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Eleanor Roosevelt #3
Eleanor Roosevelt, Volume 3: The War Years and After, 1939-1962
One of the New York Times 's 100 Notable Books of 2016
One of NPR's 10 Best Books of 2016
"Heartachingly relevant...the Eleanor Roosevelt who inhabits these meticulously crafted pages transcends both first-lady history and the marriage around which Roosevelt scholarship has traditionally pivoted." -- The Wall Street Journal
The final volume in the definitive biography of America's greatest first lady.
“Monumental and inspirational…Cook skillfully narrates the epic history of the war years… [a] grand biography.” -- The New York Times Book Review
Historians, politicians, critics, and readers everywhere have praised Blanche Wiesen Cook’s biography of Eleanor Roosevelt as the essential portrait of a woman who towers over the twentieth century. The third and final volume takes us through World War II, FDR’s death, the founding of the UN, and Eleanor Roosevelt’s death in 1962. It follows the arc of war and the evolution of a marriage, as the first lady realized the cost of maintaining her principles even as the country and her husband were not prepared to adopt them. Eleanor Roosevelt continued to struggle for her core issues—economic security, New Deal reforms, racial equality, and rescue—when they were sidelined by FDR while he marshaled the country through war. The chasm between Eleanor and Franklin grew, and the strains on their relationship were as political as they were personal. She also had to negotiate the fractures in the close circle of influential women around her at Val-Kill, but through it she gained confidence in her own vision, even when forced to amend her agenda when her beliefs clashed with government policies on such issues as neutrality, refugees, and eventually the threat of communism. These years—the war years—made Eleanor Roosevelt the woman she leader, visionary, guiding light. FDR’s death in 1945 changed her world, but she was far from finished, returning to the spotlight as a crucial player in the founding of the United Nations.
This is a sympathetic but unblinking portrait of a marriage and of a woman whose passion and commitment has inspired generations of Americans to seek a decent future for all people. Modest and self-deprecating, a moral force in a turbulent world, Eleanor Roosevelt was unique.
One of NPR's 10 Best Books of 2016
"Heartachingly relevant...the Eleanor Roosevelt who inhabits these meticulously crafted pages transcends both first-lady history and the marriage around which Roosevelt scholarship has traditionally pivoted." -- The Wall Street Journal
The final volume in the definitive biography of America's greatest first lady.
“Monumental and inspirational…Cook skillfully narrates the epic history of the war years… [a] grand biography.” -- The New York Times Book Review
Historians, politicians, critics, and readers everywhere have praised Blanche Wiesen Cook’s biography of Eleanor Roosevelt as the essential portrait of a woman who towers over the twentieth century. The third and final volume takes us through World War II, FDR’s death, the founding of the UN, and Eleanor Roosevelt’s death in 1962. It follows the arc of war and the evolution of a marriage, as the first lady realized the cost of maintaining her principles even as the country and her husband were not prepared to adopt them. Eleanor Roosevelt continued to struggle for her core issues—economic security, New Deal reforms, racial equality, and rescue—when they were sidelined by FDR while he marshaled the country through war. The chasm between Eleanor and Franklin grew, and the strains on their relationship were as political as they were personal. She also had to negotiate the fractures in the close circle of influential women around her at Val-Kill, but through it she gained confidence in her own vision, even when forced to amend her agenda when her beliefs clashed with government policies on such issues as neutrality, refugees, and eventually the threat of communism. These years—the war years—made Eleanor Roosevelt the woman she leader, visionary, guiding light. FDR’s death in 1945 changed her world, but she was far from finished, returning to the spotlight as a crucial player in the founding of the United Nations.
This is a sympathetic but unblinking portrait of a marriage and of a woman whose passion and commitment has inspired generations of Americans to seek a decent future for all people. Modest and self-deprecating, a moral force in a turbulent world, Eleanor Roosevelt was unique.
688 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2016
168 people are currently reading
2723 people want to read
About the author
Blanche Wiesen Cook
30 books106 followersBlanche Wiesen Cook (born April 20, 1941 in New York City), Distinguished Professor of history at John Jay College in the City University of New York, is the author of Eleanor Roosevelt: Volume One 1884–1933, a Los Angeles Times Book Prize winning biography of Eleanor Roosevelt....Ms.Cook, who is openly gay, is also the author of Eleanor Roosevelt: Volume 2 , The Defining Years, 1933–1938, and The Declassified Eisenhower: A Divided Legacy of Peace and Political Warfare. On October 21, 2013, the historian Douglas Brinkley mentioned on the television program "First Ladies" on CSPAN, that Professor Cook was currently writing Volume 3 of her Eleanor Roosevelt series.
She received the Bill Whitehead Award for Lifetime Achievement from Publishing Triangle in 2010.
(from Wikipedia)
She received the Bill Whitehead Award for Lifetime Achievement from Publishing Triangle in 2010.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
June 2, 2018
3.5 stars because only 20 pages at the end of the book are devoted to her life after FDR passed away, which is when she did a lot of really great/amazing work.
See me talk about it briefly in my January wrap up: https://youtu.be/FXvc5r6ELYE?t=49s
See me talk about it briefly in my January wrap up: https://youtu.be/FXvc5r6ELYE?t=49s
November 6, 2017
"This book is dedicated to all those activists and agitators who resist tyranny, challenge authority, fight for peace, freedom, and Human Rights---as we continue our journey for One World: no borders, no boundaries, no walls." Blanche Wiesen Cook
Inspired by the life of Eleanor Roosevelt.
Inspired by the life of Eleanor Roosevelt.
August 30, 2017
As a first-off this biography devotes only 28 pages (out of a total of 570) to the time after Franklin Roosevelt’s death in April, 1945. Eleanor died in 1962. So the sub-title of this book “1939 – 1962” is definitely a misnomer.
I can only speculate as to why. The first volume (1884 – 1933) was published in 1992, the second volume (1933 – 1938) was published in 1999, and this third and last volume in 2016. Seventeen years between the second and third volumes seems a lot – and disappointing since it only gives a passing reference to Eleanor’s life after her husband’s death. After 1945 she accomplished and made extraordinary achievements. She was active in the newly formed U.N. and was instrumental in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – still used to this day as a reference point for civilized and acceptable behaviour. She confronted Senator Joe McCarthy for his fascist stance on conformity in the United States. She travelled extensively through-out the world.
However the coverage of the war years is outstanding. Eleanor constantly warned the U.S. of the dangers of Nazism and that they would not be able to stay out, of what many perceived at the time, as a solely European war. She supported the build-up of armaments and supported Great Britain when she stood alone against the Nazi menace.
She called for an end to racial bigotry and realized the hypocrisy of fighting the “master race” while discrimination was pervasive across the U.S. She had many friends who were activists in the African-American community.
Interestingly she would often disagree either publicly or privately with her husband. She was constantly prodding him into making progressive changes for workers, for women, and for African Americans. She would learn and change. Initially she admired Madame Chiang Kai-shek, the wife of the Chinese Nationalist leader, when she toured the U.S. to raise funds for China in its struggle against Japan. Eleanor Roosevelt came to realize Madame Chiang had little interest in the realities of the impoverished masses of the Chinese people.
I found the author overly lenient on the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. She called Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech at Fulton, Missouri “belligerent”. Does she not realize the virtual annexation of Eastern European countries that began in 1944 under the yoke of the Soviet Union?
As Adlai Stevenson said in his eulogy of Eleanor Roosevelt in 1962 she was “never a complacent person”. This is what I admired so much in these three volumes. Eleanor never languished for long, she was always learning and exploring – trying to make life better for those less fortunate. She could not ignore inequality and injustice.
I can only speculate as to why. The first volume (1884 – 1933) was published in 1992, the second volume (1933 – 1938) was published in 1999, and this third and last volume in 2016. Seventeen years between the second and third volumes seems a lot – and disappointing since it only gives a passing reference to Eleanor’s life after her husband’s death. After 1945 she accomplished and made extraordinary achievements. She was active in the newly formed U.N. and was instrumental in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – still used to this day as a reference point for civilized and acceptable behaviour. She confronted Senator Joe McCarthy for his fascist stance on conformity in the United States. She travelled extensively through-out the world.
However the coverage of the war years is outstanding. Eleanor constantly warned the U.S. of the dangers of Nazism and that they would not be able to stay out, of what many perceived at the time, as a solely European war. She supported the build-up of armaments and supported Great Britain when she stood alone against the Nazi menace.
She called for an end to racial bigotry and realized the hypocrisy of fighting the “master race” while discrimination was pervasive across the U.S. She had many friends who were activists in the African-American community.
Interestingly she would often disagree either publicly or privately with her husband. She was constantly prodding him into making progressive changes for workers, for women, and for African Americans. She would learn and change. Initially she admired Madame Chiang Kai-shek, the wife of the Chinese Nationalist leader, when she toured the U.S. to raise funds for China in its struggle against Japan. Eleanor Roosevelt came to realize Madame Chiang had little interest in the realities of the impoverished masses of the Chinese people.
I found the author overly lenient on the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. She called Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech at Fulton, Missouri “belligerent”. Does she not realize the virtual annexation of Eastern European countries that began in 1944 under the yoke of the Soviet Union?
As Adlai Stevenson said in his eulogy of Eleanor Roosevelt in 1962 she was “never a complacent person”. This is what I admired so much in these three volumes. Eleanor never languished for long, she was always learning and exploring – trying to make life better for those less fortunate. She could not ignore inequality and injustice.
August 5, 2017
This final volume of Blanche Wiesen Cook's three-part biography of Eleanor Roosevelt disappointed me. Not so much for the writing or research or approach, all of which are just as good in this book as the previous two, but purely for reasons of content.
For all intents and purposes, Cook finishes up with FDR's death in 1945 - the remaining 17 years of Eleanor's life are dealt with in a single relatively short epilogue chapter. Yet arguably some of Eleanor's most important work was done in these years, such as her work with the UN, human rights and civil rights, and these were the first years of her life when she stood independent and free to act as she chose, not bound by family ties or political expediency. And bear in mind that the entirety of the rest of the book covers just six years otherwise, from 1939 to 1945. So why skate over 17 years of Eleanor's life in one chapter?
How did Eleanor mourn and move on after FDR's death? You won't find that here. How did she cope with moving out of the White House? What did she do with the apartment she had bought for FDR's retirement? No idea. Cook mentions that in her later years Eleanor was devoted to Dr David Gurewitsch, but who he was and how they met remains a mystery in this book. The death of Eleanor's lifelong secretary and companion Tommy is dealt with in a single sentence. Who was with Eleanor when she died? What did she die of? What was the funeral like? What was the reaction to her death? Nothing. There's enough material here for an entire other volume, but it's as though Cook got bored of her subject mid-way through this book and just couldn't be bothered anymore.
When a woman's biography effectively finishes with the death of her husband, even when she lived close to another two decades after him, it's hard to escape the implication that her only significance came through that husband, rather than her own merits. This seems like a betrayal, almost, of everything Eleanor Roosevelt stood for. Eleanor Roosevelt was standing up for causes, fighting for social justice, for the poor and the oppressed, long before FDR became President. She was so much more than just FDR's wife, America's First Lady. She was important in her own right, earned the respect, authority and affection bestowed on her by her own actions, not's FDR's. This is supposedly a biography of her life, not her marriage, so to effectively stop writing in 1945 and just 'sum up' everything that came after is immensely disappointing.
For all intents and purposes, Cook finishes up with FDR's death in 1945 - the remaining 17 years of Eleanor's life are dealt with in a single relatively short epilogue chapter. Yet arguably some of Eleanor's most important work was done in these years, such as her work with the UN, human rights and civil rights, and these were the first years of her life when she stood independent and free to act as she chose, not bound by family ties or political expediency. And bear in mind that the entirety of the rest of the book covers just six years otherwise, from 1939 to 1945. So why skate over 17 years of Eleanor's life in one chapter?
How did Eleanor mourn and move on after FDR's death? You won't find that here. How did she cope with moving out of the White House? What did she do with the apartment she had bought for FDR's retirement? No idea. Cook mentions that in her later years Eleanor was devoted to Dr David Gurewitsch, but who he was and how they met remains a mystery in this book. The death of Eleanor's lifelong secretary and companion Tommy is dealt with in a single sentence. Who was with Eleanor when she died? What did she die of? What was the funeral like? What was the reaction to her death? Nothing. There's enough material here for an entire other volume, but it's as though Cook got bored of her subject mid-way through this book and just couldn't be bothered anymore.
When a woman's biography effectively finishes with the death of her husband, even when she lived close to another two decades after him, it's hard to escape the implication that her only significance came through that husband, rather than her own merits. This seems like a betrayal, almost, of everything Eleanor Roosevelt stood for. Eleanor Roosevelt was standing up for causes, fighting for social justice, for the poor and the oppressed, long before FDR became President. She was so much more than just FDR's wife, America's First Lady. She was important in her own right, earned the respect, authority and affection bestowed on her by her own actions, not's FDR's. This is supposedly a biography of her life, not her marriage, so to effectively stop writing in 1945 and just 'sum up' everything that came after is immensely disappointing.
December 31, 2016
The first two volumes of this biography were absolutely masterful. This one was disappointing in its incompleteness. It seemed clear to me that Cook was tiring of her subject, or that she had never been, or became less, interested in the war and UN years than she was in ER's childhood, marriage, FDR's infidelity w/ Lucy Mercer, the way that caused ER to reinvent herself, and the ER/FDR partnership through the New Deal era. Or perhaps she found that Doris Kearns Goodwin's _No Ordinary Time_ and _Mary Ann Glendon's _A World Made New: ER and the Declaration of Human Rights_ removed the necessity for this volume and made it redundant. If that was the case, I wish she would have abandoned the project and moved on.
It felt like she was just bored, or just putting in her time to finish a volume that she'd contracted for or originally envisioned. The text was poorly copy edited, and there were huge holes. This was apparent in large ways: ER's work with the UN -- 17 years of her life -- was covered in only one short chapter. And in small ways: at one point, there was a one-sentence mention of an awkward moment when ER was with someone who was widely known by others to have "had an affair" with FDR in the late 30s. Hold the phone -- what? Previously Cook had spent a great deal of time and energy arguing that FDR's physical abilities post-polio were unknown, and that he had a number of emotional attachments/romantic friendships over the years, many of which were well-known to ER, especially with a European princess who stayed for years during the war. Cook characterizes ER as having been accepting of these. So to suddenly mention an "affair" not otherwise described was odd.
Although not the delicious and thoroughly satisfying treat that the other volumes represented, this volume is useful to those of us who remain fascinated and inspired by ER.
It felt like she was just bored, or just putting in her time to finish a volume that she'd contracted for or originally envisioned. The text was poorly copy edited, and there were huge holes. This was apparent in large ways: ER's work with the UN -- 17 years of her life -- was covered in only one short chapter. And in small ways: at one point, there was a one-sentence mention of an awkward moment when ER was with someone who was widely known by others to have "had an affair" with FDR in the late 30s. Hold the phone -- what? Previously Cook had spent a great deal of time and energy arguing that FDR's physical abilities post-polio were unknown, and that he had a number of emotional attachments/romantic friendships over the years, many of which were well-known to ER, especially with a European princess who stayed for years during the war. Cook characterizes ER as having been accepting of these. So to suddenly mention an "affair" not otherwise described was odd.
Although not the delicious and thoroughly satisfying treat that the other volumes represented, this volume is useful to those of us who remain fascinated and inspired by ER.
November 20, 2017
This was an excellent look at Eleanor Roosevelt's life during the war and after. Eleanor Roosevelt is truly an inspiration and led an amazing life; she overcame many obstacles and persevered. I learned very little about her in school-the only thing I remember is a remembrance assembly when she died-so, I set myself the goal of reading this three volume biography earlier this year.
Not only did I learn about ER's life, I learned 20th century history as well. What saddens me is how little our country has changed, we are still plagued by racism, sexism, anti-semitism, and other prejudices. We still turn a blind eye to the horrific suffering of refugees and argue that they pose too much of a threat to us if we help them. We still give preference to the very wealthy and large corporations at the expense of individuals. We are still reluctant to provide our citizens with health care, education, adequate food & housing, & a decent wage. In spite of my sadness, Eleanor Roosevelt's life is an example for me to follow in my own small way and I will think of her when I continue to work to make things better in my own community.
Not only did I learn about ER's life, I learned 20th century history as well. What saddens me is how little our country has changed, we are still plagued by racism, sexism, anti-semitism, and other prejudices. We still turn a blind eye to the horrific suffering of refugees and argue that they pose too much of a threat to us if we help them. We still give preference to the very wealthy and large corporations at the expense of individuals. We are still reluctant to provide our citizens with health care, education, adequate food & housing, & a decent wage. In spite of my sadness, Eleanor Roosevelt's life is an example for me to follow in my own small way and I will think of her when I continue to work to make things better in my own community.
December 22, 2016
Summary: The third and final volume in this biography of Eleanor Roosevelt, covering her advocacy, friendships, and relationship with Franklin during the war years, and briefly, her accomplishments after his death.
I had often heard that Eleanor Roosevelt did as much to redefine the role of First Lady as her husband did the Presidency, perhaps more. This work, volume three of a biography of Eleanor Roosevelt (who the author usually refers to as "ER") helped me understand that she did far more than that, in the war years and after.
She was a prodigious writer and her daily columns often and weekly broadcasts sometimes had more influence than her husband's speeches. She represented her husband not only at various domestic functions but in a number of overseas trips including extensive journeys in the southwest Pacific (at some personal risk) and Latin America. And she hosted countless functions at the White House, and their Hyde Park residence, including a visit from the royal family. Her address to the 1940 Democratic Convention may have saved the day for Roosevelt in that election.
Perhaps what stood out most was her advocacy--progressive even by today's standards. Most striking was her tireless advocacy for Jewish refugees before, during, and after the war. She was among the earliest to recognize the impending holocaust and struggled against a resistant State Department as well as foreign governments to rescue refugees attempting to flee the Nazi threat. And sadly, as in so many instances since, including the genocide in Aleppo, the U.S. as well as other powers turned away from the most vulnerable. Yet there were many who owed their lives to her.
Cook chronicles her efforts to end the oppression against blacks, including her support for the Tuskegee airmen, trained but sitting at a U.S. air base. She fought for voting rights against the poll taxes, and even late in life, was one of the foremost voices urging college youth to go south in the early sixties to support voting registration. She argued for social and economic assistance for those in Depression-era poverty, including a basic level of nutrition, housing, and health care, recognizing that deficiencies in these area hampered employment, as well as the fitness of young men to serve in the approaching conflict. Later on, she would propose support for college education, incorporated into the G.I. Bill.
Because she fought so many progressive causes, she often was criticized (and even monitored by the FBI) for ties with Communists. She was actually vociferously anti-Communist in her statements but her support for groups like the American Youth Congress made her suspect. Her visibility made her a target for attacks on her husband's policies.
The book does a good job exploring her complex relationship with Franklin. She knew of his affairs, including that with Lucy Mercer Rutherford (who was with him when he died), and came to terms with this. He both valued her principled advocacy and was annoyed by it, and sometimes set limits on what she could do for political reasons. She constantly pushed her ideas, and pushed him, and Cook sees some of her language and ideas in his best speeches. Some of the complexity relates as well with the intimate friendships ER had with Lorena Hickock, and the circle of women who were close friends, several including Hickock known to be lesbian . How intimate is not clear here (I appreciated the biographer's restraint), but plainly her closeness to Hickock, Tommy (her secretary) and others sustained her in the times when for personal or political reasons Franklin was distant.
The bulk of the book (540 pages) concern the war years up to the death of Franklin. Only the last 30 pages discuss the last seventeen years of her life, although not her death. Most of this is focused around her role in the first U.S. delegation to the newly formed United Nations, and to her lead role in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document that may be as significant as the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence in enunciating basic human freedoms. Articles 1 to 22 in this declaration concern personal and political freedoms that were finally ratified in Congress in 1992. The social and economic freedoms of Articles 23 to 30 never have been. Even today, then, the document stands as a challenge to all governments, including that of the United States, of the high ideals of human freedom, rarely attained in any of our countries.
Perhaps it goes without saying, but Eleanor Roosevelt broke new paths for women, not only in the White House, but in politics, in journalism, in the military, and industry. Her example and advocacy, as well as her stubborn persistence (described well in her work with an all-male U.N. delegation), won her the respect of the men with whom she worked and opened doors for other women.
Reading the final volume made me want to go back to the first two. In volume three, we see who Eleanor Roosevelt had become and at the top of her influence. One almost can't help but want to trace the influences and decisions that formed a woman like this. Perhaps the publishers will release the biography as a set, now that it is complete. Welcomed or not, it might make a good gift to the incoming First Lady.
_______________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher . I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I had often heard that Eleanor Roosevelt did as much to redefine the role of First Lady as her husband did the Presidency, perhaps more. This work, volume three of a biography of Eleanor Roosevelt (who the author usually refers to as "ER") helped me understand that she did far more than that, in the war years and after.
She was a prodigious writer and her daily columns often and weekly broadcasts sometimes had more influence than her husband's speeches. She represented her husband not only at various domestic functions but in a number of overseas trips including extensive journeys in the southwest Pacific (at some personal risk) and Latin America. And she hosted countless functions at the White House, and their Hyde Park residence, including a visit from the royal family. Her address to the 1940 Democratic Convention may have saved the day for Roosevelt in that election.
Perhaps what stood out most was her advocacy--progressive even by today's standards. Most striking was her tireless advocacy for Jewish refugees before, during, and after the war. She was among the earliest to recognize the impending holocaust and struggled against a resistant State Department as well as foreign governments to rescue refugees attempting to flee the Nazi threat. And sadly, as in so many instances since, including the genocide in Aleppo, the U.S. as well as other powers turned away from the most vulnerable. Yet there were many who owed their lives to her.
Cook chronicles her efforts to end the oppression against blacks, including her support for the Tuskegee airmen, trained but sitting at a U.S. air base. She fought for voting rights against the poll taxes, and even late in life, was one of the foremost voices urging college youth to go south in the early sixties to support voting registration. She argued for social and economic assistance for those in Depression-era poverty, including a basic level of nutrition, housing, and health care, recognizing that deficiencies in these area hampered employment, as well as the fitness of young men to serve in the approaching conflict. Later on, she would propose support for college education, incorporated into the G.I. Bill.
Because she fought so many progressive causes, she often was criticized (and even monitored by the FBI) for ties with Communists. She was actually vociferously anti-Communist in her statements but her support for groups like the American Youth Congress made her suspect. Her visibility made her a target for attacks on her husband's policies.
The book does a good job exploring her complex relationship with Franklin. She knew of his affairs, including that with Lucy Mercer Rutherford (who was with him when he died), and came to terms with this. He both valued her principled advocacy and was annoyed by it, and sometimes set limits on what she could do for political reasons. She constantly pushed her ideas, and pushed him, and Cook sees some of her language and ideas in his best speeches. Some of the complexity relates as well with the intimate friendships ER had with Lorena Hickock, and the circle of women who were close friends, several including Hickock known to be lesbian . How intimate is not clear here (I appreciated the biographer's restraint), but plainly her closeness to Hickock, Tommy (her secretary) and others sustained her in the times when for personal or political reasons Franklin was distant.
The bulk of the book (540 pages) concern the war years up to the death of Franklin. Only the last 30 pages discuss the last seventeen years of her life, although not her death. Most of this is focused around her role in the first U.S. delegation to the newly formed United Nations, and to her lead role in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document that may be as significant as the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence in enunciating basic human freedoms. Articles 1 to 22 in this declaration concern personal and political freedoms that were finally ratified in Congress in 1992. The social and economic freedoms of Articles 23 to 30 never have been. Even today, then, the document stands as a challenge to all governments, including that of the United States, of the high ideals of human freedom, rarely attained in any of our countries.
Perhaps it goes without saying, but Eleanor Roosevelt broke new paths for women, not only in the White House, but in politics, in journalism, in the military, and industry. Her example and advocacy, as well as her stubborn persistence (described well in her work with an all-male U.N. delegation), won her the respect of the men with whom she worked and opened doors for other women.
Reading the final volume made me want to go back to the first two. In volume three, we see who Eleanor Roosevelt had become and at the top of her influence. One almost can't help but want to trace the influences and decisions that formed a woman like this. Perhaps the publishers will release the biography as a set, now that it is complete. Welcomed or not, it might make a good gift to the incoming First Lady.
_______________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher . I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
March 29, 2017
I read the first two books while I lived in California, so this third one brought back a lot of different memories for me. Well done, though the amount of writing devoted to ER's life post FDR's death is quite short and felt rushed. Still, a solid read and really informative.
January 14, 2017
Wow. This book is dripping with primary documents and words straight from ER. Similar to, "You Learn by Living," I wanted to underline all of this book.
I was particularly struck how some of the core themes ER was passionate about during this point of her life are still issues facing our world today: a refugee crisis and racial tension. As I read this book, I grew a bit sad that here we are, almost a century later with the same problems: Hate crimes, people being ripped away from their homes in the most horrific ways, people being made to feel less than human and apathy from the masses about their ability to impact it is what is staring us all in the face.
But as this book ended, I went from feeling dark to feeling hopeful. Even though it seems like the issues our world is facing are honestly, eerily similar to what went on during WWII, I think that because of the work of ER, and many like her, we are wiser. We are better positioned to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. And as someone who has been given privileges in this world, I need to take that responsibility and have courage to do what I can to speak out against injustice the world over. Even if that means speaking out against injustice right in my own backyard.
Above all else, this book reminded me of the extraordinary capacity of Eleanor Roosevelt. She lived a life and kept a pace that seems dizzying to me. And yet she remained so grounded, so humble, so authentic to who she was. I confess, I wish that the epilogue of this book was blown out into Volume 4 of the series, as I think I still have a lot to learn from ER's wit and wisdom. But I will settle for what I got. I can't wait to buy this book to complete my set. And rest assured, once I get my hands on my own copy, I'm going to underline the crap out of it.
I was particularly struck how some of the core themes ER was passionate about during this point of her life are still issues facing our world today: a refugee crisis and racial tension. As I read this book, I grew a bit sad that here we are, almost a century later with the same problems: Hate crimes, people being ripped away from their homes in the most horrific ways, people being made to feel less than human and apathy from the masses about their ability to impact it is what is staring us all in the face.
But as this book ended, I went from feeling dark to feeling hopeful. Even though it seems like the issues our world is facing are honestly, eerily similar to what went on during WWII, I think that because of the work of ER, and many like her, we are wiser. We are better positioned to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. And as someone who has been given privileges in this world, I need to take that responsibility and have courage to do what I can to speak out against injustice the world over. Even if that means speaking out against injustice right in my own backyard.
Above all else, this book reminded me of the extraordinary capacity of Eleanor Roosevelt. She lived a life and kept a pace that seems dizzying to me. And yet she remained so grounded, so humble, so authentic to who she was. I confess, I wish that the epilogue of this book was blown out into Volume 4 of the series, as I think I still have a lot to learn from ER's wit and wisdom. But I will settle for what I got. I can't wait to buy this book to complete my set. And rest assured, once I get my hands on my own copy, I'm going to underline the crap out of it.
March 24, 2025
These books were a GRIND but they genuinely had such an impact on me. Eleanor was an inspiring person for sooooo many reasons, and with many of the same problems she was facing coming up today, she stays relevant for sure
September 21, 2024
Excellent resource.
June 19, 2018
Well I did it. It took me five and half months (of this book) and like 18 months (of the whole series) but I finished the last volume of Blanche Wisen Cook’s superb Eleanor Roosevelt Trilogy. This is not just the definitive biography of Eleanor Roosevelt, I’d say it’s the definitive biography of any 20th century figure. This is thoroughly researched, engaging to read, funny at times, and fully of enough gossip to keep me interested. It reinvigorated me to work for change. It reminded me how once in a generation, once in history person Eleanor Roosevelt was.
So you say, why only for stars for such an amazing book? It took me five and a half months to finish! It could be a slog! Every page is huge! Come on!
So you say, why only for stars for such an amazing book? It took me five and a half months to finish! It could be a slog! Every page is huge! Come on!
March 19, 2017
Having read Volumes 1 and 2 of Blanche Wiesen Cook's masterful biography of Eleanor Roosevelt, I was beginning to worry that she would never finish Volume 3. Fortunately, she did. No one knows Eleanor Roosevelt as well as Cook, which she proves in all three volumes. Unfortunately, she doesn't take as much time with the World War II years and post-war period as she did with Eleanor's life until 1939. I couldn't help but wonder if Cook just wanted to be finished with the project that has consumed a great deal of her professional life. In this volume, she relies heavily on Eleanor's "My Day" newspaper columns, which is an important source, but I was left wishing that she had used additional sources beyond "My Day." I also wish that she had presented more effectively Eleanor's essential contributions during the Second World War. Doris Kearns Goodwin does this masterfully in "No Ordinary Time." Goodwin presents a more compelling argument of how Franklin relied on Eleanor to be his eyes and ears in her grueling travels both in the United States and internationally. Cook covers this ground, but not as effectively as Goodwin. That said, Cook's overall contributions to our understanding of Eleanor Roosevelt are tremendous and essential to the historiography of both Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. There is no question that Eleanor Roosevelt was the most accomplished and most important First Lady in our nation's history.
December 21, 2016
I really loved the first volume of this but I couldn't get through the second and this one was better but I felt like it was a 'duty' to get through. The issue being that all the personal insight that her first volume had just wasn't here...instead what you get is a lot of discussion of the refugee crisis and race relations, of course valid, but it's like this wasn't a biography but more of Eleanor and those issues (which is a whole other book). Also, this isn't her life from 1939-1962--that's just false. Basically when Franklin dies the rest of her life (17 years!) is a single chapter. Slightly crazy considering one of the points of these biographies is that she wasn't defined just by her husband, but then the author basically negates her life when she isn't married? Not a fan.
June 5, 2017
Carefully researched, this a is a fascinating book about one of the greatest American women who just happened to be a presidents' wife who lived during a very eventful time. ER did so much to make this a better world although much of it she never received credit for doing. The book is remarkably modern as the US is going through much of the hatred towards refugees and immigrants right now as it was during the WWII years. Both President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill don't look very good in this book and the US State Department is horrible in what was not done to help rescue Jews and other refugees from Hitler. It's a real wake up to those who don't listen to history and then have to relive it. It's an excellent book.
October 20, 2017
The third book of a trilogy, this book takes us through World War II, FDR’s death, the founding of the UN, and Eleanor Roosevelt’s death in 1962. It follows the war and evolution of her marriage, as the first lady realized the cost of maintaining her principles even as the country and her husband were not prepared to adopt them. Eleanor Roosevelt continued to struggle for her core issues — economic security, New Deal reforms, racial equality, and rescue — when they were sidelined by FDR while he marshaled the country through war. Her beliefs often clashed with government policies on such issues as neutrality, refugees, and eventually the threat of communism. These years made Eleanor Roosevelt the woman she became: leader, visionary, guiding light. FDR’s death in 1945 changed her world, but she was far from finished, returning to the spotlight as a crucial player in the founding of the United Nations. An excellent biography of an amazing woman.
March 30, 2022
The third volume biography of Eleanor Roosevelt by Blanche W. Cook is her best one. Here ER comes into her own as a political force constantly working for causes dear to her; women’s rights, union rights, minority rights, health care for all, her opposition to segregation and lynching, care and protection for the world’s refugees (especially Jews), and peace in the world. Not sure if I can believe it but according to the author, most projects and ideas that FDR endorsed and promoted came from ER and her discussions with FDR. She was idealistic and through her entire life consistent in promoting human rights issues. The only exception to this was when FDR prohibited ER from speaking out on many issues (like Jewish refugees) due to WWII. There was tension between FDR and ER when New Deal programs were being cut in the face of increasing international conflicts and war. Their relationship was strained and distant and often ER was left out of decisions made contributing to her loneliness and depression. The way she dealt with these feelings was by being more busy in her work, writing, giving speeches, and traveling around the country. ER was under surveillance by the FBI, Army Intelligence and during the Red Scare Congressional Committees due to her associates, union activities and youth programs in the New Deal. But she remained loyal to those causes. ER saw religious belief as the root of democracy in the basic principle of individual responsibility for the welfare of your neighbors —“Love thy neighbor as thyself”. For democracy to survive we must “live cooperatively” and serve the community. According to ER “thy neighbor’ was everyone in the world. During WWII, ER said that if the U.S. was to fight fascism in the world it must “require equal opportunity and respect to replace bigotry and violence in the U.S., otherwise democracy would remain an empty promise.” After the death of FDR, her relationship with President Truman was at first advisory. In fact, Truman appointed her to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. This Commission adopted nearly all of her New Deal ideas and thus applied them to the world. These policies are still in effect today. Surely, Eleanor Roosevelt had a tremendous and lasting impact not only on the Roosevelt administration and the New Deal but on the world. A very good read.
March 6, 2017
The Women's National Book Association sent this book to the White House today (March 6) in honor of Women's History Month: https://www.wnba-centennial.org/book-...
From the Women's National Book Association's press release:
In Volume 3, President Roosevelt and the first lady confront a new political reality: a Congress much less favorable to the New Deal and other progressive ideas. In addition, the threat of war in Europe and Asia led to an increase in isolationism and anti-immigrant sentiments. After her husband’s death in 1945, one of Eleanor’s most important contributions was her role in writing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
From the Women's National Book Association's press release:
In Volume 3, President Roosevelt and the first lady confront a new political reality: a Congress much less favorable to the New Deal and other progressive ideas. In addition, the threat of war in Europe and Asia led to an increase in isolationism and anti-immigrant sentiments. After her husband’s death in 1945, one of Eleanor’s most important contributions was her role in writing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
December 9, 2016
An exceptional in depth look at Eleanor Roosevelt during the WWII era and until her death. Such an personal and up close look at who she was and her visionary outlook. I learned so much from this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves history or who would like to learn more about how our country was developed. This book was full of so many insights for me. The author has done a wonderful job in putting all this information in a very enjoyable format. I won this book in a GoodReads Giveaway.
June 16, 2017
This was a good closing of the trilogy. It is long and sometimes repetitive. It is depressing too - to be reminded that what is, was and we don't really change and we (America) are always kind of not good and just keep repeating the same bad ideas. This trilogy does shed a negative light on FDR and might cross the line of ER hero worship sometimes. I wish it went farther and more in depth in the post FDR years.
March 18, 2017
Well written but only 30 pages devoted to 1945-1962. She did so much after FDR died and it felt like she just glossed over it. The book officially ends with her leaving the White House after the funeral and the epilogue is all there is about the last 17 years of her life. Very disappointing.
May 18, 2022
I found this to be the slowest of the three volumes and I was quite dismayed that only the epilogue was devoted to her life after FDR’s death, despite the fact that she lived 17 years after his death and remained heavily involved in humanitarian activities following the war.
November 18, 2016
ER was a very remarkable woman. I admire her very much.
June 24, 2019
Interesting but at times a bit tedious to read compared to volumes 1 and 2.
June 17, 2022
I was sad to see this series end. Eleanor did so much in her life, and I just wanted to keep reading and reading. I was extremely disappointed that the “After,” that is, the 17 years after FDR’s death, was summed up in a far too short epilogue chapter (hence 4 instead of 5 stars). Post FDR Eleanor is fascinating, and I would’ve liked to have seen it handled as thoughtfully as the rest of her life was throughout these 3 volumes.
It was apparent that both Eleanor and FDR were tired by the time he started his fourth term. The presidency weighs so heavily on a person and their family, and that was evident as both Roosevelts began to lose some of their earlier zest and liveliness. I was shocked by a lot of the policies that were allowed to pass (or not pass) into law as well as the overall handling of WWII (especially when it came to refugees and internment camps). This is an area of history we tend to gloss over, and that’s unfortunate.
We also saw the development of Eleanor as she began to shift out of her husband’s inner circle. It was a gradual shove out, but I can certainly feel her pain at having so many of her passion projects belittled or defunded by FDR’s cabinet and advisors. I’m sure it put her in a hard place, especially when their conflicting policy objectives put her at odds with the American people.
Overall, the entire series was excellent. I learned a fair amount about my new favorite First Lady, and I was given a new insight into her husband at the same time.
It was apparent that both Eleanor and FDR were tired by the time he started his fourth term. The presidency weighs so heavily on a person and their family, and that was evident as both Roosevelts began to lose some of their earlier zest and liveliness. I was shocked by a lot of the policies that were allowed to pass (or not pass) into law as well as the overall handling of WWII (especially when it came to refugees and internment camps). This is an area of history we tend to gloss over, and that’s unfortunate.
We also saw the development of Eleanor as she began to shift out of her husband’s inner circle. It was a gradual shove out, but I can certainly feel her pain at having so many of her passion projects belittled or defunded by FDR’s cabinet and advisors. I’m sure it put her in a hard place, especially when their conflicting policy objectives put her at odds with the American people.
Overall, the entire series was excellent. I learned a fair amount about my new favorite First Lady, and I was given a new insight into her husband at the same time.
September 4, 2025
Eleanor Roosevelt, Volume 3: The War Years and After, 1939–1962 by Blanche Wiesen Cook
Blanche Wiesen Cook’s Eleanor Roosevelt, Volume Three continues her comprehensive biography of Eleanor Roosevelt, covering the later years of her life from the beginning of World War II through FDR’s death and beyond. The book is organized chronologically, highlighting Eleanor’s political and social activities, her advocacy work, and her influence on both domestic and international affairs. Cook addresses Eleanor’s interactions with the Young Communist movement in the United States, her public engagements, and her partnership with FDR during the war years. The narrative aims to blend Eleanor’s personal, political, and social dimensions into a coherent portrait of her later life.
I found this volume somewhat less compelling than the first two. While I appreciated seeing the evolution of Eleanor and FDR’s partnership, I felt that key events, such as December 7, 1941, and the United States’ entry into the war, were underexplored. The book ends with FDR’s death, leaving much of Eleanor’s post-First Lady life largely unexplored. I also found the chapter structure harder to follow than in previous volumes. That said, I valued the attention to Eleanor’s personal and political life during the war years and how Cook illustrated her moral compass and vision for the country. Overall, this volume adds to the series by completing the chronological arc of Eleanor’s life, though it lacks some of the depth and clarity that made the earlier volumes particularly engaging.
Blanche Wiesen Cook’s Eleanor Roosevelt, Volume Three continues her comprehensive biography of Eleanor Roosevelt, covering the later years of her life from the beginning of World War II through FDR’s death and beyond. The book is organized chronologically, highlighting Eleanor’s political and social activities, her advocacy work, and her influence on both domestic and international affairs. Cook addresses Eleanor’s interactions with the Young Communist movement in the United States, her public engagements, and her partnership with FDR during the war years. The narrative aims to blend Eleanor’s personal, political, and social dimensions into a coherent portrait of her later life.
I found this volume somewhat less compelling than the first two. While I appreciated seeing the evolution of Eleanor and FDR’s partnership, I felt that key events, such as December 7, 1941, and the United States’ entry into the war, were underexplored. The book ends with FDR’s death, leaving much of Eleanor’s post-First Lady life largely unexplored. I also found the chapter structure harder to follow than in previous volumes. That said, I valued the attention to Eleanor’s personal and political life during the war years and how Cook illustrated her moral compass and vision for the country. Overall, this volume adds to the series by completing the chronological arc of Eleanor’s life, though it lacks some of the depth and clarity that made the earlier volumes particularly engaging.
January 8, 2018
Eleanor Roosevelt has been my heroine for most of my life - as soon as I was able to read about her. Her commitment to humanity is a major force throughout her life and we could use her voice in our current times. A few quotes:
"If we do not see that equal opportunity, equal justice and equal treatment are granted to every citizen, the very basis on which this country can hope to survive with liberty and justice for all will be wiped away."
"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of individual persons, the neighborhood, the school or college, the factory, farm or office. Such are the places where every man, woman and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination."
This quote is from a eulogy delivered at her funeral by Adlai Stevenson.
"Her life was crowded, restless, and fearless. Perhaps she pitied most not those whom she aided in the struggle, but the more fortunate who were preoccupied with themselves and cursed with the self-deceptions of private success. She walked in the slums and the ghettos of the world, not on a tour of inspection...but as one who could not feel complacent while others were hungry, and who could not find contentment while others were in distress. This was not sacrifice; this, for Eleanor Roosevelt, was the only meaningful way of life..."
"If we do not see that equal opportunity, equal justice and equal treatment are granted to every citizen, the very basis on which this country can hope to survive with liberty and justice for all will be wiped away."
"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of individual persons, the neighborhood, the school or college, the factory, farm or office. Such are the places where every man, woman and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination."
This quote is from a eulogy delivered at her funeral by Adlai Stevenson.
"Her life was crowded, restless, and fearless. Perhaps she pitied most not those whom she aided in the struggle, but the more fortunate who were preoccupied with themselves and cursed with the self-deceptions of private success. She walked in the slums and the ghettos of the world, not on a tour of inspection...but as one who could not feel complacent while others were hungry, and who could not find contentment while others were in distress. This was not sacrifice; this, for Eleanor Roosevelt, was the only meaningful way of life..."
March 17, 2018
I am deeply disappointed with this 3rd volume, for which I’ve waited more than 10 years. I learned so much from the first two volumes and appreciated the narrative readability of Wiesen Cook’s writing style. My disappointment is at least partially related to the fact that I have much more knowledge about WWII and the Roosevelt’s than I did when I read the first two volumes; consequently I did not learn much of anything that was new to me in this third volume. But more importantly, I had really been looking forward to learning much more about ER’s life after FDR’s death and Wiesen Cook devoted only an epilogue to this topic. All in all, this volume left me wondering whether Wiesen Cook tired of ER’s story or whether she felt ER’s greatest significance was only in relationship to FDR’s career - a position I sincerely doubt Wiesen Cook would espouse. I am grateful that I listened to the audio version of this book rather than investing a lot of my time in actually turning the pages of a print version.
June 28, 2017
I'm not sure whether to give this volume 3 or 4 stars. In truth, I really didn't love it, and I usually save 4 stars for things I really love. But I think it rates better than 3 stars.
Like many reviewers here, I found that this volume rushed through the last 20 years of ER's life. The volume ostensibly covers from 1939 to her death in 1962, but more than half the book is devoted to just 1939 and 1940. The war and her life after FDR are jammed into the last half of the book. So it seemed uneven to me, and also like others have said, this volume didn't seem to offer as much insight into the person, but rather was an account of her activities and friendships. Overall, it felt like a book that the author was obligated to write. I'm a little hesitant to be overly-critical, because I thought the first two volumes were so well done, but this one really did leave me a little disappointed.
Like many reviewers here, I found that this volume rushed through the last 20 years of ER's life. The volume ostensibly covers from 1939 to her death in 1962, but more than half the book is devoted to just 1939 and 1940. The war and her life after FDR are jammed into the last half of the book. So it seemed uneven to me, and also like others have said, this volume didn't seem to offer as much insight into the person, but rather was an account of her activities and friendships. Overall, it felt like a book that the author was obligated to write. I'm a little hesitant to be overly-critical, because I thought the first two volumes were so well done, but this one really did leave me a little disappointed.
January 24, 2018
The final book of the trilogy takes Eleanor Roosevelt through World War II to her death. Her constant work on behalf of refugees is inspiring--especially considering it was in spite of her husband stonewalling her on the issue. These were difficult times for Eleanor as her husband tried to sideline her. This book really demonstrates the difference between what is "right" and what is political. Her husband, the consummate politician, played his cards close and well.
This volume includes much of what she has written so it is somewhat choppy as it has much of her own material interlaced with the author's narrative. I was disappointed that the last 17 years of her life only garnered 28 pages. Although Eleanor was much less active, I felt some of her work and relationships deserved more attention.
This trilogy has been the highlight of my reading for the last two years and I recommend it to other history readers!
This volume includes much of what she has written so it is somewhat choppy as it has much of her own material interlaced with the author's narrative. I was disappointed that the last 17 years of her life only garnered 28 pages. Although Eleanor was much less active, I felt some of her work and relationships deserved more attention.
This trilogy has been the highlight of my reading for the last two years and I recommend it to other history readers!
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