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livruther's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.75
i found the pacing to be kind of weird. for instance, i would have liked for dallek to spend more time on the elections themselves. i really enjoyed the epilogue, though, and i felt like he did a good job of objectivity in his writing.
jeremyanderberg's review against another edition
4.0
There’s a ton of literature on FDR, much of it focused on the war years, but with plenty of options for cradle-to-grave bios too. So the process for choosing one came down to having one on my shelf that a publisher sent my way a few years ago. I really enjoyed Dallek’s bio of JFK, so I was eager to jump into this one too.
Over the course of 600+ pages, the reader is treated to a blow-by-blow account of how Franklin navigated his complicated life and presidency. Though his bout with polio is pretty well known, I’m not sure I realized it came so late in life — he was 39 when he lost the use of his legs. And then went on to the most grueling presidency in our nation’s history. Taken alone, that part of FDR’s story is remarkable. As Dallek notes, even though Franklin was always calculating the politics of any big decision, he did the right things during the Depression and WWII and fundamentally changed the course of American history.
His personal life left me a little soured (and made me want to read more about Eleanor) and Executive Order 9066 was egregious to say the least, but it’s hard not to admire FDR’s leadership in the face of two great national crises.
Dallek oddly relays too many polling and public opinion numbers throughout the book, but that’s my only complaint. For a one-stop-shop on FDR, this book is a great place to turn to. I can’t wait to read more on POTUS (and FLOTUS!) #32.
Over the course of 600+ pages, the reader is treated to a blow-by-blow account of how Franklin navigated his complicated life and presidency. Though his bout with polio is pretty well known, I’m not sure I realized it came so late in life — he was 39 when he lost the use of his legs. And then went on to the most grueling presidency in our nation’s history. Taken alone, that part of FDR’s story is remarkable. As Dallek notes, even though Franklin was always calculating the politics of any big decision, he did the right things during the Depression and WWII and fundamentally changed the course of American history.
His personal life left me a little soured (and made me want to read more about Eleanor) and Executive Order 9066 was egregious to say the least, but it’s hard not to admire FDR’s leadership in the face of two great national crises.
Dallek oddly relays too many polling and public opinion numbers throughout the book, but that’s my only complaint. For a one-stop-shop on FDR, this book is a great place to turn to. I can’t wait to read more on POTUS (and FLOTUS!) #32.
marisbest2's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty good biography of FDR but after having done a bunch of relatively contemporaneous biographies and histories (FDR ER Joe Kennedy Churchill etc) this felt very repetitive and didn't seem to add much new except perhaps a focus on FDRs illness starting earlier than other books. Mostly the question is why do we need another FDR biography. Its not like there hasn't been one in a while.
bloodonthetracks's review against another edition
4.0
Just over 23 hours of reading and it's finally complete!
A very dense biography on Roosevelt. I went into this knowing almost nothing about him, and I've certainly come out with a vast knowledge of his presidency and personal affairs also. A great read, but probably don't use it as introduction to Roosevelt like I did.
A very dense biography on Roosevelt. I went into this knowing almost nothing about him, and I've certainly come out with a vast knowledge of his presidency and personal affairs also. A great read, but probably don't use it as introduction to Roosevelt like I did.
amarj33t_5ingh's review against another edition
5.0
Politics, by its very existence, is a contentious element. But in the mundane grind of elect and dethrone, some political leaders emerge who rapidly define an era. Franklin D. Roosevelt was such a President who led the USA through a tumultuous seemingly never-ending economic depression; captained it through a post-World War period and then commanded it through a sanguinary second World War and all that while confronting his own internal battle with Polio (which rendered him immobile and wheelchair prone) as well as a fractured Senate.
Dallek provides a comprehensive picture of the 32nd President of the United States who imparted a titanic world-building legacy which continues to this day in the form of the augmented welfare state as well as global peace initiatives. More crucially, Dallek also exonerates Franklin Roosevelt from the occasional charges of power-hungriness leveled at him by arguing that World War II disallowed Americans from dethroning him beyond the otherwise established two term precedent originating with George Washington.
For what can only be called a tome, (I read the big font edition) Dallek spins a colorful tapestry of words which baits the reader into continually turning the pages. Remarkably, Dallek avoids the pattern of earlier Franklin biographies by analyzing the 32nd President sans the shadow of his cousin Theodore Roosevelt; the 26th President of the United States. An exceptional exegesis of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the President who set the political tone for much of the ensuing 20th century.
Dallek provides a comprehensive picture of the 32nd President of the United States who imparted a titanic world-building legacy which continues to this day in the form of the augmented welfare state as well as global peace initiatives. More crucially, Dallek also exonerates Franklin Roosevelt from the occasional charges of power-hungriness leveled at him by arguing that World War II disallowed Americans from dethroning him beyond the otherwise established two term precedent originating with George Washington.
For what can only be called a tome, (I read the big font edition) Dallek spins a colorful tapestry of words which baits the reader into continually turning the pages. Remarkably, Dallek avoids the pattern of earlier Franklin biographies by analyzing the 32nd President sans the shadow of his cousin Theodore Roosevelt; the 26th President of the United States. An exceptional exegesis of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the President who set the political tone for much of the ensuing 20th century.
alexmulligan's review against another edition
5.0
In an era of applied politics, it’s difficult not to read this book without a yearning for the leaders of the past. That is not to say the pst was perfect, nor Roosevelt. But, it is the desire for a leader who has conviction, dreams, and a message of change and hope for the future that’s drives that yearning for leaders past.
Dallek does an incredible job tracing Roosevelt’s political life from start to finish. Dallek neither paints and overly critical nor overly glossy role on Roosevelt. He isn’t afraid to highlight both strengths and weaknesses. I’m doing so he paints a clear picture of the President and his impact on America and the world.
Dallek does an incredible job tracing Roosevelt’s political life from start to finish. Dallek neither paints and overly critical nor overly glossy role on Roosevelt. He isn’t afraid to highlight both strengths and weaknesses. I’m doing so he paints a clear picture of the President and his impact on America and the world.
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