Franklin D. Roosevelt: The Making of America #5

The Making of America

by Teri Kanefield

Award-winning author Teri Kanefield’s biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt for young readers is the inspiring story of one of America’s greatest presidents.

The fifth book in the Making of America series, Franklin D. Roosevelt examines the life of America’s 32nd his birth into one of America’s elite families, his domineering mother, his marriage to Eleanor Roosevelt, his struggle with polio, and his political career.

A Democrat, Roosevelt (1882–1945) won a record of four presidential elections and is the longest-serving US president. During his time in office, he led the country through the Great Depression and World War II and helped to redefine the role of the US government with the New Deal. Scholars often rate him as one of the three greatest presidents, along with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. The book includes black-and-white archival images, plus selections from FDR’s writings in addition to endnotes, a bibliography, and an index.

The Making of America
Alexander Hamilton (#1)
Andrew Jackson (#2)
Abraham Lincoln (#3)
Susan B. Anthony (#4)
Franklin D. Roosevelt (#5)
Thurgood Marshall (#6)

Genres: Biography, Middle Grade, Nonfiction, History, Politics, Biography Memoir, War

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 8, 2019

About the author

I started out teaching English at the college and university level while writing novels, short stories, and children’s books. Then I went to law school, dedicated my law practice to defending people who could not afford to pay, kept writing books, took a detour into writing legal analysis for The Washington Post and other mainstream media outlets, wrote more books, and here I am.

Along the way, my writing has earned numerous awards and honors, including the Jane Addams Book Award, the Orbis Pictus Honor, and the Carter G. Woodson Middle-Grade Level Book Award.

For more about me and my writing, please visit www.terikanefield.com

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a 3.5 for me, and as other reviewers have mentioned, it's hard not to make comparisons between Franklin D. Roosevelt, who came from great wealth but ended up seeing that others didn't have it so easy and other elected officials such as our current President. The author does a fine job of humanizing Roosevelt who seemed to have been something of a slacker and lightweight during his formative years but then rose to the occasion several times as an adult and elected official. She describes some of his relaxation techniques and the powerful partnership between FDR and his wife, Eleanor, who arguably was one of the reasons he learned to be more compassionate and understanding toward others. Although his authorization of the internment of Japanese-American citizens during WWII was clearly a mistake and one not supported by Eleanor, readers will realize just how influential the New Deal was. It's easy to forget that Social Security has not been around forever, a financial reward for those who worked hard during their work years so they have something of a nest egg on which to rely once their more productive years have ended. This book reminds readers of how someone born into great wealth and privilege can also learn to care about others whose lives have not been so easy. FDR was clearly ambitious, and I would have liked to have learned more about some of the particular skills he brought to his appointed and elected positions in addition to the author's descriptions of how he dealt with the polio that paralyzed him. It's quite clear that some of his own life experiences, particularly that one, left an impression on him. I was so pleased that Eleanor receives her own share of attention in this biography and that the author describes the betrayal she must have felt when she discovered that FDR and her secretary, Lucy Mercer, were having an affair. The book has several photographs, references, and some excerpts from FDR's speeches. This is a good addition to The Making of America series. I wish the author had mentioned by name Executive Order 9066 regarding internment camps just as she highlighted by name Executive Order 8802 banning discrimination in the defense industry. While clearly not perfect, FDR remains someone in a position of leadership worth admiring and emulating.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is phenomenal and reminds me of others like the Wicked History series or Captured History in that it brings vital information to the forefront in a straightforward and manageable way. I always find myself nodding or making noises of interest while reading because I’ve learned something that I didn’t know before.

Focused on Franklin Roosevelt, I was most impressed by the story of his polio disability in his thirties and how he adapted and overcame. Likewise, learning about his overbearing mother. And his relationship with Eleanor. Not to mention the politics and war.

Another stunning addition to the series.

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richie’s Picks: FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (THE MAKING OF AMERICA) by Teri Kanefield, Abrams, October 2019, 256p., ISBN: 978-1-4197-3402-1

“But believe it or not, you won’t find it so hot
If you ain’t got the do re mi”
-- Woody Guthrie (1937)

“Donald Trump is the un-Roosevelt. FDR was a patrician who betrayed his class. Trump is a parvenu who enables that class. FDR sought to unite the nation on behalf of a noble cause. Trump seeks to divide it for his own self-interest. Roosevelt embraced the Four Freedoms: of speech and worship, and from want and fear. Trump abuses them, demonizing his critics as treasonous, denigrating Muslims as terrorists and Democratic Jews as disloyal, enriching the wealthy at the expense of working Americans and sowing fear and discord to maintain his hold on power.”
-- from “If FDR Built It, Donald Trump Wants to Destroy It” by Jack Schwartz (9/3/19)

In the Roaring Twenties, when the Republicans were in charge, the rich were getting richer.

“Not everyone prospered, however. Beneath the glittering surface there were rumblings of discontent. Because factory and business owners had complete freedom in how they ran their factories, wages remained low even as businesses grew more profitable. As a result, the gap between laborers and business executives widened as millions of laborers worked long days for poverty-level wages while the business tycoons grew wealthier.
Only the very rich--about 5 percent of the population--could afford to send their children to college. In fact, money was just about all a person needed to gain admission to the nation’s best universities, which created a cycle: Because only the wealthy could afford college, only the wealthy were qualified for high-level jobs. Laborers working ten or twelve hours each day to feed their families had no choice but to put their own children to work as soon as they were old enough, thus setting them up for a lifetime of low-skill and low-wage labor. Immigrants were discriminated against and thus had more difficulty lifting themselves from poverty. Blacks, segregated with fewer opportunities than whites, had it hardest of all.”

Such was the economic landscape of the U.S. in the 1920s, before the Great Crash and the election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Leading America out of the Great Depression, Roosevelt wove the social safety net that changed life for the majority of Americans.

In her captivating portrayal of FDR, author Teri Kanefield presents one of American history’s greatest presidents, the man who saved capitalism from its own worst excesses, improved the lives of millions of Americans, and saw America through most of World War II. The author has quite a knack for engaging the reader. She tells story after memorable story, bringing the long-dead president to life. For example, it’s moving to learn how a young FDR developed the ability to “hide his thoughts, feelings and motive behind a bland face” out of fear of disturbing his father, who was in poor health after a heart attack. It’s fascinating to read about Roosevelt’s domineering mother Sara and the slacker reputation Franklin developed in his youth.

So what transformed that privileged slacker into the great man he became? What was FDR’s secret weapon? The author devotes a fair share of the book to the amazing Eleanor Roosevelt, FDR’s conscience and brain trust. He would not have been the same great leader without her.

Not that he always heeded her advice. Regarding one of FDR’s worst decisions as President, Eleanor strongly opposed the interning of thousands of Japanese and Japanese Americans living on the West Coast. In this instance, FDR deferred to the War Department. Unfortunately, the War Department’s decision was built on a foundation of rumors, racism, and greed.

There are few presidents in American history whose legacies are so notable and appreciated generations later. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s successes, including the establishment of a minimum wage, Social Security, and the GI Bill, set\ him apart. He’s well worth learning about, and this biography is an excellent starting point.

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com

[Brooke ♥booklife4life♥]

*no ratings for non-fiction*

[Jesse Hertstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Presidential bios are always fun reads, or listens. I did the audio version here, and finished it pretty quickly. Maybe not the same deep dive as a Dorothy Kearns Goodwin book, but still does a good job covering a really incredible life. Not all positive, especially some of the history with Eleanor (whose bio I need to read now) but maybe one of the most influential presidents.

[Mallory Spiers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It didn’t go way deep into details, just enough for you to understand. The author spent a perfect amount of time on each subject so the reader is never bored!

[JoLee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed Teri Kanefield's MAKING OF AMERICA series. Each book focuses on a figure whose contributions made a big impact to American laws and governing.

Book 5 is about Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It stands to reason that the president who served for the longest would also have had a big impact on American government going forward. As Roosevelt also was president during two of the most momentous events of the 20th century, the Great Depression and World War II, that impact was likely even greater than it may have been if he had served during quieter times.

As with the other books in the series, Kanefield takes us through Roosevelt's biography, from his early childhood to his death. We see how he could have let polio derail him, but instead it shaped him into a more determined leader. We learn about his time in office and how he faced the challenges of the depression and the war.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The narrator for this audiobook was quite simply painful, like a robot that has been given some basic expressive parameters. There were some phrases that made my head spin, they were spoken with such wrong emphasis.

Otherwise, I think I’m going to continue on with this series. For the most part they are solid introductions to each person, with a decent amount of historic context. This one is no exception. FDR is painted as an optimistic, happy-go-lucky child of privilege. Very little seems to stand in his way once he has determined his path to the presidency. Some of this attitude persists as president when he pushes forth his agenda and manages to be elected to a fourth term.

FDR’s flaws are not hidden, either. His marital infidelities and difficulties with race relations are examined as well as his good intentions.

[Andréa]

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher at ALA Annual 2019.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids book. Great overview.

[Vincent V · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked Stalin who was worse at least in numbers of death subjects compared to Hitler. Both deserve hate not liking although maybe this Gulag system was not known at the time of conferences.