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It's Up to the Women
In this timeless account from Eleanor Roosevelt, the former First Lady shares her advice for hardworking women as they make their mark on an ever-changing America.
"Eleanor Roosevelt never wanted her husband to run for president. When he won, she . . . went on a national tour to crusade on behalf of women. She wrote a regular newspaper column. She became a champion of women's rights and of civil rights. And she decided to write a book." -- Jill Lepore, from the Introduction
"Women, whether subtly or vociferously, have always been a tremendous power in the destiny of the world," Eleanor Roosevelt wrote in It's Up to the Women, her book of advice to women of all ages on every aspect of life. Written at the height of the Great Depression, she called on women particularly to do their part -- cutting costs where needed, spending reasonably, and taking personal responsibility for keeping the economy going.
Whether it's the recommendation that working women take time for themselves in order to fully enjoy time spent with their families, recipes for cheap but wholesome home-cooked meals, or America's obligation to women as they take a leading role in the new social order, many of the opinions expressed here are as fresh as if they were written today.
"Eleanor Roosevelt never wanted her husband to run for president. When he won, she . . . went on a national tour to crusade on behalf of women. She wrote a regular newspaper column. She became a champion of women's rights and of civil rights. And she decided to write a book." -- Jill Lepore, from the Introduction
"Women, whether subtly or vociferously, have always been a tremendous power in the destiny of the world," Eleanor Roosevelt wrote in It's Up to the Women, her book of advice to women of all ages on every aspect of life. Written at the height of the Great Depression, she called on women particularly to do their part -- cutting costs where needed, spending reasonably, and taking personal responsibility for keeping the economy going.
Whether it's the recommendation that working women take time for themselves in order to fully enjoy time spent with their families, recipes for cheap but wholesome home-cooked meals, or America's obligation to women as they take a leading role in the new social order, many of the opinions expressed here are as fresh as if they were written today.
263 pages
First published January 1, 1933
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1619 people want to read
About the author
Eleanor Roosevelt
140 books1,676 followersAnna Eleanor Roosevelt was an American political leader who used her influence as an active First Lady from 1933 to 1945 to promote the New Deal policies of her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as taking a prominent role as an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, she continued to be an internationally prominent author and speaker for the New Deal coalition. She was a suffragist who worked to enhance the status of working women, although she opposed the Equal Rights Amendment because she believed it would adversely affect women. In the 1940s, she was one of the co-founders of Freedom House and supported the formation of the United Nations. Eleanor Roosevelt founded the UN Association of the United States in 1943 to advance support for the formation of the UN. She was a delegate to the UN General Assembly from 1945 and 1952, a job for which she was appointed by President Harry S. Truman and confirmed by the United States Congress. During her time at the United Nations chaired the committee that drafted and approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. President Truman called her the "First Lady of the World" in tribute to her human rights achievements.
She was one of the most admired persons of the 20th century, according to Gallup's List of Widely Admired People.
She was one of the most admired persons of the 20th century, according to Gallup's List of Widely Admired People.
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April 13, 2017One would not think that a book of advice written in 1933 would have relevance today. You think wrong. Eleanor Roosevelt’s first book, published for the millions of women struggling to keep home and family together during the ravages of the Great Depression, is full of advice that remains true today. Granted, some of the advice she provides is unique to the time period in which she was writing, and the references to Departments of Home Economics and the various menus they recommend have a charming quaintness to them. However, the main piece of advice that runs through each section of the novel is that women have more power and influence than we realize.
While her words are folksy and plain, there is no doubt to Mrs. Roosevelt’s sincerity as she proffers advice on everything from meal planning to working outside the home. She means well, even as she offers advice from a position of profound wealth and privilege to women who have nothing. She interjects anecdotes about women she has met in her travels whose situations directly pertain to the topic at hand, and this lessens the feel of a Have condescending to a Have-not. For all of her efforts however, it is difficult to ignore the fact that Mrs. Roosevelt never felt the burdens of the Great Depression in the same way as the rest of the country. It does not diminish the advice she gives, but it does make the advice a little more difficult to swallow, or so I imagined while reading.
If one just focuses on the advice about women and their changing places in society, what she has to say is inspiring. Her vision of a world where women are viewed as equal to men in every avenue of life is encouraging and so far ahead of her time that some of what she had to say had to have shocked her audience. The shock today is that eighty years later her vision is still not a reality. While women may indeed be highly influential, Mrs. Roosevelt sadly underestimated the barriers men would create to prevent equality among the sexes. However, her enthusiasm and strong belief that women can achieve equality is something we can and should all take to heart.
While her words are folksy and plain, there is no doubt to Mrs. Roosevelt’s sincerity as she proffers advice on everything from meal planning to working outside the home. She means well, even as she offers advice from a position of profound wealth and privilege to women who have nothing. She interjects anecdotes about women she has met in her travels whose situations directly pertain to the topic at hand, and this lessens the feel of a Have condescending to a Have-not. For all of her efforts however, it is difficult to ignore the fact that Mrs. Roosevelt never felt the burdens of the Great Depression in the same way as the rest of the country. It does not diminish the advice she gives, but it does make the advice a little more difficult to swallow, or so I imagined while reading.
If one just focuses on the advice about women and their changing places in society, what she has to say is inspiring. Her vision of a world where women are viewed as equal to men in every avenue of life is encouraging and so far ahead of her time that some of what she had to say had to have shocked her audience. The shock today is that eighty years later her vision is still not a reality. While women may indeed be highly influential, Mrs. Roosevelt sadly underestimated the barriers men would create to prevent equality among the sexes. However, her enthusiasm and strong belief that women can achieve equality is something we can and should all take to heart.
February 7, 2017
I came to this in search of inspiration in a troubling time. This book offers an interesting glimpse into the realities of life during the Depression, and I enjoyed thinking about the bigger ideas--that women have a role to play in world--but I found that much of Eleanor's advice failed to translate to our modern situation as much as I'd hoped. Fine, but not extraordinary.
June 25, 2020
Reading this right before Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions was a very happy accident. They are both of their times, and along very similar lines. . .in a way. Adichie's is fiercer, and is more about equal gender roles shaping happy individuals who if truly equal will make for a happy living situation, while Roosevelt's is about making a happy family through compromise, and give and take. By so doing a happy living situation will result and the roles she was working with had not progressed to the point they have today.
But still, the focus is on women claiming power in their own lives and communities in order to create a society with equal genders, and fostering a non-tolerance for illegitimate unsanctioned dominion of one over the other. She was First Lady when she wrote this book.
That would be quite a meeting, Eleanor and Chimamanda. I'd go to that.
4 stars.
But still, the focus is on women claiming power in their own lives and communities in order to create a society with equal genders, and fostering a non-tolerance for illegitimate unsanctioned dominion of one over the other. She was First Lady when she wrote this book.
That would be quite a meeting, Eleanor and Chimamanda. I'd go to that.
4 stars.
dnfs
March 6, 2021DNF after 2 chapters. I can't do it. I expected something different than what it is. Roosevelt is talking to women during the Depression about how to run their homes, keep their husbands motivated, how to create a lovely home for when he arrives, and how to interact with their domestic help. I know it was written in the 30s but...damn...
March 20, 2017
This was Eleanor's first book, published in 1933. It is filled with a mix of long- term vision and knowledge of cultural transitions. What struck me most was her kind consideration for every person. Worth reading. My family and I are going to try the weeks worth of depression recipes.
June 1, 2020
Wonderful read about life geared toward women of all ages. Valuable, timeless advice on how to live, move and enjoy a balanced, healthy, content life. Thank you, Mrs. Roosevelt, for your legacy of words and actions.
October 19, 2019
"The poorer we are the more education we really need; and yet, of course, the poorer we are the less education we usually have, so poor people will often struggle blindly against conditions which they have no way of controlling."
"we have to develop ourselves to the maximum of our ability and our natural endowments."
"When we admit that one can not retrace one's steps and live life over again, we may accept the fact that we might as well savor it and enjoy it as we go along and not always be striving for something in the future which after all we may never achieve nor enjoy."
"The price of a garment is not always indicative of its real worth nor is it indicative of whether you are buying something that has been made under sweat shop conditions or not. This is a phase which even the poorest, in planning a clothes budget, should consider, for no matter what we can afford to buy, we cannot afford to buy at the expense of the health and strength of our fellow human beings. When you budget for your clothes remember to find out where you can buy economically but safely for your own health as well as for that of the workers."
"In the end the only lasting pleasure comes from the joy of sharing something with some one else and seeing their pleasure. The more you budget your time, the more you can do, and the more happiness of this kind will be yours."
"'Mens sana in corpore sano' (A sound mind in a sound body)"
"Fear is a bad thing at all times and should be eliminated from our lives as much as possible."
"Teaching the use of a library at an early age is perhaps one of the most valuable things that we can do for a small child to-day."
"All these lessons [appreciation of nature and conservation] can be tied up with the child's understanding of patriotism and love of country. One does not destroy what nature gives us to love and conserve. When a man loves his country he does not launch into a war which is going to destroy thousands of young men if there is any way in which that war can be prevented."
"only experience can teach certain things in life."
"you were safe if you never were ashamed of anything you did."
"Confidence in your fellow citizens can only be maintained in a civilization which makes certain standards of living possible for each and every individual and gives an equal opportunity to every individual to progress as far as his ability and character will permit."
"It would be far better if those companies would pay better wages and give their people more time in which to live their own lives outside of the factory or the mill. There is no question that a thing which you establish and work for means more than a thing which is given you."
"A vote is never an intelligent vote when it is cast without knowledge. Just doing what some one else tells you to do without any effort to find out what the facts are for yourself is being a poor citizen."
"one thing is sure, the attitude of women toward changes in society is going to determine to a great extent our future in this country."
"The basis of all useful political activity is an interest in human beings and social conditions, and a knowledge of human nature."
"The first thing to learn is that freedom must always be qualified by the fact that your own freedom must not mean somebody else's slavery."
"The only safety that any individual has is his own character and you cannot make any one person's future secure unless you secure the future of all."
"we have to develop ourselves to the maximum of our ability and our natural endowments."
"When we admit that one can not retrace one's steps and live life over again, we may accept the fact that we might as well savor it and enjoy it as we go along and not always be striving for something in the future which after all we may never achieve nor enjoy."
"The price of a garment is not always indicative of its real worth nor is it indicative of whether you are buying something that has been made under sweat shop conditions or not. This is a phase which even the poorest, in planning a clothes budget, should consider, for no matter what we can afford to buy, we cannot afford to buy at the expense of the health and strength of our fellow human beings. When you budget for your clothes remember to find out where you can buy economically but safely for your own health as well as for that of the workers."
"In the end the only lasting pleasure comes from the joy of sharing something with some one else and seeing their pleasure. The more you budget your time, the more you can do, and the more happiness of this kind will be yours."
"'Mens sana in corpore sano' (A sound mind in a sound body)"
"Fear is a bad thing at all times and should be eliminated from our lives as much as possible."
"Teaching the use of a library at an early age is perhaps one of the most valuable things that we can do for a small child to-day."
"All these lessons [appreciation of nature and conservation] can be tied up with the child's understanding of patriotism and love of country. One does not destroy what nature gives us to love and conserve. When a man loves his country he does not launch into a war which is going to destroy thousands of young men if there is any way in which that war can be prevented."
"only experience can teach certain things in life."
"you were safe if you never were ashamed of anything you did."
"Confidence in your fellow citizens can only be maintained in a civilization which makes certain standards of living possible for each and every individual and gives an equal opportunity to every individual to progress as far as his ability and character will permit."
"It would be far better if those companies would pay better wages and give their people more time in which to live their own lives outside of the factory or the mill. There is no question that a thing which you establish and work for means more than a thing which is given you."
"A vote is never an intelligent vote when it is cast without knowledge. Just doing what some one else tells you to do without any effort to find out what the facts are for yourself is being a poor citizen."
"one thing is sure, the attitude of women toward changes in society is going to determine to a great extent our future in this country."
"The basis of all useful political activity is an interest in human beings and social conditions, and a knowledge of human nature."
"The first thing to learn is that freedom must always be qualified by the fact that your own freedom must not mean somebody else's slavery."
"The only safety that any individual has is his own character and you cannot make any one person's future secure unless you secure the future of all."
March 5, 2017
Not what I was expecting. I think I was hoping for an inspiring feminist call-to-arms, not a detailed how-to guide for housewives surviving the Depression and war time. Still, there are gems here; you just have to dig for them and then view them through a 21st century lens.
November 5, 2024
I’m writing this on November 5th, 2024. In a day or two we will know: is it Kamala or is the mass deportation, the camps, the tariffs destroying the economy, the second Great Depression, the eradication of dissenting voices, the eradication of vaccines.
Did that candidate win?
There’s a 50% chance you’re reading this on the other side of a global terror and you’re trying to rebuild the world according to the precepts of Eleanor Roosevelt. Excellent choice! She can be my president anytime. (Honestly, I think Biden’s been a little bit more populist, but like 96% of America doesn’t appreciate Biden properly.)
This is Mrs. Roosevelt’s first book, and it’s chock full of advice for the older woman, the new wife, the young girl, the grandmother, all the women. She goes from the big questions: Can a woman become president? (We’ll find out tonight!) Mrs. Roosevelt thinks the first woman president will be exceptional but until we get her, we will continue on with the usual series of exceptional and unexceptional men. To the little questions: A week of budget meals! Laura Shapiro writes about how Mrs. Roosevelt was so depressed in the White House that she insisted that home economics-derived Depression food be served at all meals. She was too depressed to taste the fried mush. The deviled eggs baked in a white sauce might be something.
Unions, avoiding sweatshop shopping, female employment, practical nursing skills, rural life, the tenements, how to survive without a maid. Eleanor has correspondents everywhere so she has the inside scoop on America. And she has practical suggestions for us all. Loved it.
Did that candidate win?
There’s a 50% chance you’re reading this on the other side of a global terror and you’re trying to rebuild the world according to the precepts of Eleanor Roosevelt. Excellent choice! She can be my president anytime. (Honestly, I think Biden’s been a little bit more populist, but like 96% of America doesn’t appreciate Biden properly.)
This is Mrs. Roosevelt’s first book, and it’s chock full of advice for the older woman, the new wife, the young girl, the grandmother, all the women. She goes from the big questions: Can a woman become president? (We’ll find out tonight!) Mrs. Roosevelt thinks the first woman president will be exceptional but until we get her, we will continue on with the usual series of exceptional and unexceptional men. To the little questions: A week of budget meals! Laura Shapiro writes about how Mrs. Roosevelt was so depressed in the White House that she insisted that home economics-derived Depression food be served at all meals. She was too depressed to taste the fried mush. The deviled eggs baked in a white sauce might be something.
Unions, avoiding sweatshop shopping, female employment, practical nursing skills, rural life, the tenements, how to survive without a maid. Eleanor has correspondents everywhere so she has the inside scoop on America. And she has practical suggestions for us all. Loved it.
November 18, 2020
This is a hard book to rate. I read some reviews that claim it is "timeless" and relevant even in our current day and age. I must say I disagree. This was written for a particular period and all the assumptions about life and gender that accompany that period are what shape these essays. I can't rate it high because I did not think highly of it, but I can't rate it low because it simply wasn't written for me. I love Eleanor Roosevelt and all she meant to women, but the reality is that this book is weak sauce at best and totally irrelevant at worst. It certainly deserves its existence as a historical document. And I will say that the section on women's role in global peace was especially moving and interesting, but that was one chapter after so many others that claimed women were the ones responsible for the upkeep of the home and budget in these trying times, not to mention husbandly affirmation. It adjures women to be super appreciative of a husband that deigns to help out around the house and make sure the home is still very pleasant for him, I guess because his poor little male ego can't handle drying a dish. It's hard to read that without eyerolling, but I understand that it was a product of a time and a mindset.
I thought when the title said "Up To The Women" that this was an affirmation of women coming into their own and taking a role in progressive change (very much in the way the Roosevet herself did!), but it's really just guilting women into taking more responsibility than their unemployed husbands do. But again, I will say I found the chapter on peacekeeping quite refreshing and inspiring. Could do without the rest.
I thought when the title said "Up To The Women" that this was an affirmation of women coming into their own and taking a role in progressive change (very much in the way the Roosevet herself did!), but it's really just guilting women into taking more responsibility than their unemployed husbands do. But again, I will say I found the chapter on peacekeeping quite refreshing and inspiring. Could do without the rest.
November 3, 2019
This is an interesting book because it can be taken in two ways. First it could have been used as Sage wisdom for women who were struggling during the Depression and struggling to take an active role outside of their homes. She was the first lady and she was saying it was okay to want to be more then your circumstances. She was also trying to tell the society as a whole that they could get past the war and depression and come out better on the other side if we work together and use common sense.
In a secondary way, it's hard not to read more between the lines because we have the knowledge of more background in her personal life. She struggled with an Unfaithful husband and wanting to keep her family unit together so her comments in support of divorce in certain circumstances could be closer examined. She also struggled with a mother-in-law so her section about women staying out of their children's marriages and finding purpose in life in later years could also be closer examined.
It's interesting to read this book in November 2019 when there's a whole section about her opinion on a woman becoming a president. I can only hope that she would be excited that's so many women have chosen to be active in their communities and politics.
In a secondary way, it's hard not to read more between the lines because we have the knowledge of more background in her personal life. She struggled with an Unfaithful husband and wanting to keep her family unit together so her comments in support of divorce in certain circumstances could be closer examined. She also struggled with a mother-in-law so her section about women staying out of their children's marriages and finding purpose in life in later years could also be closer examined.
It's interesting to read this book in November 2019 when there's a whole section about her opinion on a woman becoming a president. I can only hope that she would be excited that's so many women have chosen to be active in their communities and politics.
September 25, 2018
I love reading the words of this woman. Some parts I had to remind myself of the times she was speaking of, but many things she said were timeless.
March 26, 2024
Insight into a women's role in society during the great depression
April 3, 2019
Well, it was written long ago, so some things are kind of, hmm, out of date duh lol but there are very good advices that you can use
May 20, 2022
It’s a no for me dawg.
April 8, 2017
This book of Eleanor Roosevelt's advice to women during the depression offers an interesting glimpse into what life was like during that time. It also shows what an intelligent, practical, and down-to-earth person she was. She was interested in everything and everyone around her. Her sage advice covered a wide-range of topics: how to handle the loss of income the Depression brought, husband-wife relationships, working women, budgeting, recipes, the importance of taking care of your health (sleep, physical fitness, "me" time), child care, how to handle adolescents, divorce, how to weather life's changes and challenges. I was impressed that she addressed all socio-economic levels. Most of what she wrote is still good advice today. A political and social activist, it is no wonder that she was admired by so many.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Nation Books for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Nation Books for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this book.
May 8, 2020
I wish I had read this book and other by Eleanor Roosevelt when I was 20. Having read her * you learn by living* I was absolutely captivated by her life wisdom and intelligence. Having read * it’s up to the women* I am convinced that Eleanor is one of those women the world, and in particular other women, should have heard more about and from. She has been hugely underrated as educator and author, underestimated as a person of great ability and political and educational talent. She should not only have been more influential in a man’s world, she could well become a president herself, were she born far later in history.
February 5, 2018
It was interesting to read that women are still experiencing the same problems as the ones described in this book which was written almost 100 years ago. Compared to some of the modern female empowerment books that I've read, this one is more of a how-to guide which was a fascinating take.
July 28, 2022
Eleanor Roosevelt has been advocating for equal pay for women since 1934! Definitely a first lady that is so ahead of her time. I would undoubtedly give this 5 stars if not for that reference of Asians as 'yellow races'. Yikes!
February 11, 2021
I'm continuing my year of reads from powerful, influential women...this time with a book written in the 1930s. I knew Eleanor Roosevelt was rad, but was amazed at how in this first book of hers, she uses her voice and role as FLOTUS to be insightful & visionary. She is ahead of her time because it's key to keep in mind this is written when women as public speakers is rare, women in politics even rarer, and women with careers outside the home is nowhere near where it is in the 21st century.
Even more fascinating is to think how humans are creatures of habit and that the world is (too?) slow to change. She talks about issues still affecting society today such as the value in healthy diets (hello current obesity pandemic), finding work-life balance (before the Internet & WFH life that has zoomed - pun intended - during COVID-19); and equal pay for women (is it $1:$1 in 2021 yet?)
I recommend this short read for anyone who values learning from the past and moreso if someone is inclined to change the course of the future with his or her voice and actions. That way almost a hundred years from now, a dear future reader could instead say, "Wow, we've really come a long way and value each other way better than in the past."
Even more fascinating is to think how humans are creatures of habit and that the world is (too?) slow to change. She talks about issues still affecting society today such as the value in healthy diets (hello current obesity pandemic), finding work-life balance (before the Internet & WFH life that has zoomed - pun intended - during COVID-19); and equal pay for women (is it $1:$1 in 2021 yet?)
I recommend this short read for anyone who values learning from the past and moreso if someone is inclined to change the course of the future with his or her voice and actions. That way almost a hundred years from now, a dear future reader could instead say, "Wow, we've really come a long way and value each other way better than in the past."
August 7, 2024
Listened to this on audio.
I've always looked up to Eleanor Roosevelt and she was someone who stuck out to me in American History classes for school.
I appreciate how she was able to see into the future with her ideas of feminism.
She believed there should be a balance of living within your means, leading a home (often times as the mother/wife/caregiver in the home), while also being thoughtful and resilient. I agree with her ideas of home economics being taught to teens so that they know how to live on a budget and can have skills to take care of a home. I also loved how she saw women emerging in the professions and believed they should be fairly paid/treated. It's easy to see that she embraced character development over reputation, and that there is a certain grit and grace to being a successful, happy woman. Amazing that what she had to say has so much relevance even today so many years after she wrote this book.
Areas for growth for current times- she mentioned those in poverty are often those who need education the most. In current times, many people in poverty are educated and they are hidden in the suburbs drowning in debt from higher education. We need to address these newer issues and sometimes the public service relief isn't hitting all of those affected by this.
I've always looked up to Eleanor Roosevelt and she was someone who stuck out to me in American History classes for school.
I appreciate how she was able to see into the future with her ideas of feminism.
She believed there should be a balance of living within your means, leading a home (often times as the mother/wife/caregiver in the home), while also being thoughtful and resilient. I agree with her ideas of home economics being taught to teens so that they know how to live on a budget and can have skills to take care of a home. I also loved how she saw women emerging in the professions and believed they should be fairly paid/treated. It's easy to see that she embraced character development over reputation, and that there is a certain grit and grace to being a successful, happy woman. Amazing that what she had to say has so much relevance even today so many years after she wrote this book.
Areas for growth for current times- she mentioned those in poverty are often those who need education the most. In current times, many people in poverty are educated and they are hidden in the suburbs drowning in debt from higher education. We need to address these newer issues and sometimes the public service relief isn't hitting all of those affected by this.
April 13, 2020
I picked up this book expecting something totally different than what I serendipitously stumbled into when I finally got around to reading this from my collection. In this short volume Eleanor Roosevelt imparts her Depression era wisdom to the reader on family life and civic duty. It is a thoroughly “difference Feminism” take - by that I mean Roosevelt asserts women are different from men but their differences should be embraced for all to prosper. Despite her record of working on behalf of racial equality and on behalf of poor women this book is highly tailored to the heteropatriarchal family formation. I of course being neither a parent, nor married to a man, did not find much in terms of the advice provided on those topics for me. Despite these shortcomings there are some gems of chapters that sadly feel all to relevant on questions related to women voting and running for office. As a historical text it inspires reflections on the state of women in families, work, and civic life. As we find ourselves back in an economic depression in 2020 what wisdoms might a book published in 1932 have for us today?
November 12, 2024
I started It’s Up to the Women after the election, curious about what Eleanor Roosevelt thought women could do to positively impact our country. Even though this was written in 1933, I found it surprisingly relevant. There are definitely some outdated views, but the core message—that women have a unique and essential role in shaping society—still rings true.
One quote that really stood out to me was: “One thing is sure, the attitude towards women in the changes of society will determine to a great extent the future of this society.” It felt like Roosevelt was speaking directly to today, capturing how essential women’s voices and actions are in determining the direction of our world.
This book spoke to me with wisdom similar to my late Oma, and I genuinely felt inspired after reading it. It reminded me how powerful women’s activism can be, especially in building a society that leans toward peace and progress. Roosevelt’s vision is a great reminder of the positive changes women can drive, even through small everyday actions. This was an amazing read, and I could definitely see myself picking it up to read again.
One quote that really stood out to me was: “One thing is sure, the attitude towards women in the changes of society will determine to a great extent the future of this society.” It felt like Roosevelt was speaking directly to today, capturing how essential women’s voices and actions are in determining the direction of our world.
This book spoke to me with wisdom similar to my late Oma, and I genuinely felt inspired after reading it. It reminded me how powerful women’s activism can be, especially in building a society that leans toward peace and progress. Roosevelt’s vision is a great reminder of the positive changes women can drive, even through small everyday actions. This was an amazing read, and I could definitely see myself picking it up to read again.
June 9, 2019
Picked this up after seeing a recommendation by Susan Page, and noting Jill Lepore's intro.
As Eleanor Roosevelt's first book- written at the start of FDR's presidency, it reflects a First Lady in the early transitions of what she would become, not the ER of her United Nations days toward the end of her life.
An easy read, some of the content is rooted in the context of the Depression (how to adjust to fewer servants, or working along side them; home ec recipes most of us would now avoid). Some content reflects a longer shelf life that still has relevance today (commentary on woman president, use of media to engage national conversation).
I was initially underwhelmed by what I read. It is helpful to keep in mind that when this was written women had had the right to vote only 14 years, and at a time of extreme social/economic reinvention in the US. Additionally, this was written by someone then considered an outlier on so many dimensions but who did not allow herself to be influenced by her opposition.
As Eleanor Roosevelt's first book- written at the start of FDR's presidency, it reflects a First Lady in the early transitions of what she would become, not the ER of her United Nations days toward the end of her life.
An easy read, some of the content is rooted in the context of the Depression (how to adjust to fewer servants, or working along side them; home ec recipes most of us would now avoid). Some content reflects a longer shelf life that still has relevance today (commentary on woman president, use of media to engage national conversation).
I was initially underwhelmed by what I read. It is helpful to keep in mind that when this was written women had had the right to vote only 14 years, and at a time of extreme social/economic reinvention in the US. Additionally, this was written by someone then considered an outlier on so many dimensions but who did not allow herself to be influenced by her opposition.
January 28, 2024
Eleanor Roosevelt’s first book, published during the Great Depression. I’d hoped to like it better than I did. There is much here that still applies and is relevant to current times, while some of her ideas just come across as dated. Although brief, it was sometimes a bit of a slog to get through, and the tone can come across as didactic. There is enough of interest here, though, to recommend as a historical and feminist read.
Her overall belief in the power of women, and the importance of women’s rights, especially in the workplace, remains pertinent. It’s interesting to think that women hadn’t even had the right to vote for very many years at the time this was written, and had only begun to enter politics.
Nearly a hundred years later, we’ve not yet elected a woman president, and equal rights is still a work in progress. She often references the tragedies of World War I, and the lessons learned that will hopefully mean never again. It’s an eerie foreshadowing to the devastation and hardships the present day reader knows is coming with World War II.
Her overall belief in the power of women, and the importance of women’s rights, especially in the workplace, remains pertinent. It’s interesting to think that women hadn’t even had the right to vote for very many years at the time this was written, and had only begun to enter politics.
Nearly a hundred years later, we’ve not yet elected a woman president, and equal rights is still a work in progress. She often references the tragedies of World War I, and the lessons learned that will hopefully mean never again. It’s an eerie foreshadowing to the devastation and hardships the present day reader knows is coming with World War II.
July 25, 2017
Written between January and March of 1933 - in the throes of the Great Depression and prior to WWII - Eleanor Roosevelt typed this remarkable book herself. While some of the info is dated, it is surprising relevant to today. Practical and philosophical, we meet a most remarkable Eleanor, working out her "own salvation" as she prepared for the role of First Lady, a role she never wanted. She includes daily menus - with recipes - for better family health in a time when money for food was unattainable. She believed strongly that family was the bedrock of our society, so she includes a plethora of details on bettering one's family life. But she does not neglect national and international politics and the influence women in all walks of life can have within their immediate community.
This book is worth reading. I plan to go through a second time and mark all the amazing quotes written by an amazing lady and a personal hero of mine.
This book is worth reading. I plan to go through a second time and mark all the amazing quotes written by an amazing lady and a personal hero of mine.
March 17, 2021
It was really interesting and enjoyable to read a collection of Mrs. Roosevelt's words, as she is so often quoted, but her writing isn't featured as whole entities that frequently any longer.
I find it interesting that while she is considered a paragon for feminist ideals, she is still very much a product of her time.
Additionally, I don't think any first ladies in my lifetime would've been as well received for offering blanket advice about pretty much everything to all Americans.
I'm super curious if she had any ACTUAL scientific or research based support for the things she said at the time of if it was more her general opinion. Some of her commentary about living within one's means seemed a touch tone deaf, but this is the first full length with I've read, so it could be ignorance on my part.
Regardless of its place in present day (for I feel their definitely SHOULD be a space), this is a wonderful snapshot of history and writing from an important and impactful figure.
I find it interesting that while she is considered a paragon for feminist ideals, she is still very much a product of her time.
Additionally, I don't think any first ladies in my lifetime would've been as well received for offering blanket advice about pretty much everything to all Americans.
I'm super curious if she had any ACTUAL scientific or research based support for the things she said at the time of if it was more her general opinion. Some of her commentary about living within one's means seemed a touch tone deaf, but this is the first full length with I've read, so it could be ignorance on my part.
Regardless of its place in present day (for I feel their definitely SHOULD be a space), this is a wonderful snapshot of history and writing from an important and impactful figure.
May 24, 2018
This was tricky for me. The end of the book felt eerie--so much of what she was warning against and spurning women to do STILL HASN'T HAPPENED! Equal pay, appropriate family leave, women's disproportionate role in politics, our approach to having the VOTE, the role of work, our role in peace. I found her thoughts encouraging and inspiring to continue to press on. However, it was hard, because the beginning of the book seemed like a home economics lecture focusing on recipes and how to make friends. I was expecting the second half of the book in terms of content and tone and was therefore a little surprised by the beginning. I was glad with how it ended and as always, impressed by her wisdom, vision and almost prescient sense of issues we should care about even in the early 1930s.
January 9, 2023
This book was published in 1933, and written before her husband officially became president. For a book that was written 90 years ago, it holds up pretty well.
That said, if it had been written by anyone else, I would've given up in the middle of the book. My respect and admiration for Eleanor made me persevere.
I thought the book would be more of a feminist manifesto, but it was more appropriate for the time period. Eleanor encourages women to take responsibility for every area of their lives, which for the 30's was probably revolutionary, especially as a proper political wife.
She offers keen insight as someone who had a breadth of experiences and was quite well traveled. That said, I would be interested in what the book would've been like had she written it 20 years later.
That said, if it had been written by anyone else, I would've given up in the middle of the book. My respect and admiration for Eleanor made me persevere.
I thought the book would be more of a feminist manifesto, but it was more appropriate for the time period. Eleanor encourages women to take responsibility for every area of their lives, which for the 30's was probably revolutionary, especially as a proper political wife.
She offers keen insight as someone who had a breadth of experiences and was quite well traveled. That said, I would be interested in what the book would've been like had she written it 20 years later.
November 23, 2018
Eleanor Roosevelt was ahead of her time and was definitely able to put her thoughts into words. This book has moments that shine and are progressive like expecting women to be paid the same as men. There are also moments that are just about daily life as a wife. It provides a snapshot of what was expected in 1933. Despite the fact that so much in women's lives have changed since then, it is sad to know that so much remains the same. There is a simplicity and in her voice as she expresses her thoughts and concerns. This isn't a book that I'd necessarily recommend but I'm glad to view this brief moment of history.
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