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johndiconsiglio's review against another edition
3.0
In 1944, FDR was planning D-Day, courting Stalin, building an A-bomb, dreaming of a UN & running for reelection. All while in rapidly deteriorating health. (His 4th term lasted just 12 weeks—3rd shortest behind Harrison’s 32 days & Lincoln’s 6 weeks.) How did a man on death’s door hold the entire world together? Not exactly a narrative page-turner, but a surprisingly warm bio. Good insights into Roosevelt’s famously close-to-the-vest governing style & how much (or little) he & the country knew about his condition.
timbo001's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
davidbythebay's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
This was an interesting look into the last few months of FDR’s life and presidency, particularly examining his health and physical appearance as well as his stamina and policies and actions. We are often told how resilient and stalwart FDR was in his life and presidency. It was nice to see a more vulnerable side to him, including well-researched peculiarities he was privy to. (Well-researched in so far as from the sound of it, as I do not have the book for information on the first hand documents and books on the subject.) FDR has long been a favorite president of mine for a multitude of reasons. To see this side has reframed some of my thoughts on him, giving more insight and depth to what I had already known.
My only criticism is that at times, and they were very few really, it felt a bit sparse in that certain topics I felt could have been examined with a bit more depth without harming the pacing or effectiveness of the book. Now, I will recognize that, having not researched this myself, the information may be lacking to expand on those areas.
The audiobook was captivating (1.5x speed - approx. 10hrs down from 15hrs) and well read. My only issue was sometimes the caricature (stereotypical) accents the read did for Stalin - who sounded a little Boris and Natasha from Rocky and Bulwinkle, the original cartoons - and other figures in the book. His FDR impersonation was good but bordered caricature as well. I did slow these parts to regular speed to hear them properly. But again, a minor issue with the audiobook not the book itself.
Overall, if you like FDR or want to explore illness (including the early days of cardiovascular medicine - just the general perceptions and beliefs peppered in) or the last days of WWII from an American politics and Allied Forces perspective, then this is a truly great book. Seeing not only FDR but the struggles between he and Stalin and the end of the war and such, was very interesting. I recommend this highly.
My only criticism is that at times, and they were very few really, it felt a bit sparse in that certain topics I felt could have been examined with a bit more depth without harming the pacing or effectiveness of the book. Now, I will recognize that, having not researched this myself, the information may be lacking to expand on those areas.
The audiobook was captivating (1.5x speed - approx. 10hrs down from 15hrs) and well read. My only issue was sometimes the caricature (stereotypical) accents the read did for Stalin - who sounded a little Boris and Natasha from Rocky and Bulwinkle, the original cartoons - and other figures in the book. His FDR impersonation was good but bordered caricature as well. I did slow these parts to regular speed to hear them properly. But again, a minor issue with the audiobook not the book itself.
Overall, if you like FDR or want to explore illness (including the early days of cardiovascular medicine - just the general perceptions and beliefs peppered in) or the last days of WWII from an American politics and Allied Forces perspective, then this is a truly great book. Seeing not only FDR but the struggles between he and Stalin and the end of the war and such, was very interesting. I recommend this highly.
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