jjosh_h's review
4.0
This was a highly anticipated book for me. I've always been fascinated by strong women leaders in history. I was vaguely familiar with Eleanor Roosevelt. I knew she was a significant figure, but I had never really done much to understand her as a person or her role in regards to the country.
Earlier this year I read the Black Cabinet by Jill Watts. It was about the black cabinet that exists in primarily during the FDR administration. One essential person in that story was Mary Bethune, who really responsible for organizing and holding together the Black Cabinet. A big part of the book is how Mary Bethune built a relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt to enact change through FRR. This relationship really sparked my interest and motivated me to pursue different autobiographies that existed for E.R..
I came across this trilogy and was immediately hooked. I can't say particularly why; I just love the idea of such a deep into her life. I am very happy this was the autobiography that I went with, because it Is such a detailed breakdown of her life both personally and politically.
This book is the first of three, focusing on her life from birth to the entering of the White House. I'd say maybe half or so it's focused on her childhood before meeting FDR. I'm surprised to say that I found this somewhat dull and less interesting. I don't know if I just wasn't in the mood, if it was the story itself, or maybe I'm just naturally more interested in the politics. As we transitioned to her and FDR's political life, I became a lot more fascinated.
This book was fantastic. I don't want to pretend like I didn't like it. I don't think the beginning was particularly bad. It just wasn't something I loved. Hence the four stars. I am hoping that maybe the next two will be even better, for me, seeing as they cover the White House years and later, through all of which I know Eleanor Roosevelt was politically active.
This book ended very abruptly. I was a little surprised. I suppose I expected the volumes to be more standalone. Instead, it feels like one long biography has been split into three, with no real focus on the transition between them. That is to say, that Wiesen Cook didn't really lay the groundwork of what's to come. She just brought us up to them winning the election entering the White House. Now move on to disc two.
I'm eager to continue the series.
Earlier this year I read the Black Cabinet by Jill Watts. It was about the black cabinet that exists in primarily during the FDR administration. One essential person in that story was Mary Bethune, who really responsible for organizing and holding together the Black Cabinet. A big part of the book is how Mary Bethune built a relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt to enact change through FRR. This relationship really sparked my interest and motivated me to pursue different autobiographies that existed for E.R..
I came across this trilogy and was immediately hooked. I can't say particularly why; I just love the idea of such a deep into her life. I am very happy this was the autobiography that I went with, because it Is such a detailed breakdown of her life both personally and politically.
This book is the first of three, focusing on her life from birth to the entering of the White House. I'd say maybe half or so it's focused on her childhood before meeting FDR. I'm surprised to say that I found this somewhat dull and less interesting. I don't know if I just wasn't in the mood, if it was the story itself, or maybe I'm just naturally more interested in the politics. As we transitioned to her and FDR's political life, I became a lot more fascinated.
This book was fantastic. I don't want to pretend like I didn't like it. I don't think the beginning was particularly bad. It just wasn't something I loved. Hence the four stars. I am hoping that maybe the next two will be even better, for me, seeing as they cover the White House years and later, through all of which I know Eleanor Roosevelt was politically active.
This book ended very abruptly. I was a little surprised. I suppose I expected the volumes to be more standalone. Instead, it feels like one long biography has been split into three, with no real focus on the transition between them. That is to say, that Wiesen Cook didn't really lay the groundwork of what's to come. She just brought us up to them winning the election entering the White House. Now move on to disc two.
I'm eager to continue the series.
jenraye's review
5.0
I think ER, as she is called throughout this book, may be my favorite First Lady, after reading this 1st installment in the 3 volume biography. I have a new appreciation for her beliefs, work, philosophy.
librarianonparade's review
5.0
It's a rare individual for whom I could stand to read a three-volume biography but I think Eleanor Roosevelt deserves one. Her life was so full, so involved and dynamic and controversial than any less would simply not be doing her justice. In many ways Eleanor's life can very easily be divided into three parts this biography takes - her early life and developing political awareness, her years as wife of one of America's most prominent politics and subsequently President, and the years after FDR's death, as the grand dame of American politics.
She is still the most controversial and talked-about of First Ladies, loved and loathed in equal measure, who in many regards set the tone for all the First Ladies who came after her. Before her First Ladies were ornaments, hostesses, who rarely involved themselves in politics. But afterwards, a political role was expected for the First Lady - indeed, it is no doubt because of Eleanor Roosevelt blazing the trail that First Ladies now have their own offices and chiefs of staff and are expected to get involved in women's issues. Well, apart from Melania Trump, but let's not go there...
However, this book deals with Eleanor's life up to FDR's election as President, some 40+ years. They were not easy years for Eleanor, but with the benefit of hindsight it is clear that the trials and tribulations were necessary in order to shape the woman she became as First Lady. It is hard to see how else a woman born into such privilege and wealth could have emerged as the great feminist and radical champion of the poor and downtrodden during the Depression years.
I've really got no complaints or criticisms for this book, and in many ways it's difficult to review each volume in isolation, because each forms part of the whole. My one tiny nitpick is the author's decision to refer to Eleanor both as Eleanor and ER - it's hard to really see the logic of this. It's not as though there were multiple other Eleanors in her life that might cause confusion, and Cook uses both terms in the same paragraph and even sentence. It doesn't detract from the hugely enjoyable read, but it's a curious choice and one I couldn't help but find jarring at times.
She is still the most controversial and talked-about of First Ladies, loved and loathed in equal measure, who in many regards set the tone for all the First Ladies who came after her. Before her First Ladies were ornaments, hostesses, who rarely involved themselves in politics. But afterwards, a political role was expected for the First Lady - indeed, it is no doubt because of Eleanor Roosevelt blazing the trail that First Ladies now have their own offices and chiefs of staff and are expected to get involved in women's issues. Well, apart from Melania Trump, but let's not go there...
However, this book deals with Eleanor's life up to FDR's election as President, some 40+ years. They were not easy years for Eleanor, but with the benefit of hindsight it is clear that the trials and tribulations were necessary in order to shape the woman she became as First Lady. It is hard to see how else a woman born into such privilege and wealth could have emerged as the great feminist and radical champion of the poor and downtrodden during the Depression years.
I've really got no complaints or criticisms for this book, and in many ways it's difficult to review each volume in isolation, because each forms part of the whole. My one tiny nitpick is the author's decision to refer to Eleanor both as Eleanor and ER - it's hard to really see the logic of this. It's not as though there were multiple other Eleanors in her life that might cause confusion, and Cook uses both terms in the same paragraph and even sentence. It doesn't detract from the hugely enjoyable read, but it's a curious choice and one I couldn't help but find jarring at times.
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