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I admire FDR and have an active interest in him, but I'm only 20 or so pages in this the silly hagiography and I'm expecting to read that when as a child, "Franklin reachethed out and touched a lamb upon the forelock and lo. It slew it's thousandfold foe-men."Almost any other biographical writing concerning Roosevelt is better than this effort.
A very well written book about a president who faced severe trials and did the things he felt were right even though there was a high level of political risk from all sides. Well documented and factual with significant detail regarding FDR's personal life including his disability caused by polio.
Where is that cat. Brands has done is to answer the ultimate question of this privileged patrician born to the equivalence of "American Aristocracy". Great insight. In reality, FDR still remains an enigma.
Both these books were outstanding works and gave excellent perspectives on FDR's life. I have read two rather distinctive and thorough accounts of FDR being Conrad Black's "Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Champion of Freedom" and Doris Kearns Goodwin's "No Ordinary Time". When using "why" in the context of why as a privileged son of American capitalism did he utilize the auspices of government to help all socio economic classes.As stated by the Author, FDR was living the high structured and favored life of high class Americans in which he held legislative offices in New York State and later performed the duties of assistant navy secretary in the Wilson Administration. When FDR asked about poverty and was answered that low crop prices affected the whole economic scene he realized the first hand problems of ordinary people.
It's as if he received a cold slap in the face.What Brands has done in this wonderful treatise is to give us the true founding of FDR's political philosophy. That rather simple journalistic question is "why". His goal was the ultimate prize for men of his social rank, that being the Presidency of the United States. His desire was to emulate and even surpass the accomplishments of his distant cousin Teddy Roosevelt.Here's where Brands' take provides an interesting and divergent path. In the landscape of historical books there is a plethora of long gone forests expended in describing the life and times of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
The facts became apparent to FDR as to how people were manipulated by the upper economic classes. By living with and talking with the locals, FDR came to identify with the economic entrapments of the lower and middle classes. Brands spends 2/3 of the book expounding on the formation of this political philosophy onto the "New Deal" domestic policies. Later in the book, we get to know how FDR guided our country through the slippery slopes of isolationism and onward to being a world leader in World War II.In all, Brands brings us closer to understanding FDR. It was in 1921 that FDR contracted polio and life as he knew it changed not only for his life but in essence later for the lives of all Americans. However, what H.W. We understand him, we think, do we.
The Author goes into detail of why FDR became the "President for all the people". While convalescing in rural Georgia at Warm Springs, FDR began to realize by firsthand knowledge how people lived lives constricted by limited economic resources. This reminds me of the Cheshire cat in "Alice in Wonderland", now we see him, now we don't. The cat gave it 10 Stars.
I really liked this book. I had never thought about how FDR must have appeared to his peers.
Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt right up there with No Ordinary Time as best FDR biography. Sent a copy to my Congressman, Bruce Braley Iowa's 1st District. Highly recommended reading for President Obama. Shows how a President can lead and bring about change you can believe in. So many new facts about Roosevelt, no covering up of facts. Great read.
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