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Too Close to the Sun: Growing Up in the Shadow of my Grandparents, Franklin and Eleanor
Curtis Roosevelt was three when he and his sister, Eleanor, arrived at the White House soon after their grandfather’s inauguration. The country’s “First Grandchildren,” a pint-sized double act, they were known to the media as “Sistie and Buzzie.” In this rich memoir, Roosevelt brings us into “the goldfish bowl,” as his family called it—that glare of public scrutiny to which all presidential households must submit. He recounts his misadventures as a hapless kid in an unforgivably formal setting and describes his role as a tiny planet circling the dual suns of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Blending self-abasement, humor, awe and affection, Too Close to the Sun is an intimate portrait of two of the most influential and inspirational figures in modern American history—and a thoughtful exploration of the emotional impact of growing up in their irresistible aura.
Blending self-abasement, humor, awe and affection, Too Close to the Sun is an intimate portrait of two of the most influential and inspirational figures in modern American history—and a thoughtful exploration of the emotional impact of growing up in their irresistible aura.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published October 28, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
July 15, 2017
Some parts are lol funny. Realistic view of the Roosevelts. Worth the time. Love the pictures too.
December 9, 2008
Fascinating Look at the Roosevelt Family
Written by the grandson of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, this is a memoir about what it was like to grow up in the bright spotlight (the sun) of the White House. Born Curtis Dall, then Curtis Boettinger after his stepfather, and finally Curtis Roosevelt, he is the son of Franklin and Eleanor’s oldest child (and only daughter), Anna. Anna divorced her husband Curtis Dall and moved to the White House when her two children were only six and three years old. Known as “Buzzie and Sistie,” the First Grandchildren immediately became the darlings of the press.
Curtis writes that his life in the White House offered “immense and wonderful privilege,” yet admits it had a double edge. “Life outside the protection and isolated White House cocoon became hugely distorted, especially for an impressionable youngster like me . . . Intoxicated by the exhilarating environments . . . I created a dream world that protected me and it became a form of addiction.”
This is an interesting take on what it was like to grow up in front of the press and in the White House, and it’s especially interesting on the verge of the new administration, when once again, young children will be involved. Will the impact be overwhelming as it was for this author? Or will it be like more recent children of Presidents (carefully shielded from the press) and merely be a unique phase of childhood? One can’t help but be fascinated by the offspring of our Presidents.
This is a fascinating inside look at the Roosevelt family with an impressive collection of photos. A great holiday gift idea for those interested in American and Presidential history.
Written by the grandson of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, this is a memoir about what it was like to grow up in the bright spotlight (the sun) of the White House. Born Curtis Dall, then Curtis Boettinger after his stepfather, and finally Curtis Roosevelt, he is the son of Franklin and Eleanor’s oldest child (and only daughter), Anna. Anna divorced her husband Curtis Dall and moved to the White House when her two children were only six and three years old. Known as “Buzzie and Sistie,” the First Grandchildren immediately became the darlings of the press.
Curtis writes that his life in the White House offered “immense and wonderful privilege,” yet admits it had a double edge. “Life outside the protection and isolated White House cocoon became hugely distorted, especially for an impressionable youngster like me . . . Intoxicated by the exhilarating environments . . . I created a dream world that protected me and it became a form of addiction.”
This is an interesting take on what it was like to grow up in front of the press and in the White House, and it’s especially interesting on the verge of the new administration, when once again, young children will be involved. Will the impact be overwhelming as it was for this author? Or will it be like more recent children of Presidents (carefully shielded from the press) and merely be a unique phase of childhood? One can’t help but be fascinated by the offspring of our Presidents.
This is a fascinating inside look at the Roosevelt family with an impressive collection of photos. A great holiday gift idea for those interested in American and Presidential history.
July 11, 2014
A tender description of being raised in the shadow of two of the great figures of modern day American history – Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Curtis was the son of Anna Roosevelt – the daughter and eldest child of Eleanor and Franklin. He was born in 1930 and much of his formative years were spent at the White House and at his great grand-mother’s house in Hyde Park, the birthplace of Franklin. This is the main focus of the book; Curtis being one of the planets revolving around the dual Gods of the President and First Lady. It’s a story of being given preferential treatment at dinners and receptions, but also of being ignored or given secondary treatment by parents, uncles, aunts and Presidents. Curtis had care-takers who gave him more time, love and affection than his parents. He only learnt to tie his shoes when he was six or seven years old. He related much better to adults than children his own age – in fact there was very little exposure to children of his age group. Even though the Roosevelt’s were liberal, when Curtis was exposed to the reality of public school his parents were upset about the rambunctiousness of the “middle class”.
In some ways Curtis had an upbringing somewhat resembling that of stories by Charles Dickens, he was constantly struggling to adjust and find his place. The pictures in the book are captivating.
Curtis was the son of Anna Roosevelt – the daughter and eldest child of Eleanor and Franklin. He was born in 1930 and much of his formative years were spent at the White House and at his great grand-mother’s house in Hyde Park, the birthplace of Franklin. This is the main focus of the book; Curtis being one of the planets revolving around the dual Gods of the President and First Lady. It’s a story of being given preferential treatment at dinners and receptions, but also of being ignored or given secondary treatment by parents, uncles, aunts and Presidents. Curtis had care-takers who gave him more time, love and affection than his parents. He only learnt to tie his shoes when he was six or seven years old. He related much better to adults than children his own age – in fact there was very little exposure to children of his age group. Even though the Roosevelt’s were liberal, when Curtis was exposed to the reality of public school his parents were upset about the rambunctiousness of the “middle class”.
In some ways Curtis had an upbringing somewhat resembling that of stories by Charles Dickens, he was constantly struggling to adjust and find his place. The pictures in the book are captivating.
April 15, 2011
An interesting perspective. I can see why Curtis admired his grandfather so much, and how complicated finding one own's place must be in the shadow of such a charismatic and powerful figure. The book goes little into what i hoped it wold- what role an heir of such a persnality plays in creating a lasting public image. Aspects of how Sunnyside and Val Kill became National Historic Parks, the FDR Memorial's impression on him, lecture circuits- these more post-mordum aspects of Roosevelt's life are rarely even hinted at. Still, his memoirs show a great grandfather as father role model and it is well written and revealing. One can see that this book is the culmination of long years of thought over the subject, and how his first 15 years made his definition of self hard to grasp in later years. A great read, and very obviously not a ploy to gain notoriety from his grandfather's fame.
December 14, 2008
This book was quite fascinating and held my attention. Written by FDR's oldest grandson, the book provided a unique perspective on the popular president and his wife Eleanor. The author did a wonderful job describing incidents and events from his personal childhood memories. However, what I found to be most interesting was when Roosevelt described a boyhood memory and then reflected on the same event as an adult after reading the personal correspondence of the individuals involved in the incident. He found often children do not have all the perspective needed to decipher an event--sometimes due to a lack of maturity or other times because adults, for various reasons, did not give or explain the details. A good read for those intrigued with the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.
May 17, 2011
Curtis "Buzzie" Roosevelt was the oldest grandson of FDR and was only three when his grandfather was elected as president. Following his parents' divorce, he was raised in the White House and FDR remained Buzzie's father figure until his death. I found this memoir deeply moving and felt such sympathy for a little boy who was constantly admonished for the slightest fault and simply longed to be near his grandfather and be a normal boy. I loved getting an insider perspective on Franklin and Eleanor from someone who knew and loved them. This was yet another example that a so-called privileged childhood is not always what it seems.
June 22, 2010
This book is a simple, fast read. What most commends it is its unblinking look at the impact of instability for a young child. His mother's difficulties in settling into a life she found satisfactory meant that Roosevelt bounced from the privileged life of the White House to attending a public grade school in Seattle -- and back, and elsewhere.
It was a harrowing read because at so many points something different could have been done to help. But Roosevelt does not let himself off the hook, so the resulting story is one I found instructive.
It was a harrowing read because at so many points something different could have been done to help. But Roosevelt does not let himself off the hook, so the resulting story is one I found instructive.
October 10, 2009
Insightful! Glad I read it. Good history. What a lousy mother, Mrs Anna Roosevelt, in my opinion! No wonder Curtis must have had kind of a "messed up" life. All the divorces in the Roosevelt family - in earlier decades than recently. Easy to read. How could he actually "remember" so much, or was it more re-creating? No wonder kids in the public eye have difficulties!
August 15, 2012
An intimate and compelling memoir--Mr. Roosevelt ushers us behind the scenes of his grandfather's White House, at the same time his not so picture perfect family. A great read for history buffs and FDR scholars.
June 4, 2012
Excellent. Very interesting to read the perspective of FDR's grandson - growing up in the White House, in the midst of a very famous family. If you like history, you'll enjoy this.
February 15, 2017
Too Close to the Sun is an easy read with some interesting history of Curtis (Dall) Roosevelt, his mother Anna Roosevelt Dall Boettiger, grandparents Franklin D and Eleanor Roosevelt, his great-grandmother Sara Delano Roosevelt, plus an additional cast of thousands thrown in for good measure. Whew!
While the photographs and history are good, I am troubled by many aspects of the book. At some points the author is quite candid, depicting well the complicated dynamics within the Roosevelt family. Yet at other times he is suggestive and evasive. This is your memoir Mr. Curtis Roosevelt. If you hold anger or distrust for someone, just say it, don't cloak it in innuendo.
Additionally, the author shares memories of his childhood; memories as early as age two and three. Sure, this is his memoir, still he would have had to rely on others for the happenings of his early years. Yet, he comes across as these are his memories. Also, somewhat off putting is his continuous remarks about living in own his fantasy world. How he was never able to focus, consequently never doing well in school although he was a bright child. Curtis Roosevelt was an older gentlemen, perhaps seventy or eighty when he wrote this book, so he had years of maturity to discover answers to his lack of focus, his not interacting well with other boys, his living in a fantasy world, so why does he not tell us. . . . did he suffering from attention deficit ? Was he depressed? Was he an extreme introvert? Why was professional attention not sought? Or, perhaps, he is suggesting he could only live in a fantasy world because his real world was continually overshadowed of his grandfather and hero president Franklin Delano Roosevelt?
Talk about a dysfunctional family!
While the photographs and history are good, I am troubled by many aspects of the book. At some points the author is quite candid, depicting well the complicated dynamics within the Roosevelt family. Yet at other times he is suggestive and evasive. This is your memoir Mr. Curtis Roosevelt. If you hold anger or distrust for someone, just say it, don't cloak it in innuendo.
Additionally, the author shares memories of his childhood; memories as early as age two and three. Sure, this is his memoir, still he would have had to rely on others for the happenings of his early years. Yet, he comes across as these are his memories. Also, somewhat off putting is his continuous remarks about living in own his fantasy world. How he was never able to focus, consequently never doing well in school although he was a bright child. Curtis Roosevelt was an older gentlemen, perhaps seventy or eighty when he wrote this book, so he had years of maturity to discover answers to his lack of focus, his not interacting well with other boys, his living in a fantasy world, so why does he not tell us. . . . did he suffering from attention deficit ? Was he depressed? Was he an extreme introvert? Why was professional attention not sought? Or, perhaps, he is suggesting he could only live in a fantasy world because his real world was continually overshadowed of his grandfather and hero president Franklin Delano Roosevelt?
Talk about a dysfunctional family!
January 7, 2019
Owned and read again over ten years. I pulled it out over the holidays to experience A Roosevelt Christmas again, with real candles on the White House Christmas tree and all. Could not put the whole book down. Here is the extended Franklin D. Roosevelt family in all their glory and the too occasional glorious dysfunction. Penned by Curtis Dall Roosevelt, FDR's eldest grandson born Curtis Roosevelt Dall to FDR's only daughter Anna. Curtis starts us in the third floor White House nursery, with the clattering food truck-steam tables and all-bringing breakfast up the creaky elevator. We follow little Curtis from kissing grandpa in the morning to moving across country to Seattle and his mother's second marriage. Always FDR and Eleanor loom large. Beautifully illustrated. A warm, personal and honest memoir of a family and a time, told by one of the last witnesses, however young of the Roosevelt White House. And Matriarch Sara emerges in an especially beloved light.
November 24, 2020
May i gripe? I bought the book, i saw its size, and i found it awkward to hold to read. Then the spine broke ....
ANYWAY, this is a memoir of life as the oldest grandson of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.
His mum was their only daughter Anna. Basically he was surrounded by cold fish..... and every time he became attached to a nanny/ teacher, they were whisked away. Loneliness, lack of affection, social awkwardness and a yearning for opened -arm love created this child.
It was interesting peeking into their lives (cold fish in a crystal bowl ) yet some of it was monotonous. Sometimes less is more.
ANYWAY, this is a memoir of life as the oldest grandson of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.
His mum was their only daughter Anna. Basically he was surrounded by cold fish..... and every time he became attached to a nanny/ teacher, they were whisked away. Loneliness, lack of affection, social awkwardness and a yearning for opened -arm love created this child.
It was interesting peeking into their lives (cold fish in a crystal bowl ) yet some of it was monotonous. Sometimes less is more.
September 25, 2020
I enjoyed Curtis’ book. It is more like a family album than anything else. Mixed in with the pictures are stories from a young boy’s point of view of growing up as a Roosevelt. In a sense, there is a certain tragic element to the story. Seeing the world through the lens of another. The joy here is the close relationship between a boy and his grandfather and the sadness is the sudden loss of that relationship at a young age. Only a few people have the opportunity to live a life with these experiences. If you read this book, focus on Curtis as the main character. It is his-story. Jim
August 23, 2021
I enjoyed this look into the Roosevelt family through the eyes of the author, one of FDR's grandsons. I really enjoyed the numerous photos sprinkled throughout the book. I liked hearing a first-hand account of that time period.
August 29, 2017
Very interesting perspective of growing up in one of America's most prestigious families as the eldest grandson of Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt. Engaging and thoughtful. Worth the read.
February 10, 2020
Capitaving!
This book is amazing! You learn more about what is behind the scenes
of history as well as personal tidbits in the lives of history making people.
This book is amazing! You learn more about what is behind the scenes
of history as well as personal tidbits in the lives of history making people.
Read
March 27, 2025A tad long-winded; could have read half of the manuscript and gotten the same story.
July 24, 2011
This book gives the reader not only a glimpse into FDR's White House during the Depression and right up before the end of World War II, but it also demonstrates the very odd dichotomy of the privileged class: Family was paramount, who you were made you important not only in your mind but also in people's estimation, but if you were privileged enough to buy discretion, you could behave irresponsibly, even negligently, and still maintain the admiration, envy and respect of the world.
Young Curtis, son of FDR and Eleanore's only daughter Anna, was 3 years old when FDR replaced Hoover during the height of the Depression in 1933, and over the next few years Curtis and his sister, along with Shirley Temple, became the most photographed children in the country. While Anna and her four brothers switched spouses more often than most people trade cars, Curtis and his sister were shielded from normal childhood things like playmates, popular music, games and pop culture influences. When Curtis finally held a baseball bat at age 10 or so, and miraculously got a hit, he had no clue about what he was supposed to do next, and when Shirley Temple visited Eleanore Roosevelt, the children, who were by then 8 and 11 years old, had no idea who she was. Despite these efforts to "shield" the children from things that might hurt their psyches, Anna didn't seem to have qualms about inexplicably pulling the plug on daddies, teddy bears or nannies that the children had become attached to.
The family enjoyed lunches, receptions and dinners with distinguished guests, evening cocktails, long stretches of time in the White House and summer vacations at Hyde Park and Val Kill with Eleanore, Franklin, and Eleanore's mother. After Anna's marriage to her second husband, they moved to Seattle to work for a newspaper. Fearing kidnapping and then Japanese infiltration of the West Coast after Pearl Harbor, Anna moved her children four times in as many years, never seeming to take much notice of Curtis' failure to connect with people or academics at school.
Curtis describes Grandma Eleanor as interested but not affectionate. His main attachment was to his grandfather, FDR. Although there is no mention of Lucy Mercer, Curtis and his sister were somewhat aware of FDR's closeness with "Cousin Suckley" but they never realized the extent of the relationship until they found a stash of letters after her death. She had given FDR his beloved dog Fallah and took one of only two photographs of him sitting in his wheelchair.
Curtis adored his grandfather, who always made time for him, and he explained how FDR's magnetic presence lit up any room. By the time FDR died of an aneurysm three months after taking his fourth oath of office in 1945, Curtis was a young teen at military school in Wisconsin. Accustomed to masking his feelings, he refused to attend the funeral and took this great loss with stoicism while the nation mourned.
I liked this book partly because of its format. Its big, heavy, high-gloss pages bring out the best in the many excellent, historically significant photographs. Apparently Curtis drew on the many letters written back and forth between Eleanor and Anna, as well as other related correspondences, diaries, social calendars, dozens of photographs and conversations with others who lived through those times. Among the saddest stories are those he told about his father, who, although he tried to maintain a meaningful relationship with Curtis and his sister, was kicked aside in favor of the stepfather. The children even took their stepfather's last name, until Anna divorced him too, and then Curtis decided to go by his middle name, Roosevelt.
The lack of stability in the children's lives, and Anna's unwillingness to compromise what she wanted to provide a more solid base for her children really surprised me. In the epilogue, Curtis reveals that he followed family tradition and married four times. I don't think today's gossip columnists and paparazzi would be as kind to the Roosevelts as those in the 30s and 40s were.
Young Curtis, son of FDR and Eleanore's only daughter Anna, was 3 years old when FDR replaced Hoover during the height of the Depression in 1933, and over the next few years Curtis and his sister, along with Shirley Temple, became the most photographed children in the country. While Anna and her four brothers switched spouses more often than most people trade cars, Curtis and his sister were shielded from normal childhood things like playmates, popular music, games and pop culture influences. When Curtis finally held a baseball bat at age 10 or so, and miraculously got a hit, he had no clue about what he was supposed to do next, and when Shirley Temple visited Eleanore Roosevelt, the children, who were by then 8 and 11 years old, had no idea who she was. Despite these efforts to "shield" the children from things that might hurt their psyches, Anna didn't seem to have qualms about inexplicably pulling the plug on daddies, teddy bears or nannies that the children had become attached to.
The family enjoyed lunches, receptions and dinners with distinguished guests, evening cocktails, long stretches of time in the White House and summer vacations at Hyde Park and Val Kill with Eleanore, Franklin, and Eleanore's mother. After Anna's marriage to her second husband, they moved to Seattle to work for a newspaper. Fearing kidnapping and then Japanese infiltration of the West Coast after Pearl Harbor, Anna moved her children four times in as many years, never seeming to take much notice of Curtis' failure to connect with people or academics at school.
Curtis describes Grandma Eleanor as interested but not affectionate. His main attachment was to his grandfather, FDR. Although there is no mention of Lucy Mercer, Curtis and his sister were somewhat aware of FDR's closeness with "Cousin Suckley" but they never realized the extent of the relationship until they found a stash of letters after her death. She had given FDR his beloved dog Fallah and took one of only two photographs of him sitting in his wheelchair.
Curtis adored his grandfather, who always made time for him, and he explained how FDR's magnetic presence lit up any room. By the time FDR died of an aneurysm three months after taking his fourth oath of office in 1945, Curtis was a young teen at military school in Wisconsin. Accustomed to masking his feelings, he refused to attend the funeral and took this great loss with stoicism while the nation mourned.
I liked this book partly because of its format. Its big, heavy, high-gloss pages bring out the best in the many excellent, historically significant photographs. Apparently Curtis drew on the many letters written back and forth between Eleanor and Anna, as well as other related correspondences, diaries, social calendars, dozens of photographs and conversations with others who lived through those times. Among the saddest stories are those he told about his father, who, although he tried to maintain a meaningful relationship with Curtis and his sister, was kicked aside in favor of the stepfather. The children even took their stepfather's last name, until Anna divorced him too, and then Curtis decided to go by his middle name, Roosevelt.
The lack of stability in the children's lives, and Anna's unwillingness to compromise what she wanted to provide a more solid base for her children really surprised me. In the epilogue, Curtis reveals that he followed family tradition and married four times. I don't think today's gossip columnists and paparazzi would be as kind to the Roosevelts as those in the 30s and 40s were.
March 7, 2017
I love history and biographies, but normally they get so boring by the middle of the book that I have a very hard time finishing them. Not this one. I found it as entertaining as a novel. A child's view from inside the white house during the time FDR was president.
April 8, 2020
A lot has been written about FDR and Eleanor. Scholars and hacks alike have plumbed the depth of their lives, plucking at loose threads in hopes of providing insight into a power couple who collectively and singularly continue to have such an enormous impact on American life. Too Close to the Sun: Growing Up in the Shadow of My Grandparents is different. It is a grandson's story, a grandson's perspective and memories of spending time with people whom he deeply loved - and who just happened to be important to the world. That perspective affords Too Close to the Sun a wonderfully intimate and personal focus.
Although focusing on life in the Roosevelt White House, this book is really about the author coming to grips with his own place - in the family, in the legacy and in life. There's a lot of sadness there, the sadness that comes with realizing your best days are behind you. And that those days weren't really of your own making.
Which makes Too Close to the Sun: Growing Up in the Shadow of My Grandparents a much more satisfying read than it would be if it were simply a tell-all, or a life-in-the-White-house memoir.
All history is personal.
There are enough details and stories about FDR and Eleanor for the couple's fans, but this isn't really their story. It is their grandson's, and his is worth understanding, too.
Although focusing on life in the Roosevelt White House, this book is really about the author coming to grips with his own place - in the family, in the legacy and in life. There's a lot of sadness there, the sadness that comes with realizing your best days are behind you. And that those days weren't really of your own making.
Which makes Too Close to the Sun: Growing Up in the Shadow of My Grandparents a much more satisfying read than it would be if it were simply a tell-all, or a life-in-the-White-house memoir.
All history is personal.
There are enough details and stories about FDR and Eleanor for the couple's fans, but this isn't really their story. It is their grandson's, and his is worth understanding, too.
February 25, 2012
3 stars
Too close to the sun is a memoir written the grandson of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. He is the son of their daughter Anna, and lived in the White House on several occasions. This book chronicles his youth which coincidences with the FDR presidency.
During his youth, Curtis was known as Buzzie (along with his sister Sistie). As the first "grand-children", they were celebrities. They often attended White House events. I did not realize that the Roosevelts were an upper class family, but this book highlights some of the perks and pitfalls of this lifestyle. On the downside, Buzzie was raised by nurses and had an estranged relationship with his real father who divorced his mother when Buzzie was only 2. His mother remarried and the family moved out to Seattle; this move was especially difficult to Buzzie because he was taken away from the entire extended family. To make matters worse, in Seattle, his family moved every year and he had to go to new schools. Kids knew he was the grandson of the president and he was ostrasized.
I felt like this book assumed that you knew some background on the Roosevelts, FDR's presidency and Eleanor's crusades. I don't, so there were times that I felt that context was lacking. What is clear is that despite the larger than life personalities of FDR and Eleanor, that they clearly loved their family. The book also has a large number of family photos which captured the time and place.
Too close to the sun is a memoir written the grandson of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. He is the son of their daughter Anna, and lived in the White House on several occasions. This book chronicles his youth which coincidences with the FDR presidency.
During his youth, Curtis was known as Buzzie (along with his sister Sistie). As the first "grand-children", they were celebrities. They often attended White House events. I did not realize that the Roosevelts were an upper class family, but this book highlights some of the perks and pitfalls of this lifestyle. On the downside, Buzzie was raised by nurses and had an estranged relationship with his real father who divorced his mother when Buzzie was only 2. His mother remarried and the family moved out to Seattle; this move was especially difficult to Buzzie because he was taken away from the entire extended family. To make matters worse, in Seattle, his family moved every year and he had to go to new schools. Kids knew he was the grandson of the president and he was ostrasized.
I felt like this book assumed that you knew some background on the Roosevelts, FDR's presidency and Eleanor's crusades. I don't, so there were times that I felt that context was lacking. What is clear is that despite the larger than life personalities of FDR and Eleanor, that they clearly loved their family. The book also has a large number of family photos which captured the time and place.
May 17, 2010
Too Close to the Sun chronicles the early life of Curtis Roosevelt, oldest grandson of FDR. The book made me realize how much Eleanor's depression and anxiety was passed on to her daughter, Anna, the mother of the author. As a result, Curtis grew up confused and lonely, and, to a large extent, under-parented. Even fame, class, privilege and education do not make families immune to pain and dysfunction.
Both Eleanor and FDR, to an extent, emotionally abandoned their children because of their emotional depression(s) in the wake of his affair in the nineteen teens and his subsequent polio in 1921, as well as in favor of their careers in politics. Anna did the same to Curtis, divorcing his father and limiting their contact while largely ignoring him emotionally herself.
Perhaps ironically, Curtis feels more secure in the White House than in the many homes he and his sister shared with their father, their mother and their stepfather over the years.
The book ends with FDR's death and leaves the reader wondering how Curtis navigated young adulthood, especially in the wake of his admitted retreat into his "dream world" during childhood.
Both Eleanor and FDR, to an extent, emotionally abandoned their children because of their emotional depression(s) in the wake of his affair in the nineteen teens and his subsequent polio in 1921, as well as in favor of their careers in politics. Anna did the same to Curtis, divorcing his father and limiting their contact while largely ignoring him emotionally herself.
Perhaps ironically, Curtis feels more secure in the White House than in the many homes he and his sister shared with their father, their mother and their stepfather over the years.
The book ends with FDR's death and leaves the reader wondering how Curtis navigated young adulthood, especially in the wake of his admitted retreat into his "dream world" during childhood.
August 12, 2014
I started out with high hopes for this book, written by the oldest grandson of FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt, and for a few chapters I was not disappointed. Curtis "Buzzie" Dall, who later changed his last name to Roosevelt, grew up in one of the earliest instances of media glare, and his recollections of life in the White House and memories of his grandparents and formidable "Granny," Sara Delano Roosevelt, are intriguing. But soon the narrative just becomes an endless rehash of an unhappy, introverted childhood, with a mother who was cold and kept him at arm's length while always reminding him, somewhat contradictorily, that he was no one special, but that he was always to remember he was Roosevelt and should act accordingly. More and more, Curtis retreated into a fantasy world, and I kept waiting for him to either show the consequences of this or reveal how he overcame it, but the story goes nowhere. It ends abruptly with FDR's death and only a brief codicil deals with his life as an adult. There are some interesting descriptions of family members, but overall this was a letdown.
March 5, 2024
The author of this book is Curtis Roosevelt, the son of Franklin and Eleanor’s oldest child Anna. Curtis and his sister were the oldest grandchildren of the President. They lived for a few years in the White House while their mother was between marriages, also spending a lot of time at Hyde Park with the extended Roosevelt family. This book is not a deep dive into Roosevelt’s presidency, politics, the war years, or anything else. What it is, however, is a child’s eye view of his family including his illustrious grandparents. Curtis does not sugar coat the family or the relationships, nor does he trash anybody the way some of Franklin and Eleanor’s children have done. The book comes across as a sincere effort to illuminate the love as well as some of the many issues and conflicts among the family members, living as they were in the shadow of two of the most complex and powerful people of their time. I enjoyed the book for what it is.
April 14, 2012
This book was okay. It gave some interesting perspective into FDR's presidency. It was written by his oldest grandson. The first quarter of the book seemed to be written from the memories of a 3 year old. That made some of it less credible for me. Also, there were a lot of characters introduced with very little background on who they were. There was a list at the end of the book, but I didn't know about that listing until I had finished reading the book and found the lack of knowledge of the characters frustrating.
February 2, 2009
It was an easy read and written with a comfy, homey feel..gave a great perspective on how family oriented Franklin D. Roosevelt was....am looking forward to reading his book he is currently writing that I believe is more focused on his time at the Hyde Park Estate.
January 14, 2010
Mildly entertaining account of 3year old curtis living in the WhiteHouse after his grandfather was elected President in 1932.He has very fond memories of FDR ("Papa"), Eleanor ("Grandmere") and Sara Delano Roosevelt ("Granny") and not so fond memories of his Mother, father and step-father.
February 24, 2009
I'm enjoying this-I like biographies-this is written by Franklin Roosevelt's oldest grandson.
May 12, 2009
A look at the Roosevelts from a family member we haven't heard from and from a child's point of view, as well. A good memoir if you are drawn to this family.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews