 "Excellent presidential biography!" | 2008-09-24 |
| - Reviewed By whronis |
| The book "FDR" by Jean Edward Smith was an excellent biography. At first glance, the book looks intimidating. However, once the reader dives in, it is an excellent read. Mr. Smith's detail to FDR's early and mid life was exceptional. The nature and extent of his relationships to his family and friends provided a roadmap as to his leadership skills and abilities. This explained his presidency to a great extent. The author provides enough details to cover the terms of FDR and the WWII. The only thing that precluded this reviewer from giving this book the fifth star was the lack of depth towards the end of his life. For instance, the story was told through Pearl Harbor to D-Day and Yalta without any coverage between his last inaugural address and his death. Perhaps I expected more than what is available in terms of facts. In sum, FDR by Jean Edward Smith is an excellent read even to the non-historian. |
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| "A New Deal Saved A Nation" | 2008-09-18 |
| - Reviewed By mattspiano |
An intricate look inside the life, family and administration of FDR. What courage it took to be the president of the United States during the late crises of the "Hoovervills", Great Depression, and the beginning of World War II.
Smith covers the whole life of Roosevelt from a young lad till his tragic death while serving president. The New Deal put hundreds of thousands of jobless people to work, conserved forestry, and created Social Security. This book is well written, and very informative inside the personal and public lives of FDR and FR. |
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 "History enhanced" | 2008-08-31 |
| - Reviewed By craigster |
I purchased this book on my Kindle because I felt woefully uninformed about FDR. My parents, born after the turn of the 19th century felt that FDR literally saved them and this country from a fate that had been launched by government policies of lassez faire that left everyone to their own devices. On the other hand, for years I have heard FDR put down as someone who opened up the country to big government and set the country up for a spend expansion that lives on to this day.
While this book does not put an end to that debate, it does shed remarkable light on FDR the person - the good, the bad, and otherwise. Some of my key take-aways are that all strong leaders have some aspects to their life and personality that are not to be admired. On the other hand, FDR had a wonderful ability to pick great people, give them a job, and watch great things happen. In addition, FDR exemplified a capability sorely needed today - try, experiment, if you fail, change and try something else.
I honestly was not ready for the story to end, nor for FDR to pass from the scene. |
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| "well-written but somewhat superficial" | 2008-08-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3CFYLR4X5E2FY |
| FDR was well-written and it did not seem like a chore to plod through like a lot of other historical nonfiction. Smith does a great job with research and puts together a cohesive story. However, I feel that in many points, she could have gone deeper and attempted to shed light on what went on behind the scenes. You do not get the sense that you really know how FDR worked his political magic beyond the legends that are common knowledge. I would have liked to hear a bit more about the back-room deals and political battles FDR fought, even if she would have had to speculate and do some guesswork to tell the story. |
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| "A Most Readable Biography" | 2008-08-04 |
| - Reviewed By davesbones |
| This is not the first, and won't be the last bio I will read about FDR. It is, simply the most readable one I've encountered. The author crafts the prose to fit the mood at the time. If you read only one bio of this great man, read this one! |
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| "Brilliant!!" | 2008-07-08 |
| - Reviewed By mdennisuk |
| FDR comes to life, his greatness and his flaws. Mr. Smith has constructed a marvelous one volume portrait of one of America's greatest Presidents. Like Lincoln he was the right man, at the right time for his moment in history. Tears welled in my eyes as I read the final passages about his passing. Highly Recommended!! |
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 "Move along, nothing to see here" | 2008-05-22 |
| - Reviewed By njannise |
I bought this book because I wanted more knowledge of how a successful presidency is achieved. Historians have consistently ranked FDR in third place among presidents, behind Washington and Lincoln. I also wanted updated research, and a modern writing style.
When I received the book, and saw conservative commentator George F. Will's praise on the dust jacket, I knew something was wrong.
It went downhill from Mr. Will's comment.
According to the book, Roosevelt rode in on his wealth and cousin Teddy's popularity. He was swept along by his political handlers.
The book concentrates on FDR's failures and glosses over his legacy. For example, it devotes many pages to the court packing attempt, and scant paragraphs to the WPA or TVA or Social Security (or to the entirety of the New Deal for that matter).
It discusses the minutia of his daily life, but provides no insight into the man. It discusses what time he got up in the morning (late) and what time was happy hour. Yet it gives no insight of how Roosevelt formed his political or social views, how he effectively worked with foe and friend to achieve his agenda, how he stabilized the financial institutions, and lifted America from the Great Depression.
If you're looking for such a book, move along, there's nothing here to see. |
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| "Fantastic" | 2008-03-14 |
| - Reviewed By jackyred |
This was a remarkably readable account of the 20th century's greatest president. Lord knows FDR wasn't perfect, and Smith doesn't shy away from discussing those points, which include FDR's court packing plan, the effort to squeeze out conservatives in elections, backing away from government assistance in the midst of recovery, and most importantly signing off on Japanese internment after the Pearl Harbor attacks. Stunning mistakes indeed. But FDR's successes were far grander. It's easy to recite the standard litany of Roosevelt successes, which Smith does well, but we also learn that FDR was a more caring, intelligent, and involved person than he has often been described as. Of some things that FDR has been criticized for, Smith offers evidence to support the need for a more nuanced appreciation of FDR's skills. First, though people often claim that the New Deal didn't end the Great Depression - it was WWII that did that - Smith accurately points out that millions of Americans benefitted from the New Deal. Second, realizing that everyone wishes FDR did more for black suffering in the US, Smith makes an interesting point in noting that FDR's true base of support for lending support to the British cause against Nazi aggression was Southern conservative Democrats. That is, if FDR pushed civil rights, he could not have taken important steps to help the Brits against Hitler. Third, though Smith didn't really go after the claims that FDR allowed Pearl Harbor to be attacked, it's clear from Smith's excellent summary of the lead up to the Japanese attack that FDR clearly allowed no such infamous thing to happen. Finally, Smith forcefully defended FDR's handling of the Holocaust. Ultimately there wasn't much more FDR could have done.
If I had to point out any flaws in the book, I guess the last couple of chapters seemed to be more rushed than necessary. It's as if Smith became a bit tired of the project. I suppose there's some legitimacy to the approach, for FDR himself was worn down at the end of his presidency - and life. A nice epilogue summing up FDR's achievements would have also been sweet, but it wasn't necessary.
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| "I loved this book!" | 2007-11-27 |
| - Reviewed By molowe |
| A great book about a great and not so great man. I was surprised of his and his wife's treatment of their children. They both had so many other interests that I wonder who actually raised their children. Mr. Smith gives a well rounded, but very detailed account of FDR's life, including both the good and bad decisions he made. The only drawback I would note are the footnotes. I had to have a bookmark for the text and for the footnote section. In doing so, it took me a lot longer to read. I have recommended this book to several people since finishing. |
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| "inspriing" | 2007-11-15 |
| - Reviewed By User: AHCKO159AM2FF |
| I chose FDR because I knew so little about him, he died before I was born and I had always been intrigued by what I knew of his life. I read it over a 2 month time span. I loved every page, it was so well written. When he died, I felt like I had lost a favorite uncle. We sure could use someone with his vision now! |
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