No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, The Home Front in World War II
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No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, The Home Front in World War II description
A compelling chronicle of a nation and its leaders during the period when modern America was created. With an uncanny feel for detail and a novelist's grasp of drama and depth, Doris Kearns Goodwin brilliantly narrates the interrelationship between the inner workings of the Roosevelt White House and the destiny of the United States. Goodwin paints a comprehensive, intimate portrait that fills in a historical gap in the story of our nation under the Roosevelts. |
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No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, The Home Front in World War II Customer Reviews
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♥♥♥♥♥
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Best historical book I've read this year...
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There are only a couple of prominent historical authors that I would put in the same class as our native Pittsburgh author, David McCullough. Goodwin is most definitely in this class as an author. Not only is the research of her topic concerning FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt during 1939 to the death of FDR in 1944 impecable, her writing is so riveting, that I found it near impossible to put the book down. I certainly didn't read anything else until I finished this book.
I never could understand why my parents who grew up during this time period kind of bad mouthed FDR. I suspect it was from hearing their own parents, who were conservative. AFter reading this book, I understand their attitude even less...I'd ask them, but try hard to avoid things that may bring on a fight at their age. Anyway, even though it's obvious that both these people had their very large problems (especially in dealing with each other and personal relationships), given the type of presidents I've experienced during my lifetime...I sincerely doubt two other people could have handled so many issues correctly during this time of war. I am beginning to understand why this was called the Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw, in fact, reading this book makes me want to read that one. I am awed by the overwhelming personal sacrifice that so many young men (and their parents and their spouses) made to serve in the military when the chance of coming home at all was slim. I am also awed by the effort of the entire U.S. workforce to enable Roosevelt to create and supply the Lend-Lease program that allowed our Allies to fight until the U.S. became involved in the war against the Nazis. If they hadn't been able to carry on, the chances of crushing Hitler and cronies with their armed might was slim.
Roosevelt was an enigma. I don't understand his apparent need to be surrounded by pretty women who listened to him talk, while at the same time admiring his wife and wanting her by his side. However, his oversight of all the parts of the U.S. during the war seems to be exactly what was needed. Whatever else he did wrong, no one can possibly state that he did not enable us to win the war. If they do say that, they are wrong. The weak presidents we have now would never have been able to accomplish what he did back then. His political ability and personal charm allowed him to hold all the reins of the economy, military, deal with Congress, continue to promote social change and programs is beyond the powers of modern men. Not since Lincoln had a strong president been able to control so much during a time of war, and succeed so spectacularly. Add to this the fact that he was disabled by polio and the effort of all this was taking a toll on his body, that in this day and age would have been controlled by diet and medicine. However, the medical care as demonstrated by the author was so bad that it led to his early demise at age 63. If he had lived now, so much more could have been done to save him...but at that time, so little was known about the heart and its care that even his personal physician was incapable of reading the signs Roosevelt showed of decline due to stress among other things.
Goodwin wrote so lovingly of Eleanor, that I want to read more. A woman who cared so strongly about other people, and who was such a strong advocate for social equity and change...I would have loved to met her as I am an advocate for disabled rights. We could not possibly have made the changes in society towards the disabled without the changes made in civil rights for African-Americans. This is another reason to respect that generation, both those who needed to learn to put aside their prejudice and many did, and those who advocated for that social change...and many did, including an elderly white woman who could have sat back in wealth and totally ignore the needs of others. She couldn't do that. Wow...she was impressive.
I loved this book. I was sorry it ended, and I am probably going to read her other stuff as soon as possible.
Karen L. Sadler |
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