steer aid largely to struggling white families. The income disparity between white workers and black workers grow markedly until the civil rights era thirty years later. The irony is that Roosevelt's symbolic, rhetorical support for the black population helped encourage a later generation of liberals to embrace civil rights more fully.
Smith is generally better when it comes to Roosevelt's wartime leadership. He seems much more energized by the material. The chapter about the deterioration of Japanese-American relations leading up to the bombing at Pearl Harbor is probably the most compelling material in the book. I was struck by how Roosevelt's relative indifference allowed relatively minor figures to play crucial roles. Smith's account was sufficiently intriguing to me that I'd like to read a book that explores the subject in more depth.
In general, I think this is a good book if you're looking for a straightforward narrative of Roosevelt's life and his importance in American history. I often found myself wishing that he had devoted more space to particular subjects, but to a large extent that's inherent in the subject matter.
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