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seagul's review
5.0
A fantastic read about Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Brands covers all aspects of FDRs life; his childhood as a gifted rich kid, his fight with polio in his early adulthood, then his time as governer of New York, and finally his time as President of the United States.
Stretching from Hyde Park to Yalta, Brands takes you on a comprehensive overview of the life that FDR led and the impacts he had, and still has, on the world today.
For anyone interested in FDR, I would highly recommend this book.
Stretching from Hyde Park to Yalta, Brands takes you on a comprehensive overview of the life that FDR led and the impacts he had, and still has, on the world today.
For anyone interested in FDR, I would highly recommend this book.
spitzig's review
4.0
I'm reading through the lives of the Presidents-the major ones, anyway. I knew the basics of his Presidency, but that's it. I thought this was well-written from a dramatic perspective. Kept me interested, anyway.
I knew what the New Deal was, but not really the reaction. I had expected a bigger negative reaction, given the dramatic title , though.
I knew what the New Deal was, but not really the reaction. I had expected a bigger negative reaction, given the dramatic title , though.
duparker's review
4.0
3.5 stars. I had no idea how similar FDR and TR were. Similar progressive mindsets, different parties. The upbringing and the political mind was an interesting element for the book. Overall, the WWII portion was less interesting to me.
mattbutreads's review
challenging
emotional
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Well researched account of one of the defining American liberals.
amymo73's review
4.0
What drew me to this book was the title, "Traitor to His Class." I had just finished reading a book of letters from The Great Depression and was fascinated about class in America in that era and the double-edge sword of pride which kept people from seeking the help they needed until it was too late. With no knowledge other than the fact my dad liked the book, I borrowed it from him, excited to learn about how a man of privilege became a radical voice for poor and labor.
Here's the thing -- I don't feel like I got a lot of that in this book. At least not in the depth I was anticipating. FDR's polio certainly impacted his sense of inclusion in American life and his time spent at Warm Springs in Georgia gave him a first-hand look at the way so many Americans lived hand to mouth. But that was about it.
However, this still was an excellent overall biography of FDR giving an overview of his desire to be president, his political tactics and his use of office through domestic and international crises. He seemed to make few bold moves without the overall support of the American public (see: modern day polling data) but the author frames it as FDR's deep respect and desire for democracy -- although Roosevelt did try to guide the American people to his point of view.
So while I was hoping for more discussion of wealth and class status in America in the 1930-40s than for discussion of the Yalta Conference, I learned a lot and enjoyed the book.
Here's the thing -- I don't feel like I got a lot of that in this book. At least not in the depth I was anticipating. FDR's polio certainly impacted his sense of inclusion in American life and his time spent at Warm Springs in Georgia gave him a first-hand look at the way so many Americans lived hand to mouth. But that was about it.
However, this still was an excellent overall biography of FDR giving an overview of his desire to be president, his political tactics and his use of office through domestic and international crises. He seemed to make few bold moves without the overall support of the American public (see: modern day polling data) but the author frames it as FDR's deep respect and desire for democracy -- although Roosevelt did try to guide the American people to his point of view.
So while I was hoping for more discussion of wealth and class status in America in the 1930-40s than for discussion of the Yalta Conference, I learned a lot and enjoyed the book.
in_themoonlight's review against another edition
emotional
informative
slow-paced
5.0
This is my favorite biography I've ever read. It's meticulously detailed with high quality writing. H.W. Brands writes FDR's life like a novel, with him and each of the people in his life all fully fleshed out characters. The pacing is slow, especially for the last 12 years of FDR's life (which alone take up over half the book), but it doesn't feel like it drags on; the pace is slow to allow for detail and more detail. It's definitely not a book for everybody, but if you are interested in reading a biography about FDR this is the one to read. If it weren't 800 pages long I would read it again in a heartbeat.
angelofthe0dd's review
4.0
To me, this book was a combination of a "good surprise" and a "disappointing surprise".
1. The GOOD: The book blew me away with the level of historical detail. I absolutely love reading about the details of bygone eras. I love hearing about how people went about their days - smoking, reading, talking, eating, etc. The author put a lot of research into this book, and it makes reading it all the more a wonderful, richer experience.
2. The DISAPPOINTING: I was expecting a book about economics - with a heart for the underdogs and downtrodden to be exact. I was expecting a book about a man who rose to the top and took with him his heart for those who live hand to mouth. I kept waiting for the author to reveal how FDR was "a traitor to his class". That is, after all, the title of the book. Instead, I got a WWII history lesson with a strong focus on diplomatic tensions and political/military strategy.
All-in-all, I have to give the book four stars because of the staggering amount of details of FDR's private and public life.
1. The GOOD: The book blew me away with the level of historical detail. I absolutely love reading about the details of bygone eras. I love hearing about how people went about their days - smoking, reading, talking, eating, etc. The author put a lot of research into this book, and it makes reading it all the more a wonderful, richer experience.
2. The DISAPPOINTING: I was expecting a book about economics - with a heart for the underdogs and downtrodden to be exact. I was expecting a book about a man who rose to the top and took with him his heart for those who live hand to mouth. I kept waiting for the author to reveal how FDR was "a traitor to his class". That is, after all, the title of the book. Instead, I got a WWII history lesson with a strong focus on diplomatic tensions and political/military strategy.
All-in-all, I have to give the book four stars because of the staggering amount of details of FDR's private and public life.
margaretefg's review
4.0
This LONG exploration of FDR's presidency draws on numerous primary sources to show FDR as someone true to a vision of improving life for America's working class and a believer in democracy. Brands generally argues that FDRs lapses, on civil rights, protecting Jews during WWII, union rights were due to his sense of what was politically (or militarily, or diplomatically) possible. The book felt endless through parts of the New Deal and prelude to the war, but the sections on the war and especially on FDRs meetings with Churchill and Stalin were fascinating.
mrpants's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced