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FDR's Splendid Deception
Franklin D. Roosevelt was a paraplegic polio victim who could not stand without braces and could not walk without skilled assistance. This is the moving story of Roosevelt's massive disability and the intense efforts to conceal it from the public. Contains 18 long-suppressed photographs.
250 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1985
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 18, 2013
The author takes a fascinating look at FDR and his long, strenuous fight to not be looked at as an invalid. It's a pretty candid look at the man, and he brings his own experience as a polio survivor in to try to decipher what FDR went through.
Note : the book has FDR's assassination attempt listed as taking place in 1934, but it was actually 1933.
Note : the book has FDR's assassination attempt listed as taking place in 1934, but it was actually 1933.
October 13, 2022
So delightful to read, an absolutely fascinating look into how FDR was able to hide his paralysis from the public, how the entire country rallied around him and his wishes, and all from the perspective from an author who was also a polio victim. It hardly felt like a biography and certainly not a history book; it felt like I was looking into the life of someone renowned in intimate ways I never thought of before. If you are even remotely interested in FDR, political strategy, or disability history, I absolutely cannot recommend this enough!
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September 24, 2022A really interesting look into not only how FDR hid his disability, but why he almost had to as well.
May 27, 2016
A useful book, making the fundamental argument that FDR's bout with polio had a powerful, permanent impact on who he was. Gallagher admirably explores both the physical aspect (secret service building ramps constantly and everywhere, FDR painting his braces black and wearing long, black pants and socks to visually downplay the braces) and the psychological (FDR never developed the ability to fully face and grapple with crises).
The frustrating part for me is that this is such a good point (that FDR's polio was critical to an understanding of him), that I wanted much more -- more historical context, more thoughtful consideration of what a disability means. Gallagher never explores, for example, what was said about FDR's disability in magazines and newspapers (isn't the great misconception today that most people today think Americans in the 1930s and 1940s thought he wasn't handicapped when in fact most Americans were fully aware of it, they just never knew the full extent and depth of it). Gallagher also never goes into much depth about what a physical disability meant in America in the 1930s; he just makes sweeping comments about how it was something to be shunned and hidden and shameful -- well, OK maybe, but give me some proof and some analysis and some thoughtful exploration of it.
The final chapter is mostly a pat on the author's own back to himself about getting FDR's disability into the FDR monument in DC -- but I wanted him to help me understand what does it mean about today's context where we feel strongly that acknowledgement of paralysis must be included, knowing that FDR himself NEVER wanted to be seen as a cripple? In other words, what is the function of monuments in our world today -- do they exist as a portrait of a person as they themselves wanted to exist, or do they exist as a portrait of a person as we find that person valuable and useful to our world? Both viewpoints are eminently valuable and say something about what we think is important historically, but Gallagher never really attempts to tackle the issue.
This is a useful and interesting book as far as it goes but could have been much stronger and even more interesting.
The frustrating part for me is that this is such a good point (that FDR's polio was critical to an understanding of him), that I wanted much more -- more historical context, more thoughtful consideration of what a disability means. Gallagher never explores, for example, what was said about FDR's disability in magazines and newspapers (isn't the great misconception today that most people today think Americans in the 1930s and 1940s thought he wasn't handicapped when in fact most Americans were fully aware of it, they just never knew the full extent and depth of it). Gallagher also never goes into much depth about what a physical disability meant in America in the 1930s; he just makes sweeping comments about how it was something to be shunned and hidden and shameful -- well, OK maybe, but give me some proof and some analysis and some thoughtful exploration of it.
The final chapter is mostly a pat on the author's own back to himself about getting FDR's disability into the FDR monument in DC -- but I wanted him to help me understand what does it mean about today's context where we feel strongly that acknowledgement of paralysis must be included, knowing that FDR himself NEVER wanted to be seen as a cripple? In other words, what is the function of monuments in our world today -- do they exist as a portrait of a person as they themselves wanted to exist, or do they exist as a portrait of a person as we find that person valuable and useful to our world? Both viewpoints are eminently valuable and say something about what we think is important historically, but Gallagher never really attempts to tackle the issue.
This is a useful and interesting book as far as it goes but could have been much stronger and even more interesting.
July 27, 2015
I really enjoyed this book,which explains the extent that the Secret Service (and FDR himself) went to hide Roosevelt's disability from the American public. It's shocking to realize that during FDR's 12 year tenure, most Americans had no idea that Roosevelt was paralyzed. The book also analyzes FDR's personality and family background, describing him as resilient and good-humored ("bonhomie" is used a lot in this book), but not a deep thinker, nor an intellectual. Unlike other war presidents, FDR still found much time to relax and do menial hobbies, like collecting stamps. Unlike Lincoln, who surrounded himself with those much more competent and intellectual than himself, Roosevelt surrounded himself with people who would look up to him and flatter his ego. I finished the book with much respect for FDR in overcoming his physical challenges, but not much respect for him as a real intellectual president or deep thinker. I also was surprised by his schedule--due in part to his disability, of course-- that offered him much leisure time, early bed times, and not much time in the office actually working. The office of president certainly has changed in the ensuing decades. Can you imagine President Obama coming into the office at 10AM and leaving by 3 to go over his stamp collection?
September 8, 2016
One of the most enlightening books I've read about FDR, focusing in depth on his paraplegia and its effect on the man and the president he became. Before it was published in the mid-1980s, many biographers and historians glossed over the facts of Roosevelt's disability, making it a sidenote in his development instead of what it really was -- the biggest turning point in his life, and something that affected every aspect of his existence from the onset of polio in 1921 until his death in 1945.
It's understandable that historians would fail to emphasize the importance of of Roosevelt's paralysis on his life, in a way, since Roosevelt did all he could to de-emphasize it himself. He kept his emotions and thoughts about his disability to himself on a personal level, never complaining or speaking about it to family or friends, and he and those around him (including the press) certainly did everything they could to keep the appearance of any disability from the public. It would have been completely unthinkable and impossible for a "cripple" to have any significant political life in the 1920s and '30s, much less for one to become President of the United States. People still hid their disabled family members away in back rooms and in prison-like hospitals and institutions in those days. There was no Americans With Disabilities Act, none of the things we take for granted today. If he wanted to have a career and not resign himself to the life of a semi-invalid country squire in upstate New York, he would have to avoid being photographed on crutches or in a wheelchair, and would have to be capable of standing and walking (or at least appearing to walk) when necessary.
This clip from the American Experience documentary on his life discusses FDR's paralysis, and the struggle he went through to be able to "walk" with the aid of uncomfortable braces on his legs, a strong man on one arm, and a cane in the other. You can see the only known footage of this walk in the video, at 2:39. Every step was painful and cost him huge amounts of energy. One misstep -- a slippery patch on the ground, a slackening in his assistant's arm -- and he would collapse to the ground, possibly injuring himself and definitely injuring his career. Everything about his physical life was a struggle (the world was not wheelchair accessible back then), but in spite of that he became the greatest president of the 20th century. The bravery and determination of the man are mind-boggling.
Of course along with the bravery was a lot of denial. Until the end of his life, FDR never fully accepted the fact that he would never walk again, that he was permanently paralyzed. He was always on the lookout for new exercises, new therapies, new techniques that might get him on his feet again, if not this year then next year, or the next. He also shut down emotionally, never sharing his feelings with anyone close to him, always putting on a cheerful front. Already emotionally reserved as a result of his upper class background (his family could've stepped out of the pages of an Edith Wharton novel) and being raised by his mother not to "make a fuss," he became even more closed off after his illness and was, in Gallagher's opinion, an "emotional cripple" as well. He was friendly and charming with both the public and those around him, but he was never able to be truly close to anyone on a personal level. He famously told Orson Welles, "Orson, you and I are the two best actors in America," and it was quite true.
One of the most interesting parts of the book is its focus on the rehabilitation center Roosevelt created in Warm Springs, Georgia. Warm Springs was a run down resort formerly visited by the wealthy who came to enjoy the natural warm springs there. FDR read about it in the mid-20s and decided to visit in hopes that the springs would aid in his recovery. Once word got out that the sun and swimming were proving helpful to FDR, more and more polio patients began coming to the resort. Roosevelt spent 2/3 of his own fortune to buy and remodel the place to make it handicapped-accessible and a pleasant, cheerful place. He personally worked with the patients himself (they called him "Doctor Roosevelt," which he loved) and brought in specialists in rehabilitation to work there. He came up with various exercises and techniques which are still the basis of rehabilitation today, and he fought to gain Warm Springs the endorsement of the American Orthopedic Association. He was involved in all aspects of the place, from landscaping to admissions, where he insisted that no one should be turned away simply because they lacked the money to pay.
Eleanor Roosevelt believed that if his re-entry into politics had failed, he'd have stayed on at Warm Springs and made that his life's work. At a time when the treatment of paralyzed and disabled people at institutions and in hospitals amounted to little more than torture, Roosevelt's Warm Springs rehab center was something completely new and different. Patients there had fun -- they exercised, socialized, had good food, and most of all were able to interact with others who were struggling through the same things. It was revolutionary, really, and the beginning of a new way of approaching disability in this country. Roosevelt loved Warm Springs and continued to return there whenever he could for the rest of his life, building a small cottage (dubbed "The Little White House" during his presidency) to live in during his visits. He was there when he died in 1945.
While living in Georgia, Roosevelt gained an appreciation of the struggles of the poverty-stricken locals with whom he became friends. He spent a lot of time driving the backroads in his car, which was rigged to be controlled by hand, chatting with farmers, giving rides to folks both black and white who needed a lift, getting a real sense of what people were going through. The Depression hadn't officially hit yet, but the rural South was already depressed. The lack of electricity in those rural areas especially stuck with Roosevelt, and once he became president one of the biggest projects of the New Deal was the Tennessee Valley Authority, which provided agrarian areas of the South with power at reasonable prices.
The book also delves into FDR's leadership in the fight to find a cure for polio. During his administration nationwide balls were held on his birthday, the proceeds of which went to the treatment of polio patients at Warm Springs and elsewhere. Eventually the drive transformed into the March of Dimes, which raised huge sums of money by soliciting small amounts from people all around the country. The funds from the March of Dimes established fellowships for doctors and researchers, one of whom was Jonas Salk. Without FDR's influence and leadership it's very unlikely that polio would have found a cure so quickly. It might not have been cured at all.
I wouldn't necessarily recommend FDR's Splendid Deception to someone who hadn't already read a more general biography of Roosevelt. It's specifically focused on his disability and its impact on his character, so it skims over other areas. Once you have a good general knowledge of FDR's life, however, this book is a great way to enrich your understanding of the man. Hugh Gregory Gallagher was himself a polio and a paraplegic, having lost use of his legs at age 19 and spent time at Warm Springs in the 1950s, when Roosevelt's memory was still alive and well at the place. He had a firsthand understanding of what it truly means to be disabled, which provides a special level of insight into what Roosevelt lived through, both physically and psychologically.
It's understandable that historians would fail to emphasize the importance of of Roosevelt's paralysis on his life, in a way, since Roosevelt did all he could to de-emphasize it himself. He kept his emotions and thoughts about his disability to himself on a personal level, never complaining or speaking about it to family or friends, and he and those around him (including the press) certainly did everything they could to keep the appearance of any disability from the public. It would have been completely unthinkable and impossible for a "cripple" to have any significant political life in the 1920s and '30s, much less for one to become President of the United States. People still hid their disabled family members away in back rooms and in prison-like hospitals and institutions in those days. There was no Americans With Disabilities Act, none of the things we take for granted today. If he wanted to have a career and not resign himself to the life of a semi-invalid country squire in upstate New York, he would have to avoid being photographed on crutches or in a wheelchair, and would have to be capable of standing and walking (or at least appearing to walk) when necessary.
This clip from the American Experience documentary on his life discusses FDR's paralysis, and the struggle he went through to be able to "walk" with the aid of uncomfortable braces on his legs, a strong man on one arm, and a cane in the other. You can see the only known footage of this walk in the video, at 2:39. Every step was painful and cost him huge amounts of energy. One misstep -- a slippery patch on the ground, a slackening in his assistant's arm -- and he would collapse to the ground, possibly injuring himself and definitely injuring his career. Everything about his physical life was a struggle (the world was not wheelchair accessible back then), but in spite of that he became the greatest president of the 20th century. The bravery and determination of the man are mind-boggling.
Of course along with the bravery was a lot of denial. Until the end of his life, FDR never fully accepted the fact that he would never walk again, that he was permanently paralyzed. He was always on the lookout for new exercises, new therapies, new techniques that might get him on his feet again, if not this year then next year, or the next. He also shut down emotionally, never sharing his feelings with anyone close to him, always putting on a cheerful front. Already emotionally reserved as a result of his upper class background (his family could've stepped out of the pages of an Edith Wharton novel) and being raised by his mother not to "make a fuss," he became even more closed off after his illness and was, in Gallagher's opinion, an "emotional cripple" as well. He was friendly and charming with both the public and those around him, but he was never able to be truly close to anyone on a personal level. He famously told Orson Welles, "Orson, you and I are the two best actors in America," and it was quite true.
One of the most interesting parts of the book is its focus on the rehabilitation center Roosevelt created in Warm Springs, Georgia. Warm Springs was a run down resort formerly visited by the wealthy who came to enjoy the natural warm springs there. FDR read about it in the mid-20s and decided to visit in hopes that the springs would aid in his recovery. Once word got out that the sun and swimming were proving helpful to FDR, more and more polio patients began coming to the resort. Roosevelt spent 2/3 of his own fortune to buy and remodel the place to make it handicapped-accessible and a pleasant, cheerful place. He personally worked with the patients himself (they called him "Doctor Roosevelt," which he loved) and brought in specialists in rehabilitation to work there. He came up with various exercises and techniques which are still the basis of rehabilitation today, and he fought to gain Warm Springs the endorsement of the American Orthopedic Association. He was involved in all aspects of the place, from landscaping to admissions, where he insisted that no one should be turned away simply because they lacked the money to pay.
Eleanor Roosevelt believed that if his re-entry into politics had failed, he'd have stayed on at Warm Springs and made that his life's work. At a time when the treatment of paralyzed and disabled people at institutions and in hospitals amounted to little more than torture, Roosevelt's Warm Springs rehab center was something completely new and different. Patients there had fun -- they exercised, socialized, had good food, and most of all were able to interact with others who were struggling through the same things. It was revolutionary, really, and the beginning of a new way of approaching disability in this country. Roosevelt loved Warm Springs and continued to return there whenever he could for the rest of his life, building a small cottage (dubbed "The Little White House" during his presidency) to live in during his visits. He was there when he died in 1945.
While living in Georgia, Roosevelt gained an appreciation of the struggles of the poverty-stricken locals with whom he became friends. He spent a lot of time driving the backroads in his car, which was rigged to be controlled by hand, chatting with farmers, giving rides to folks both black and white who needed a lift, getting a real sense of what people were going through. The Depression hadn't officially hit yet, but the rural South was already depressed. The lack of electricity in those rural areas especially stuck with Roosevelt, and once he became president one of the biggest projects of the New Deal was the Tennessee Valley Authority, which provided agrarian areas of the South with power at reasonable prices.
The book also delves into FDR's leadership in the fight to find a cure for polio. During his administration nationwide balls were held on his birthday, the proceeds of which went to the treatment of polio patients at Warm Springs and elsewhere. Eventually the drive transformed into the March of Dimes, which raised huge sums of money by soliciting small amounts from people all around the country. The funds from the March of Dimes established fellowships for doctors and researchers, one of whom was Jonas Salk. Without FDR's influence and leadership it's very unlikely that polio would have found a cure so quickly. It might not have been cured at all.
I wouldn't necessarily recommend FDR's Splendid Deception to someone who hadn't already read a more general biography of Roosevelt. It's specifically focused on his disability and its impact on his character, so it skims over other areas. Once you have a good general knowledge of FDR's life, however, this book is a great way to enrich your understanding of the man. Hugh Gregory Gallagher was himself a polio and a paraplegic, having lost use of his legs at age 19 and spent time at Warm Springs in the 1950s, when Roosevelt's memory was still alive and well at the place. He had a firsthand understanding of what it truly means to be disabled, which provides a special level of insight into what Roosevelt lived through, both physically and psychologically.
May 1, 2020
Anyone interested in FDR, or the Roosevelts in general, will find FDR's Splendid Deception an essential examination of the 32nd President's disability and its impact on his life. In fact, the book makes a compelling case that Roosevelt would not and could not have been president had he not contracted polio and subsequently learned to cope with the resulting paralysis. While the details of how and why FDR hid his condition from the general public provide insight, the book shines strongest when analyzing how polio affected his life, going beyond simply the physical limitations to dig into his day-to-day adaptations and his overall mental state. (This last he also kept carefully concealed.)
The fact that author Hugh Gregory Gallagher had himself been a polio patient at Warm Springs lends the book an authenticity and firsthand empathy that another writer might have struggled to bring to the table. The book does contain a handful of minor factual errors, and Gallagher writes choppily at times, bouncing between topics and locations with little warning. Conversely, Gallagher clearly researched his topic thoroughly, providing ample endnotes and a six-page bibliography.
FDR's Splendid Deception first appeared in 1985. By the time of my late-high school years, a decade later, FDR's disability seemed like common knowledge to me, but I had no idea how recently that knowledge had come to be common. I don't have any other sources or information to compare against, but Gallagher's addenda to the later edition that I read indicate that no prior biography of Roosevelt dealt with his paralysis in any in-depth way. Intriguingly, he goes on to relate that the original plans for the FDR Memorial in Washington, DC did not include any mention or representation of this important aspect of his life. When an intervening edition of the book brought attention to this point, the subsequent uproar amongst the disabled community led to a rethink, and the memorial now features a prominent statue clearly depicting Roosevelt in a wheelchair. If that change represents the ultimate legacy of Gallagher and his book, then both he and it have done the world a great service indeed.
The fact that author Hugh Gregory Gallagher had himself been a polio patient at Warm Springs lends the book an authenticity and firsthand empathy that another writer might have struggled to bring to the table. The book does contain a handful of minor factual errors, and Gallagher writes choppily at times, bouncing between topics and locations with little warning. Conversely, Gallagher clearly researched his topic thoroughly, providing ample endnotes and a six-page bibliography.
FDR's Splendid Deception first appeared in 1985. By the time of my late-high school years, a decade later, FDR's disability seemed like common knowledge to me, but I had no idea how recently that knowledge had come to be common. I don't have any other sources or information to compare against, but Gallagher's addenda to the later edition that I read indicate that no prior biography of Roosevelt dealt with his paralysis in any in-depth way. Intriguingly, he goes on to relate that the original plans for the FDR Memorial in Washington, DC did not include any mention or representation of this important aspect of his life. When an intervening edition of the book brought attention to this point, the subsequent uproar amongst the disabled community led to a rethink, and the memorial now features a prominent statue clearly depicting Roosevelt in a wheelchair. If that change represents the ultimate legacy of Gallagher and his book, then both he and it have done the world a great service indeed.
June 19, 2017
This book is focused on Roosevelt's disability due to polio. The theme is about the lengths he and others took to conceal it from the public. Historically it is of interest because the topic is not addressed in this detail in his biographies. For me personally it is a story of how far we have come in recognizing the rights and acceptance of individuals with physical challenges. I thought the saddest part of the story was the dismantling of ramps in the White House and Hyde Park after the President died. If he couldn't use them no one else would either. Not much vision in those decisions. I also didn't know how instrumental he was in the March of Dimes. Any FDR scholar or someone with interest in these presidential years would find this book of interest.
February 15, 2019
A visitation to the FDR Library and Museum in Hyde Park, NY stimulated my interest in reading this book, which views FDR’s life and presidency through the lens of his disability. It is a fascinating look at a patrician man with an outward suppression of negative emotion and the impact of his popularity on the ultimate development of the polio vaccine. A fellow “polio”, the author suggests how the disease was one of many challenges of his presidency, adding to an understanding of the personal strength necessary to survive and even thrive. Highly recommend.
February 20, 2024
Reading this book was intensely personal to me because my Daddy had polio in the summer of 1952 and spent time at Warm Springs, very much like FDR and the author, Gallagher. There were many details in the book of Roosevelt's paralysis that I had never thought of in regard to what my Dad experienced.
Mr. Gallagher did massive amounts of research for this book and gave us a well-researched and well-written account of FDR's experience with polio. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, both as a student of history and a family member of a polio survivor.
Mr. Gallagher did massive amounts of research for this book and gave us a well-researched and well-written account of FDR's experience with polio. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, both as a student of history and a family member of a polio survivor.
November 17, 2021
Very interesting, I was a child when FDR was Pres. It is true that no one knew he was crippled never could pull this off in todays world! FDR had courage and a lust for power. He could have lived longer if his doctors had controlled his cig. and liquor drinking.. But that was not known the dangers of then. The author had polio also and he had great admiration for this president as most people did in the 40's!
September 30, 2023
Not that well written and felt dated in a lot of places. Still interesting to get the specifics of what is now widely known in how much FDR had to go through to conceal his disability. Remarkable example of both his unique ability and extraordinary accomplishment as well how much the world has changed.
December 4, 2019
Pros:
-interesting lens
-detailed without being oppressive
Cons:
-a bit fawning
-interesting lens
-detailed without being oppressive
Cons:
-a bit fawning
October 5, 2023
Uncited speculation written as fact
July 11, 2024
An excellent read. You learn a lot about how painful and severely disabled he was. And how much he accomplished. Well researched by a guy who is a polio himself.
Read
July 22, 2024Poison-Spice It Up-nonfiction book about a controversial person-FDR's efforts to show the American people he was not disabled all while he was instrumental in setting up innovative programs for polio victims to recover.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2020
A very enjoyable and quick read. I had been reading about the Yalta Conference between FDR, Stalin, and Churchill and wanted to know if Stalin had known about FDR's crippled condition. That line of inquiry led me to this book, a very informative and exhaustive account of FDR's life with polio. To be clear, if you are looking for a straight-up biography of FDR, this book IS NOT for you. There is next to nothing about his life before polio, and very little is said about his policies as president. This is a book that seeks to fill in the holes of the FDR narrative. As the author says, many biographers view FDR's polio as an episode that had a beginning, middle, and end in the 1920's, and not as something he dealt with his entire life, which was the reality.
Gallagher does a good job of filling in those holes. The chapters are arranged chronologically, but the author isn't afraid to jump around in time within the chapter if it serves the narrative. That being said, he IS painting a narrative. Gallagher is a polio himself, and while he writes as an objective historian, his agenda in writing cannot be denied. As such, there is a little bit of hero worship in the story. I don't think he does a very good job of accurately portraying Eleanor. He paints her as cold to Roosevelt, without really delving into why (i.e. Roosevelt's infidelity and infamous self-centeredness). That being said, this book is very enjoyable and has many fun, informative, and interesting anecdotes.
P.S. Yes, Stalin did know about Roosevelt's polio.
Gallagher does a good job of filling in those holes. The chapters are arranged chronologically, but the author isn't afraid to jump around in time within the chapter if it serves the narrative. That being said, he IS painting a narrative. Gallagher is a polio himself, and while he writes as an objective historian, his agenda in writing cannot be denied. As such, there is a little bit of hero worship in the story. I don't think he does a very good job of accurately portraying Eleanor. He paints her as cold to Roosevelt, without really delving into why (i.e. Roosevelt's infidelity and infamous self-centeredness). That being said, this book is very enjoyable and has many fun, informative, and interesting anecdotes.
P.S. Yes, Stalin did know about Roosevelt's polio.
August 17, 2015
FDR was a man whose image was bigger than life; his leadership led the US through its "darkest period"…the Depression and the subsequent World War. As an individual, however, FDR was troubled. He never got over losing the use of his legs to polio. He determined, however, not to let that interfere with his life and his work. Amazingly, the country went along with this. Gallagher explores this "Splendid Deception" and those who perpetuated it. The populace was largely unaware of Roosevelt's handicap, let alone any related issues from which he was suffering. Certainly, such a deception could not occur today. The bloodthirsty media would never allow it. But the fact that it did occur, and only a relatively short time ago, sheds much light upon the character of our country and its citizens of the time. Gallagher's book is well-written and well-organized. Its only limitations seem to come from the character of FDR himself; his intense privacy and pride kept much from being recorded (or even noticed) even by those closest to him. It's an intriguing situation and I recommend this book to anyone who wants a more balanced portrayal of the man so often portrayed as super-human, but who was, in reality, a fragile, lonely man.
January 6, 2019
This didn't end up being quite what I'd been anticipating, but it was still quite good. I was hoping to get some insight into the thoughts of the press, how they rationalized their part in the deception. Because as much as this was FDR's bit of misdirection, the members of the press corps were willing participants. So for me, that was a little disappointing. However, I did get a lot more insight into FDR in general than I was expecting. The book's structure is a little disorganized in places. It's semi-chronological, except when the author suddenly decides it shouldn't be that way. Still, all in all, a worthwhile, illuminating read.
December 29, 2007
The only way that FDR acknowledged his paralysis was allowing himself to enjoy Warm Springs in Georgia. His aides went so far as to stain FDR's braces black so there would be no reflection. The irony here is Hitler was defeated with the help of a handicapped person, someone who would have ended up in the ovens of Nazi Germany.
July 9, 2008
Excellent story. In spite of my interest in all things FDR, I wasn't aware myself, of the extent of his disability until much, much later. This book gives much food for thought, not only about disability in general, but about the role of the media in elections and the electoral process itself, in light of FDR's "splendid deception."
July 18, 2014
Eddie Whitlock told me to read this so I did. It was good. I hate when men cheat on their wives though. And then when one of his long-term mistresses got sick, he basically couldn't be around her. Yet everyone handled his condition. I guess it's a perk of being presidential.
September 5, 2022
The classic. And written with insight by a "polio" himself. Written with frankness and honesty. Almost 40 years later, I'm anticipating the new Jonathan Darman on the same subject. Can't get enough FDR, or the Roosevelts as a family!
December 5, 2007
All teh info on FDR's disability and how it affected him and the presidency. Assumes you know some of the basic history and players.
Want to read
February 22, 2010FDR
August 27, 2020
Such an insightful look into this former president’s life. Really enjoyed.
April 28, 2017
This was a thorough and insightful history of FDR in particular after he contracted polio. This perspective on his life, how he functioned and lead the country while dealing with his physical limitations really make him all the more amazing.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews