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Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President
This revealing biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt shows how one of the most consequential leaders in American history found his true self in his searing struggle with polio--emerging from illness with a strength and wisdom he would use to inspire the world.
In popular memory, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the quintessential political “natural.” Born in 1882 to a wealthy, influential family and blessed with an abundance of charm and charisma, he seemed destined for high office. Yet for all his gifts, the young Roosevelt nonetheless lacked depth, empathy, and an ability to think strategically. Those qualities, so essential to his success as president, were skills he acquired during his seven-year journey through illness and recovery.
Becoming FDR traces the riveting story of the struggle that forged Roosevelt’s character and political ascent. Soon after contracting polio in 1921 at the age of thirty-nine, the former failed vice-presidential candidate was left paralyzed from the waist down. He spent much of the next decade trying to rehabilitate his body and adapt to the stark new reality of his life. By the time he reemerged on the national stage in 1928 as the Democratic candidate for Governor of New York, his character and his abilities had been transformed. He had become compassionate, and shrewd by necessity, tailoring his speeches to inspire listeners and to reach them through a new medium—radio. Suffering cemented his bond with those he once famously called “the forgotten man.” Most crucially, he had discovered how to find hope in a seemingly hopeless situation—a belief that he employed to motivate Americans through the Great Depression and World War II. The polio years were transformative too for the marriage of Franklin and Eleanor, and for Eleanor herself, who became, at first reluctantly, her husband's surrogate at public events, and who grew to become a political and humanitarian force in her own right.
Tracing the physical, political, and personal evolution of the iconic president, Becoming FDR shows how adversity can lead to greatness, and to the power to remake the world.
In popular memory, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the quintessential political “natural.” Born in 1882 to a wealthy, influential family and blessed with an abundance of charm and charisma, he seemed destined for high office. Yet for all his gifts, the young Roosevelt nonetheless lacked depth, empathy, and an ability to think strategically. Those qualities, so essential to his success as president, were skills he acquired during his seven-year journey through illness and recovery.
Becoming FDR traces the riveting story of the struggle that forged Roosevelt’s character and political ascent. Soon after contracting polio in 1921 at the age of thirty-nine, the former failed vice-presidential candidate was left paralyzed from the waist down. He spent much of the next decade trying to rehabilitate his body and adapt to the stark new reality of his life. By the time he reemerged on the national stage in 1928 as the Democratic candidate for Governor of New York, his character and his abilities had been transformed. He had become compassionate, and shrewd by necessity, tailoring his speeches to inspire listeners and to reach them through a new medium—radio. Suffering cemented his bond with those he once famously called “the forgotten man.” Most crucially, he had discovered how to find hope in a seemingly hopeless situation—a belief that he employed to motivate Americans through the Great Depression and World War II. The polio years were transformative too for the marriage of Franklin and Eleanor, and for Eleanor herself, who became, at first reluctantly, her husband's surrogate at public events, and who grew to become a political and humanitarian force in her own right.
Tracing the physical, political, and personal evolution of the iconic president, Becoming FDR shows how adversity can lead to greatness, and to the power to remake the world.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published September 6, 2022
118 people are currently reading
6493 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Darman
4 books48 followersJonathan Darman is a journalist and historian who writes about American politics and the presidency. He is the author of the forthcoming BECOMING FDR: THE PERSONAL CRISIS THAT MADE A PRESIDENT. It is the story of how sudden illness and recovery remade Franklin Roosevelt's character, creating the man who could lead his country through the Depression and World War II.
His book LANDSLIDE: Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan at the Dawn of a New America chronicled a thousand transformative days in the 1960s through the eyes of two iconic American presidents.
As a former national political correspondent for Newsweek, Jonathan covered the presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and Mitt Romney and wrote extensively about other major figures in national politics and media. He covered the 2004 presidential campaign for the magazine’s special election project, which garnered the National Magazine Award for Single Topic Issue. Jonathan has also appeared frequently as a commentator on politics and presidential history on broadcast television, cable news and public radio.
Jonathan is a graduate of Harvard College where he studied American history and literature. He lives in Brooklyn and the Hudson Valley.
Learn more at jonathandarman.com
His book LANDSLIDE: Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan at the Dawn of a New America chronicled a thousand transformative days in the 1960s through the eyes of two iconic American presidents.
As a former national political correspondent for Newsweek, Jonathan covered the presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and Mitt Romney and wrote extensively about other major figures in national politics and media. He covered the 2004 presidential campaign for the magazine’s special election project, which garnered the National Magazine Award for Single Topic Issue. Jonathan has also appeared frequently as a commentator on politics and presidential history on broadcast television, cable news and public radio.
Jonathan is a graduate of Harvard College where he studied American history and literature. He lives in Brooklyn and the Hudson Valley.
Learn more at jonathandarman.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
November 22, 2022
Fantastic book! An inspiring portrait of both FDR and Eleanor. They lived separate lives in their pursuit of humane goals and each accomplished a good deal in pursuit of helping others.
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FDR's motto that he got from his uncle. It helped FDR get through the darkest times and pursue solutions.
"never worry, accept things as they are, look forward not back"
It certainly beats "doom-scrolling"
===============
This book is so well written, so interesting, and so rare in being so much better than most non-fiction books I try to read these days. I’m in love! And...the unique and compelling thesis clearly separates it from other books about FDR.
I found this book to be the perfect alternative to the often too long, TMI books about them. It sets the stage perfectly for the drama of the book. The story is very suspenseful.
"I expect him to become President of the United States"
-campaign manager, Louis Howe, after FDR was diagnosed with polio
====
Eleanor and Louis made sure Franklin had a steady flow of visitors—friends at first and then, later, experts on topics of substance. They made sure he always had a book at hand. Louis saw the opportunity inside this adversity, the rare midlife chance to deepen Franklin’s knowledge and refine his powers of analysis. “A year or two in bed,” Louis would later say, “should be prescribed for all our statesmen.”
Franklin “began to see the other fellow’s point of view. He thought of others who were ill and affected and in want. He dwelt on things which had not bothered him much before. Lying there, he grew bigger by the day.”
======
FDR's motto that he got from his uncle. It helped FDR get through the darkest times and pursue solutions.
"never worry, accept things as they are, look forward not back"
It certainly beats "doom-scrolling"
===============
This book is so well written, so interesting, and so rare in being so much better than most non-fiction books I try to read these days. I’m in love! And...the unique and compelling thesis clearly separates it from other books about FDR.
I found this book to be the perfect alternative to the often too long, TMI books about them. It sets the stage perfectly for the drama of the book. The story is very suspenseful.
"I expect him to become President of the United States"
-campaign manager, Louis Howe, after FDR was diagnosed with polio
====
Eleanor and Louis made sure Franklin had a steady flow of visitors—friends at first and then, later, experts on topics of substance. They made sure he always had a book at hand. Louis saw the opportunity inside this adversity, the rare midlife chance to deepen Franklin’s knowledge and refine his powers of analysis. “A year or two in bed,” Louis would later say, “should be prescribed for all our statesmen.”
Franklin “began to see the other fellow’s point of view. He thought of others who were ill and affected and in want. He dwelt on things which had not bothered him much before. Lying there, he grew bigger by the day.”
July 14, 2022
It is one of the great stories in presidential history. I have read many books on Franklin D. Roosevelt, including another one about how polio shaped him as a man and a leader. Each time I am amazed how a priviledged, spoiled, intellectual lightweight who cheated on his wife suffered paralysis of his entire lower body and reinvented himself. He could have been a comfy invalid surrounded by his postage stamp collection, doted on by his imperious mother. Instead, he determined to look at the truth and work hard to reclaim his mobility. He believed he could do it. At Warm Springs, he helped other polio victims, who lovingly called him Doc. And when opportunity came to realize his dream, he put on that jaunty smile and took the world by storm. He proved that he was not on death’s door, not too frail to campaign across the country. And he proved that he understood that all Americans wanted was a fair deal, hope, a job.
FDR became one of our greatest presidents, shining hope in the midst of our worst days. In spite of his personal flaws, in spite of his disability, he led the nation through a banking crisis, a Depression, and war.
Becoming FDR focuses on leadership skills gained through FDR’s experience with polio, but it is also a marvelous brief biography of the man’s entire life. It is filled with the memorable people in his life: the wife he hurt who turned herself into a strong leader in her own right; Louis Howe who gave his life to shape FDR’s career, unable to let go even from a hospital bed; Al Smith, political ally turned foe. And all the children and adults who swarmed to Warm Spring, inspired by his example.
Even knowing the story, I was riveted and gained new insights.
It is a story every American should know; an example that every person should recall when facing seeming catastrophe. Look adversity in the eye and know it for what it is, believe you will prevail, and work to achieve your goal.
I was given a free egalley by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
FDR became one of our greatest presidents, shining hope in the midst of our worst days. In spite of his personal flaws, in spite of his disability, he led the nation through a banking crisis, a Depression, and war.
Becoming FDR focuses on leadership skills gained through FDR’s experience with polio, but it is also a marvelous brief biography of the man’s entire life. It is filled with the memorable people in his life: the wife he hurt who turned herself into a strong leader in her own right; Louis Howe who gave his life to shape FDR’s career, unable to let go even from a hospital bed; Al Smith, political ally turned foe. And all the children and adults who swarmed to Warm Spring, inspired by his example.
Even knowing the story, I was riveted and gained new insights.
It is a story every American should know; an example that every person should recall when facing seeming catastrophe. Look adversity in the eye and know it for what it is, believe you will prevail, and work to achieve your goal.
I was given a free egalley by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
September 18, 2022
Great book. Such a talented writer.
July 15, 2023
A very high level, cursory chronicle of FDR’s life up until his assuming the presidency in 1933 - so unfortunately if familiar with this material there is nothing new here.
(As an aside there is a striking/alarming amount of arm chair psychology.)
If interested in this time frame of Roosevelt’s life one would be better served reading Kenneth S. Davis’ multi-volume bio and Geoffrey C. Ward’s “Before the Trumpet” & “A First Class Temperament”. And if interested in FDR’s battle with polio I’d suggest The Man He Became: How FDR Defied Polio to Win the Presidency by James Tobin.
(As an aside there is a striking/alarming amount of arm chair psychology.)
If interested in this time frame of Roosevelt’s life one would be better served reading Kenneth S. Davis’ multi-volume bio and Geoffrey C. Ward’s “Before the Trumpet” & “A First Class Temperament”. And if interested in FDR’s battle with polio I’d suggest The Man He Became: How FDR Defied Polio to Win the Presidency by James Tobin.
September 4, 2022
Every few years there appears a new biography of certain presidents, promising a new perspective or a fresh approach to their lives. FDR is a favorite topic for such books.
I have read numerous books about FDR and Eleanor over the years. After finishing Becoming FDR, I agree it’s “fresh” only in that it’s the latest published biography. It’s a rehashing of his life, with particular focus on how having polio, Changed his life.
The author purports it made FDR more compassionate and likable, an assertion that other authors have also posited.
If you’re unfamiliar with the life of FDR, this book might be a good place to begin, but it offers nothing new in the scholarship about him.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the early copy.
I have read numerous books about FDR and Eleanor over the years. After finishing Becoming FDR, I agree it’s “fresh” only in that it’s the latest published biography. It’s a rehashing of his life, with particular focus on how having polio, Changed his life.
The author purports it made FDR more compassionate and likable, an assertion that other authors have also posited.
If you’re unfamiliar with the life of FDR, this book might be a good place to begin, but it offers nothing new in the scholarship about him.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the early copy.
September 11, 2022
I just read Doris Kearns Goodwin's book about FDR and Eleanor last month NOT thinking about how I had this book this month to read [even with stuff written down, stuff just flies out of my head], but now that I have finished this one, I am glad I had the opportunity to read both so close together.
This was a very detailed book about FDR's early life and what happened when he was struck with polio up to when he first entered office and it was...well, it was really, really good. Many of the things that I felt weren't fleshed out or mentioned and then ignored in the Doris Kearns Goodwin book [THIS is not a disparaging remark about that remarkable book and author. Her book is simply amazing and I loved both it and the author {whom I have had the opportunity to meet - she is lovely}. It is simply a statement that this book covers much that the other book doesn't] are covered here [it was fascinating to learn about the days after FDR got sick, as well as learning about Eleanor's early life {and weren't HER parents a lovely duo *EYEROLL* - the section about them being on a ship that crashes and what happens afterward was enough to make me mad for DAYS and also made me understand her and some of her later actions more} and lonely childhood] and it is much more in-depth than I really expected. I learned even more about him and his outlook about life, but also how he would walk away from people who he felt couldn't keep up with him [in any way]. It was a very interesting deep-dive into their life and I am so glad I got the chance to read this.
I would, if I may, recommend this audiobook for this. I didn't receive this from NetGalley, but when I saw this was narrated by the excellent Will Damron, I knew I wanted to listen to this instead of reading it and I was absolutely not let down. He tells this story is such a great way and really makes the story come alive. I think I enjoyed this book even more because of that. I highly recommend it [and him. I have never not loved his narration of a book].
Overall, this was a really excellent read that anyone who likes or admires FDR would really benefit from reading. I am so glad I was asked to read this.
I was asked to read and review this by the publisher and I like to thank them [Random House Publishing Group/Random House], NetGalley and Will Damron - Narrator for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very detailed book about FDR's early life and what happened when he was struck with polio up to when he first entered office and it was...well, it was really, really good. Many of the things that I felt weren't fleshed out or mentioned and then ignored in the Doris Kearns Goodwin book [THIS is not a disparaging remark about that remarkable book and author. Her book is simply amazing and I loved both it and the author {whom I have had the opportunity to meet - she is lovely}. It is simply a statement that this book covers much that the other book doesn't] are covered here [it was fascinating to learn about the days after FDR got sick, as well as learning about Eleanor's early life {and weren't HER parents a lovely duo *EYEROLL* - the section about them being on a ship that crashes and what happens afterward was enough to make me mad for DAYS and also made me understand her and some of her later actions more} and lonely childhood] and it is much more in-depth than I really expected. I learned even more about him and his outlook about life, but also how he would walk away from people who he felt couldn't keep up with him [in any way]. It was a very interesting deep-dive into their life and I am so glad I got the chance to read this.
I would, if I may, recommend this audiobook for this. I didn't receive this from NetGalley, but when I saw this was narrated by the excellent Will Damron, I knew I wanted to listen to this instead of reading it and I was absolutely not let down. He tells this story is such a great way and really makes the story come alive. I think I enjoyed this book even more because of that. I highly recommend it [and him. I have never not loved his narration of a book].
Overall, this was a really excellent read that anyone who likes or admires FDR would really benefit from reading. I am so glad I was asked to read this.
I was asked to read and review this by the publisher and I like to thank them [Random House Publishing Group/Random House], NetGalley and Will Damron - Narrator for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
September 6, 2022Just found out I won a copy!!!! Woo HOO!
October 8, 2022
This is a slanted picture of FDR. It focuses on the period between his marriage to Eleanor until his inauguration as president. Everything else is truncated. The impacts of his battle with polio and how it changes him and his family is the focus. You will find his relationships to Missy LeHand and Lucy Mercer addressed in terms that reflect current times. Eleanor’s friendships with other women , particularly “Hick”, get modern treatment as well. Worth reading and considering but it may offend some readers who have set views of the Roosevelts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an ARC of this book.
Jonathan Darman's Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President offers a compelling look at the formative years of Franklin D. Roosevelt, focusing on the personal struggles that shaped his future leadership. Darman's meticulous research shines through, providing a detailed and well-documented portrait of FDR's early life, especially his battle with polio and its profound impact on his character and political career.
However, while the book excels in its factual accuracy and depth of detail, it sometimes falters in its historical analysis. Darman tends to make broad leaps in connecting Roosevelt's personal crises directly to his later policies and presidency, occasionally oversimplifying the complex interplay of factors that influenced his development. This can lead to a somewhat speculative tone, where the nuanced realities of historical causation are replaced with more straightforward narrative connections.
Overall, Becoming FDR is a valuable read for those interested in the personal dimensions of political history, though it may leave some wanting a more rigorous exploration of the broader historical context.
Jonathan Darman's Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President offers a compelling look at the formative years of Franklin D. Roosevelt, focusing on the personal struggles that shaped his future leadership. Darman's meticulous research shines through, providing a detailed and well-documented portrait of FDR's early life, especially his battle with polio and its profound impact on his character and political career.
However, while the book excels in its factual accuracy and depth of detail, it sometimes falters in its historical analysis. Darman tends to make broad leaps in connecting Roosevelt's personal crises directly to his later policies and presidency, occasionally oversimplifying the complex interplay of factors that influenced his development. This can lead to a somewhat speculative tone, where the nuanced realities of historical causation are replaced with more straightforward narrative connections.
Overall, Becoming FDR is a valuable read for those interested in the personal dimensions of political history, though it may leave some wanting a more rigorous exploration of the broader historical context.
April 23, 2022
Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President by Jonathan Darman is an excellent history of how the infamous US President Franklin D. Roosevelt experienced, was shaped and changed, and how it was he responded to the pivotal time period in his life when he suffered from polio. This was excellent.
I have always been fascinated and a huge fan of FDR, and I knew about his health problems and the history associated with polio, but I have not had the privilege of being able to read an historical account that focused on this massive illness and his long road to recovery from the acute and sub-acute standpoint.
To see how this man experienced, suffered, was permanently changed physically, emotionally, and spiritually by this debilitating illness…and how he chose to respond thus afterwards, is nothing short of awe-inspiring and inspirational. How we respond to the trials and tribulations of life speaks mountains on who a person truly is and can be. He could have given up and given in…but a metamorphosis occurs and here we get to see the shining moments, strength, grit, and fortitude that made up what FDR displayed and became…and it makes me admire him even more so than before. Is he perfect? Oh most certainly not, but what he chose to do after this moment in time instead of defeat in and of itself is nothing less than impressive.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Random House Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/6/22.
I have always been fascinated and a huge fan of FDR, and I knew about his health problems and the history associated with polio, but I have not had the privilege of being able to read an historical account that focused on this massive illness and his long road to recovery from the acute and sub-acute standpoint.
To see how this man experienced, suffered, was permanently changed physically, emotionally, and spiritually by this debilitating illness…and how he chose to respond thus afterwards, is nothing short of awe-inspiring and inspirational. How we respond to the trials and tribulations of life speaks mountains on who a person truly is and can be. He could have given up and given in…but a metamorphosis occurs and here we get to see the shining moments, strength, grit, and fortitude that made up what FDR displayed and became…and it makes me admire him even more so than before. Is he perfect? Oh most certainly not, but what he chose to do after this moment in time instead of defeat in and of itself is nothing less than impressive.
5/5 stars
Thank you NG and Random House Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/6/22.
September 6, 2022
Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President
Jonathan Darman
Random House
Expected Pub Date 6 Sept. 2022
Bio/Memoir-Modern US History
Darman's work is well-written and well researched. The thesis is sufficiently met as Darman does use FDR's contraction of polio to show it served as a catalyst for the 39 year old man to change some of his ways and become more determined to become president. The book examines what most consider one of the United States most important presidents from his wealthy beginnings through his sordid adulthood, getting sick and persevering, and into his presidency. Like a few other authors, Darman shows that FDR was unremarkable, shallow, foppish, and slightly forgettable man that, while determined, didn't outwardly seem destined toward a path to reach his ultimate goals. Once he contracted polio he could have stepped back fully into the shadows, but instead, as Darman and others have shown, the illness pushed FDR to become more in the eyes of many until he become the face of a nation during a difficult time period.
If you don't know a lot of FDR then you will probably learn a lot from this book. Having a degree in history and spending many hours reading and researching US presidents means there was little that I learned from this, but I did stay relatively engaged and found the writing to be easy to follow.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the digital ARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.
Jonathan Darman
Random House
Expected Pub Date 6 Sept. 2022
Bio/Memoir-Modern US History
Darman's work is well-written and well researched. The thesis is sufficiently met as Darman does use FDR's contraction of polio to show it served as a catalyst for the 39 year old man to change some of his ways and become more determined to become president. The book examines what most consider one of the United States most important presidents from his wealthy beginnings through his sordid adulthood, getting sick and persevering, and into his presidency. Like a few other authors, Darman shows that FDR was unremarkable, shallow, foppish, and slightly forgettable man that, while determined, didn't outwardly seem destined toward a path to reach his ultimate goals. Once he contracted polio he could have stepped back fully into the shadows, but instead, as Darman and others have shown, the illness pushed FDR to become more in the eyes of many until he become the face of a nation during a difficult time period.
If you don't know a lot of FDR then you will probably learn a lot from this book. Having a degree in history and spending many hours reading and researching US presidents means there was little that I learned from this, but I did stay relatively engaged and found the writing to be easy to follow.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the digital ARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.
November 11, 2023
I didn’t love this book when I started it. But about 1/3 of the way in, I think Darman hits his stride in telling FDR’s story. From then on, this book was enthralling. This was a great biography that took into account the interests and machinations of his close inner circle, Eleanor especially. I appreciated the time spent on her experience. I also appreciated the time spent on his journey through illness and rehabilitation. Also grateful that he acknowledged their flaws as well as their successes—and wow, FDR was very flawed. Maybe I so disliked the parts about FDRs youth because I found him to be so annoying and frustrating; I have a lot of difficulty trusting cheaters who lie. But I’m glad Eleanor found a lady to cheat on FDR with— at least they could both be unfaithful in a mutual way. I feel like in modern times they would’ve been in some polycule.
Very curious to read more about both Eleanor and FDR —and also Smith, Louis, and Hearst! Having just watched citizen Kane recently I’m increasingly really interested in Hearst’s life and career.
Anyway, highly recommend this book!
Very curious to read more about both Eleanor and FDR —and also Smith, Louis, and Hearst! Having just watched citizen Kane recently I’m increasingly really interested in Hearst’s life and career.
Anyway, highly recommend this book!
October 4, 2022
Nothing new
February 10, 2025
Considering that FDR's disability was something that he and his team worked very hard to disguise, it's amazing that the author was able to weave as intricate and thorough of a story about it as he did. To me, this book suggests a mammoth undertaking of research and luckily, the book doesn't come off as cold. It comes off as a life-like read of America's best President. I finished the Kearns Goodwin volume last year and found that this was a wonderful thing to read and continue the thread of that work. In my humble opinion, this belongs in all comprehensive FDR collections. Great read!
September 15, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! Eleanor was also a very interesting lady. I think we can see how being down and out can help you become a better person. Franklin went through so much when he was struck with polio.
October 7, 2022
Thank you to Goodreads, the author, and publisher for this giveaway!
It has to be a rare occasion that I give a memoir 4 stars, even though I enjoy them immensely. Stepping into another persons mind and actions is a very intimidating place to be, but this author nails it. The majority of the book reads smoothly like a non-fiction novel, not like a history book or historical recollection at all.
I truly reveled in the moment-to-moment movement through the book and the in depth perspective into Roosevelt’s life. Revealing facts I never knew, and explaining events in history in a gripping way, this recollection is a keeper for sure.
It has to be a rare occasion that I give a memoir 4 stars, even though I enjoy them immensely. Stepping into another persons mind and actions is a very intimidating place to be, but this author nails it. The majority of the book reads smoothly like a non-fiction novel, not like a history book or historical recollection at all.
I truly reveled in the moment-to-moment movement through the book and the in depth perspective into Roosevelt’s life. Revealing facts I never knew, and explaining events in history in a gripping way, this recollection is a keeper for sure.
June 27, 2023
4.5 stars bumped up to 5. Similar to my feelings with Jon Meacham’s “And There Was Light,” I initially wondered about the need for another Franklin Delano Roosevelt biography. There’s no shortage of them and I had read Iwan Morgan’s “FDR,” which I loved, just last year. However, Jonathan Darman’s “Becoming FDR” hones in on a unique angle in Roosevelt’s life; focusing specifically on Roosevelt’s struggle with polio and how it defined the president we know. As someone with epilepsy, Roosevelt’s own journey through coming to terms with his disability has always resonated with me. While other biographies of Roosevelt touch on his polio or dedicate a chapter or two about it, we have not seen a full story about it before, and contextualizing how it aided in Roosevelt’s transformation into an empathetic leader makes this a welcome addition to the Roosevelt literary cannon. Roosevelt had his faults—Darman rightly critiques Roosevelt’s earlier lack of empathy and sensitivity towards minority groups—but what Darman is able to capture in readable and straightforward prose is how Roosevelt grew as a person because of his own adversity, of which he’d experienced little of prior to his polio diagnosis. Darman’s chapters on the initial uncertainty of Roosevelt’s condition read as something ripped out of a horror novel with anxiety and stress filling each paragraph. Yet at the end, there is not only hope and endurance, but a new perspective in understanding and sympathizing with others. It’s what helped Roosevelt understand and better connect with millions of Americans during one of the most tumultuous periods in American history. While I would have liked some additional insight into Roosevelt’s presidency and twelve years grappling with polio in the highest office, I still found “Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President” to be an exceptional, intimate character study of a man who more often than not preferred to keep his cards close to his chest.
March 18, 2025
Loved this book from start to finish. “Becoming FDR” is the inspiring story of how FDR’s tragic diagnosis of polio at age 39 transformed him to become a person with more empathy and insight as to the plight of both the disabled and the poor. This personal crisis led to his being the exact person our country needed to cope with the depression of the 1930’s.
I was completely immersed in the drama of his falling ill while vacationing with his family and the long, torturous process of even realizing the correct diagnosis of polio. ( side note- there is some evidence he actually may have had Guillain Barre syndrome, but that possibility is not addressed in this book.) His illness hit suddenly and fiercely while the family was on remote Campobello Island off the coast of Canada, in a home without electricity and far from good medical help. The pressure on the family, especially Eleanor is portrayed in a realistic and heartbreaking way.The book then details his extreme efforts to recover, including winters off the coast of Florida and his time at Warm Springs. FDR felt he needed to be able to walk before reentering politics, but fate had different plans, and before he knew it, he was governor of NY and then president of the United States. The narrative of how this happened is propulsive and riveting.
I learned quite a bit about the political climate of the 1920’s and 30’s as well. I really had little idea before reading this book how close our country was to revolution due to the desperation of a nation ravaged by unemployment and no help from the federal government. Seeing how precarious things were gives me hope for today, when our country also seems to be reaching a crisis point.
I was completely immersed in the drama of his falling ill while vacationing with his family and the long, torturous process of even realizing the correct diagnosis of polio. ( side note- there is some evidence he actually may have had Guillain Barre syndrome, but that possibility is not addressed in this book.) His illness hit suddenly and fiercely while the family was on remote Campobello Island off the coast of Canada, in a home without electricity and far from good medical help. The pressure on the family, especially Eleanor is portrayed in a realistic and heartbreaking way.The book then details his extreme efforts to recover, including winters off the coast of Florida and his time at Warm Springs. FDR felt he needed to be able to walk before reentering politics, but fate had different plans, and before he knew it, he was governor of NY and then president of the United States. The narrative of how this happened is propulsive and riveting.
I learned quite a bit about the political climate of the 1920’s and 30’s as well. I really had little idea before reading this book how close our country was to revolution due to the desperation of a nation ravaged by unemployment and no help from the federal government. Seeing how precarious things were gives me hope for today, when our country also seems to be reaching a crisis point.
February 20, 2025
An interesting read that focuses on Roosevelt’s life prior to the presidency; specifically, how infantile paralysis’s (polio) changed him. How that disease helped nurture the qualities necessary to be the president he was. From a shallow, perhaps arrogant, guy in his 20s with little foresight to a patient, intelligent, and inspiring leader.
Alongside FDR’s story, a fair amount of pages are dedicated to Eleanor Roosevelt herself. Almost a mini-biography for her. A crucial part of who FDR became following polio and the last it had on those closest to him. But also a story all her own that shows her unhappiness in her traditional role and the unfaithfulness of her husband combine to create a catalyst for change. From socialite and housewife to a pioneering woman in political activism who is marriage is simply nominal. A woman whose struggles and trials led her to develop the skills and values to break tradition, and change the role of the First Lady forever.
Dahman writes with compelling and personal narratives of Franklin, Eleanor, and glimpses at some of those closest to the Roosevelts.
Alongside FDR’s story, a fair amount of pages are dedicated to Eleanor Roosevelt herself. Almost a mini-biography for her. A crucial part of who FDR became following polio and the last it had on those closest to him. But also a story all her own that shows her unhappiness in her traditional role and the unfaithfulness of her husband combine to create a catalyst for change. From socialite and housewife to a pioneering woman in political activism who is marriage is simply nominal. A woman whose struggles and trials led her to develop the skills and values to break tradition, and change the role of the First Lady forever.
Dahman writes with compelling and personal narratives of Franklin, Eleanor, and glimpses at some of those closest to the Roosevelts.
February 28, 2024
Becoming FDR is a partial biography. It doesn’t tell every detail of FDR’s life but focuses on one aspect: how his personal struggle with polio shaped him as a president. Darman paints the young FDR as cocky, unsure of himself, and living in “Uncle The’s” shadow. Polio humbled him, taught him patience, taught him to care for others, and gave him an inner strength. The book is well-written and engaging.
Things I learned, relearned, or found interesting:
• I never quite understood the relationship between Teddy, Franklin, and Eleanor. Teddy was Franklin’s fifth cousin, once removed. Eleanor was Teddy’s niece. Franklin and Eleanor had the same last name but were quite distantly related within the Roosevelt clan.
• When FDR was in the administration of the Navy, another administrator attempted to entrap gay men in the Navy and then punish them. Essentially, the federal government was ordering gay sex work to punish gay men. Obviously, FDR received criticism for this. I had never heard this story.
• I didn’t know that there was a theory of how FDR contracted polio. When he was a Navy administrator, he visited Boy Scout Jamboree. Apparently he made contact at some point with standing water that contained the polio virus.
• This book shows that FDR did more than use the warm springs for himself. He opened up an entire rehab center and became involved in the lives of the patients like a “Dr. Roosevelt.”
• I did not know that FDR was fired upon before being inaugurated and was nearly assassinated.
• I knew about the tensions between Franklin and Eleanor before reading this, but didn’t know all of the details. They merely seemed political partners that saved romance for others (Eleanor for other women).
Things I learned, relearned, or found interesting:
• I never quite understood the relationship between Teddy, Franklin, and Eleanor. Teddy was Franklin’s fifth cousin, once removed. Eleanor was Teddy’s niece. Franklin and Eleanor had the same last name but were quite distantly related within the Roosevelt clan.
• When FDR was in the administration of the Navy, another administrator attempted to entrap gay men in the Navy and then punish them. Essentially, the federal government was ordering gay sex work to punish gay men. Obviously, FDR received criticism for this. I had never heard this story.
• I didn’t know that there was a theory of how FDR contracted polio. When he was a Navy administrator, he visited Boy Scout Jamboree. Apparently he made contact at some point with standing water that contained the polio virus.
• This book shows that FDR did more than use the warm springs for himself. He opened up an entire rehab center and became involved in the lives of the patients like a “Dr. Roosevelt.”
• I did not know that FDR was fired upon before being inaugurated and was nearly assassinated.
• I knew about the tensions between Franklin and Eleanor before reading this, but didn’t know all of the details. They merely seemed political partners that saved romance for others (Eleanor for other women).
June 28, 2022
This is an excellent biography of the early life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt up to the election results of 1932. It is well written and researched and reads more like a novel than a biography. The author clearly lays out how FDR’s challenges in adapting to infantile paralysis molded him into the individual who was elected president with the assistance of Louis Howe and Eleanor Roosevelt. This is a must read for those interested in the life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.
September 26, 2022
Finished Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President by Jonathan Darman, a journalist and historian. I love this book. It changed my perception of FDR. FDR likely contracted polio from water at a Boy Scout Camp in New York before falling seriously ill at Campobello Island and becoming paralyzed from the waist down in 1921 at the age of thirty one. It is amazing that he adapted his life to his new circumstances and somehow was never limited by his physical condition. Darman makes a strong case that polio reshaped him as a person and politician. Of particular interest was his status as an inspiration to other afflicted by polio, including patients treated at Warm Springs Georgia, where FDR improved his health and became the site of his summer White House (where he died in 1945).
December 8, 2024
I would’ve given this book a 3 if it really was as long as it was taking me to read it bc it was soooo slow but thankfully the last 45% of it was acknowledgments and photos etc
The story itself about FDR was really good. I learned things about their lives I never knew and would’ve never guessed and it was really something to learn that most likely he never would’ve been president if he didn’t have polio and learn to overcome and relate in struggles with everyday people ❤️
The story itself about FDR was really good. I learned things about their lives I never knew and would’ve never guessed and it was really something to learn that most likely he never would’ve been president if he didn’t have polio and learn to overcome and relate in struggles with everyday people ❤️
September 28, 2022
This is "the prequel" to the famous presidency
October 28, 2022
I found this book to hold my interest until the very end, including the epilogue. Often, I drew parallels to the politics of today, which gave me some optimism. I strongly recommend this book, if only for the historical perspective.
September 15, 2022
A big “thank you” to NetGalley for the free ARC of this book.
This is a very detailed account of the life of FDR from when he was stricken with polio, until he was elected President.
Eleanor Roosevelt, about whom I have read every book ever written, is also accurately portrayed.
This is a very good book for anyone interested in the lives of the Roosevelts, and the times in which they lived.
This is a very detailed account of the life of FDR from when he was stricken with polio, until he was elected President.
Eleanor Roosevelt, about whom I have read every book ever written, is also accurately portrayed.
This is a very good book for anyone interested in the lives of the Roosevelts, and the times in which they lived.
May 24, 2022
There are many fine books about FDR, including those by James MacGregor Burns and Doris Kearns Goodwin. I won’t claim to have read them all but I have read many. Becoming FDR deserves a special place among them.
This is a story of the transformation of a shallow, insubstantial young politician of no great talent into one of our greatest Presidents. While most biographies include the story of FDR’s illness, this book makes it the focus of the entire book. The temptation of any Roosevelt biographer is to portray polio as an obstacle he overcame. The thesis of this book is that polio was the vehicle by which he became great.
Darman makes a convincing case that prior to contracting polio, FDR was regarded by most who came in contact with him as an insubstantial lightweight. He spent his days as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under Wilson socializing, going to lunch, parties and playing golf. His interest in any one subject was almost always superficial and he did not carefully attend to his duties. One stunning example of this was his supervision of a morals investigation at the Naval Base at Newport Rhode Island. The investigators, under Roosevelt’s distracted eyes, sought to entrap sailors who were engaging in homosexual activity by ordering other sailors to engage in the same activities they were investigating.
Roosevelt subsequently obtains the Vice Presidential nomination in the election of 1920. He wore himself out as a candidate and in subsequent business activities and by late July was a set-up to contract Polio at a Boy Scout camp he was visiting. The actual illness became manifest while he was vacationing on Campobello Island off the coast of Maine. Abbreviated versions of this story are told in most biographies and in the play and movie Sunrise at Campobello. The full story, played out in the book is harrowing. Weeks of bad medical advice and physical decline pass before he, now paraplegic or even quadriplegic, gets off the island. It is what happens afterward to both FDR and Eleanor that makes up the core of the book. Roosevelt, resolved to focus on regaining his ability to walk again, visits expert after expert, and tries therapy after therapy. His political life, it seems, has passed him by.
His ordeals become public although they are played as if they are triumphs. He begins to receive correspondence from fellow polio sufferers asking for advice. He replies to them and becomes involved in their lives and struggles. By nature closed and deceptive, he is honest with them. For the first time, his peers are from different social strata, different levels of income and different levels of education. They have all been in some degree forgotten by society. In his search for health he stumbles across a run down spa at Warm Springs Georgia. For the first time he feels he is genuinely helped and wants to help his fellow sufferers as well. Using a substantial part of his money he buys the place and sets about the business of carefully studying the problems of others and organizing methods by which their suffering will be relieved. The water itself has a special quality that genuinely does help many. However, the most helpful part of a stay at Warm Springs is owner’s optimism about recovery and his attitude that the patients can once again become part of society.
Eleanor changes as well. She emerges from the role of political wife to be one of the most powerful people in Democratic politics, a teacher and was welcomed into a group of independent, intellectually gifted women. She came to dread the loss of all this as FDR re-emerged from his convalescence.
It is no secret that his friend and political strategist Louis Howe has a plan for FDR to put him back in the mainstream of politics but events overtook his plan. Howe had envisioned more years of waiting and watching. Al Smith, New York’s powerful governor, was in the running to be the Democratic candidate for President. He wanted however to reserve New York as his own and was convinced that to have who he thought was the shallow intellectual lightweight FDR as his replacement would allow him to move the levers of power. Against the wishes of his wife and the pleas of Howe, Roosevelt accepted the challenge. He was elected and began what in many ways was a dress rehearsal for how he was to run his presidency- using Eleanor and others to scrutinize the details of how things ran within the state’s institutions, especially those who were charged with the care of the vulnerable.
Most movies, books and documentaries make it seem like FDR’s road to the Presidency was a smooth one. Darman makes us realize how iffy the proposition was and how close the Democrats came to having an unknown compromise candidate. William Randolph Hearst controlled both the Texas and California delegations. He teamed with Al Smith and McAdoo, another former candidate to block Roosevelt from getting the nomination. It was only through the intervention of Joseph P Kennedy that the California and Texas votes swung to Roosevelt assuring him the nomination and the Presidency. By becoming President however, at least in his own mind, he gave up all chances of walking again.
Becoming FDR is a well written book which deserves a place on the bookshelf of everyone interested in the Roosevelt years. To look at his struggle with Polio is to understand much of what later came about in the course of his presidency. My thanks to the Penguin Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in return for this honest review.
This is a story of the transformation of a shallow, insubstantial young politician of no great talent into one of our greatest Presidents. While most biographies include the story of FDR’s illness, this book makes it the focus of the entire book. The temptation of any Roosevelt biographer is to portray polio as an obstacle he overcame. The thesis of this book is that polio was the vehicle by which he became great.
Darman makes a convincing case that prior to contracting polio, FDR was regarded by most who came in contact with him as an insubstantial lightweight. He spent his days as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under Wilson socializing, going to lunch, parties and playing golf. His interest in any one subject was almost always superficial and he did not carefully attend to his duties. One stunning example of this was his supervision of a morals investigation at the Naval Base at Newport Rhode Island. The investigators, under Roosevelt’s distracted eyes, sought to entrap sailors who were engaging in homosexual activity by ordering other sailors to engage in the same activities they were investigating.
Roosevelt subsequently obtains the Vice Presidential nomination in the election of 1920. He wore himself out as a candidate and in subsequent business activities and by late July was a set-up to contract Polio at a Boy Scout camp he was visiting. The actual illness became manifest while he was vacationing on Campobello Island off the coast of Maine. Abbreviated versions of this story are told in most biographies and in the play and movie Sunrise at Campobello. The full story, played out in the book is harrowing. Weeks of bad medical advice and physical decline pass before he, now paraplegic or even quadriplegic, gets off the island. It is what happens afterward to both FDR and Eleanor that makes up the core of the book. Roosevelt, resolved to focus on regaining his ability to walk again, visits expert after expert, and tries therapy after therapy. His political life, it seems, has passed him by.
His ordeals become public although they are played as if they are triumphs. He begins to receive correspondence from fellow polio sufferers asking for advice. He replies to them and becomes involved in their lives and struggles. By nature closed and deceptive, he is honest with them. For the first time, his peers are from different social strata, different levels of income and different levels of education. They have all been in some degree forgotten by society. In his search for health he stumbles across a run down spa at Warm Springs Georgia. For the first time he feels he is genuinely helped and wants to help his fellow sufferers as well. Using a substantial part of his money he buys the place and sets about the business of carefully studying the problems of others and organizing methods by which their suffering will be relieved. The water itself has a special quality that genuinely does help many. However, the most helpful part of a stay at Warm Springs is owner’s optimism about recovery and his attitude that the patients can once again become part of society.
Eleanor changes as well. She emerges from the role of political wife to be one of the most powerful people in Democratic politics, a teacher and was welcomed into a group of independent, intellectually gifted women. She came to dread the loss of all this as FDR re-emerged from his convalescence.
It is no secret that his friend and political strategist Louis Howe has a plan for FDR to put him back in the mainstream of politics but events overtook his plan. Howe had envisioned more years of waiting and watching. Al Smith, New York’s powerful governor, was in the running to be the Democratic candidate for President. He wanted however to reserve New York as his own and was convinced that to have who he thought was the shallow intellectual lightweight FDR as his replacement would allow him to move the levers of power. Against the wishes of his wife and the pleas of Howe, Roosevelt accepted the challenge. He was elected and began what in many ways was a dress rehearsal for how he was to run his presidency- using Eleanor and others to scrutinize the details of how things ran within the state’s institutions, especially those who were charged with the care of the vulnerable.
Most movies, books and documentaries make it seem like FDR’s road to the Presidency was a smooth one. Darman makes us realize how iffy the proposition was and how close the Democrats came to having an unknown compromise candidate. William Randolph Hearst controlled both the Texas and California delegations. He teamed with Al Smith and McAdoo, another former candidate to block Roosevelt from getting the nomination. It was only through the intervention of Joseph P Kennedy that the California and Texas votes swung to Roosevelt assuring him the nomination and the Presidency. By becoming President however, at least in his own mind, he gave up all chances of walking again.
Becoming FDR is a well written book which deserves a place on the bookshelf of everyone interested in the Roosevelt years. To look at his struggle with Polio is to understand much of what later came about in the course of his presidency. My thanks to the Penguin Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in return for this honest review.
August 28, 2022
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I’ve read more than 60 books on the Roosevelt family, some of them good, some of them great, some of them hyper-focused on a short period of time, some of them sweeping sagas covering their entire lives. I’ve watched Ken Burns The Roosevelts 7-part series about 75 times in the past 8 years. But I’ve never read a book that focused on Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s battle with polio and how that shaped him as a man who could be president
Darman writes a compelling book, even though I’m very familiar with the subject and many of the stories told I was already familiar with. FDR spent most of his life as a privileged, charming, elitist lightweight whose only suffering was the loss of his father when he was 20. His mother pampered him babied him, bathing him until he was 9 years old. Sara Delano Roosevelt was a hovering mother who thought her child could do no wrong; her world revolved around Franklin. Having such devoted attention to oneself made Franklin very self-assured, if a bit shallow.
Getting to know his fifth cousin, Eleanor, changed Franklin Roosevelt. She was a woman of substance despite her seemingly privileged upbringing. Having a shallow mother prone to headaches and an alcoholic father meant that Eleanor did not have the same safe, sheltered early life. Her parents and one of her two brothers died when she was 9 and 10, leaving her orphaned. Raised by her maternal grandmother, she lived with uncles who liked to drink too much and shoot at people walking outside the house. Three padlocks were installed on her bedroom door to keep the uncles out. It was at finishing school when Eleanor was 15-18 that she learned of a life of service. She often volunteered to help out the less fortunate, and introduced Franklin to the poor living conditions of some of New York’s residents.
But that didn’t make Franklin any less carefree, and his privilege led to careless acts. He was ambitious and hoped to follow his distant cousin, and Eleanor’s uncle, Theodore, to the White House. But he had an affair with Eleanor’s former social secretary, Lucy Mercer, and was rarely around for his five surviving children (one child died at aged 7 months.) Eleanor said she’d give him a divorce, but his mother chimed in and said if he got a divorce, she’d cut him off financially. So they remained married, a political partnership with affection, but no longer love.
Franklin was nominated for Vice-President on the Democratic ticket for President in 1920 with James Cox, but lost in a big way. However, he knew that the exposure he got from the race, and the name recognition, as well as the choices he made in the future could point him toward the presidency.
It was the summer of 1921 when Franklin was stricken with infantile paralysis, polio, and his life forever changed. Unlike many who had gotten the disease, Franklin was never to regain his ability to walk. But he and his team of conspirators weaved a web of deception to the American public, making it seem he was on the mend. Through the next 11 years, Franklin learned to “walk” with leg braces, a cane, and firmly clutching the arm of a helper, usually his son James. No one ever saw him in a wheelchair.
The trials and tribulations of Franklin’s “wilderness years” are explored in detail. It was through his suffering that he finally got some empathy for his fellow man and made him the man who could be president. Just like his cousin Theodore’s trip to the Badlands following the death of his wife and mother made him the man who was one of the most popular and effective Presidents of all time, the fight to regain his ability to walk and talking to other polio patients made Franklin President material.
This was a really good read, making familiar material fresh, and revealing some stories that I had never heard before about Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. And to think, the general public never knew he was a cripple. It’s sad to say that I don’t think the American public would elect a person with a disability today, just like they wouldn’t back in the 1930’s and 40’s. Considering the many attacks by Republicans about Franklin’s mental state (they claimed that the polio virus had damaged his brain as well as his body), I’m fairly surprised that the accusations didn’t stick, as they would in this day and age. And what we ended up with was the third best president of all time (behind Lincoln and Washington.)
I’ve read more than 60 books on the Roosevelt family, some of them good, some of them great, some of them hyper-focused on a short period of time, some of them sweeping sagas covering their entire lives. I’ve watched Ken Burns The Roosevelts 7-part series about 75 times in the past 8 years. But I’ve never read a book that focused on Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s battle with polio and how that shaped him as a man who could be president
Darman writes a compelling book, even though I’m very familiar with the subject and many of the stories told I was already familiar with. FDR spent most of his life as a privileged, charming, elitist lightweight whose only suffering was the loss of his father when he was 20. His mother pampered him babied him, bathing him until he was 9 years old. Sara Delano Roosevelt was a hovering mother who thought her child could do no wrong; her world revolved around Franklin. Having such devoted attention to oneself made Franklin very self-assured, if a bit shallow.
Getting to know his fifth cousin, Eleanor, changed Franklin Roosevelt. She was a woman of substance despite her seemingly privileged upbringing. Having a shallow mother prone to headaches and an alcoholic father meant that Eleanor did not have the same safe, sheltered early life. Her parents and one of her two brothers died when she was 9 and 10, leaving her orphaned. Raised by her maternal grandmother, she lived with uncles who liked to drink too much and shoot at people walking outside the house. Three padlocks were installed on her bedroom door to keep the uncles out. It was at finishing school when Eleanor was 15-18 that she learned of a life of service. She often volunteered to help out the less fortunate, and introduced Franklin to the poor living conditions of some of New York’s residents.
But that didn’t make Franklin any less carefree, and his privilege led to careless acts. He was ambitious and hoped to follow his distant cousin, and Eleanor’s uncle, Theodore, to the White House. But he had an affair with Eleanor’s former social secretary, Lucy Mercer, and was rarely around for his five surviving children (one child died at aged 7 months.) Eleanor said she’d give him a divorce, but his mother chimed in and said if he got a divorce, she’d cut him off financially. So they remained married, a political partnership with affection, but no longer love.
Franklin was nominated for Vice-President on the Democratic ticket for President in 1920 with James Cox, but lost in a big way. However, he knew that the exposure he got from the race, and the name recognition, as well as the choices he made in the future could point him toward the presidency.
It was the summer of 1921 when Franklin was stricken with infantile paralysis, polio, and his life forever changed. Unlike many who had gotten the disease, Franklin was never to regain his ability to walk. But he and his team of conspirators weaved a web of deception to the American public, making it seem he was on the mend. Through the next 11 years, Franklin learned to “walk” with leg braces, a cane, and firmly clutching the arm of a helper, usually his son James. No one ever saw him in a wheelchair.
The trials and tribulations of Franklin’s “wilderness years” are explored in detail. It was through his suffering that he finally got some empathy for his fellow man and made him the man who could be president. Just like his cousin Theodore’s trip to the Badlands following the death of his wife and mother made him the man who was one of the most popular and effective Presidents of all time, the fight to regain his ability to walk and talking to other polio patients made Franklin President material.
This was a really good read, making familiar material fresh, and revealing some stories that I had never heard before about Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. And to think, the general public never knew he was a cripple. It’s sad to say that I don’t think the American public would elect a person with a disability today, just like they wouldn’t back in the 1930’s and 40’s. Considering the many attacks by Republicans about Franklin’s mental state (they claimed that the polio virus had damaged his brain as well as his body), I’m fairly surprised that the accusations didn’t stick, as they would in this day and age. And what we ended up with was the third best president of all time (behind Lincoln and Washington.)
November 26, 2023
"Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President" by Jonathan Darman tells the compelling story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's transformation from a privileged young man into a president shaped by adversity and empathy. The book begins with a pivotal moment in 1921 when FDR, at the peak of his political career and on a family vacation, is struck down by a sudden and severe illness. Diagnosed with polio, Roosevelt's life takes a dramatic turn as he faces the challenges of physical disability. The narrative explores how this personal crisis became the catalyst for his remarkable evolution, both as an individual and as a political leader. Before the illness, Roosevelt was the golden boy of privilege, relying on his family name and wealth for political clout. However, Darman reveals a less admirable side of FDR—his self-centeredness and even a public affair during a family vacation. The contrast between the pre-illness Roosevelt and the man who emerges from the crucible of polio forms a central theme of the book.
The narrative skillfully portrays FDR's struggle with the debilitating effects of polio, highlighting the support of his wife, Eleanor, and political strategist, Louis Howe. The isolation of the Roosevelt family on Campobello Island becomes a testing ground for endurance, and Darman vividly describes the family's efforts to care for Franklin, revealing the inner workings of their relationships. The book delves into the complexities of the Roosevelt marriage, exposing the stark differences in their childhoods—FDR raised in adoration, Eleanor in neglect. The moment of Franklin's illness coincides with Eleanor's pursuit of independence, creating a challenging juncture for both. However, instead of succumbing to the crisis, the Roosevelts pull together, with Eleanor taking on the role of caretaker and becoming an influential political figure in her own right.
The narrative takes readers through Franklin's rehabilitation, emphasizing his determination to regain physical strength and mobility. The author explores Roosevelt's involvement in pioneering rehabilitation efforts, notably his acquisition of a spa in Warm Springs, Georgia, for polio survivors. This aspect of FDR's life showcases his evolving empathy, not only for his fellow sufferers but for anyone facing adversity. The book captures the political landscape of the time, especially during the 1924 Democratic National Convention where FDR's orchestrated ascent to the stage becomes a symbol of determination and resilience. The emergence of radio as a medium further propels Roosevelt into the national spotlight, setting the stage for his return to politics. Darman's narrative skillfully navigates the personal and political dimensions of Roosevelt's life, presenting a nuanced portrayal of his character. The transformation of FDR from a self-centered politician to a compassionate leader forms the heart of the book, offering insights into the qualities that defined his presidency.
In conclusion, "Becoming FDR" is a compelling exploration of the personal crisis that shaped one of America's most influential presidents. Jonathan Darman provides a richly detailed account of Roosevelt's journey through illness, rehabilitation, and political resurgence, offering readers a deeper understanding of the man behind the iconic leadership.
The narrative skillfully portrays FDR's struggle with the debilitating effects of polio, highlighting the support of his wife, Eleanor, and political strategist, Louis Howe. The isolation of the Roosevelt family on Campobello Island becomes a testing ground for endurance, and Darman vividly describes the family's efforts to care for Franklin, revealing the inner workings of their relationships. The book delves into the complexities of the Roosevelt marriage, exposing the stark differences in their childhoods—FDR raised in adoration, Eleanor in neglect. The moment of Franklin's illness coincides with Eleanor's pursuit of independence, creating a challenging juncture for both. However, instead of succumbing to the crisis, the Roosevelts pull together, with Eleanor taking on the role of caretaker and becoming an influential political figure in her own right.
The narrative takes readers through Franklin's rehabilitation, emphasizing his determination to regain physical strength and mobility. The author explores Roosevelt's involvement in pioneering rehabilitation efforts, notably his acquisition of a spa in Warm Springs, Georgia, for polio survivors. This aspect of FDR's life showcases his evolving empathy, not only for his fellow sufferers but for anyone facing adversity. The book captures the political landscape of the time, especially during the 1924 Democratic National Convention where FDR's orchestrated ascent to the stage becomes a symbol of determination and resilience. The emergence of radio as a medium further propels Roosevelt into the national spotlight, setting the stage for his return to politics. Darman's narrative skillfully navigates the personal and political dimensions of Roosevelt's life, presenting a nuanced portrayal of his character. The transformation of FDR from a self-centered politician to a compassionate leader forms the heart of the book, offering insights into the qualities that defined his presidency.
In conclusion, "Becoming FDR" is a compelling exploration of the personal crisis that shaped one of America's most influential presidents. Jonathan Darman provides a richly detailed account of Roosevelt's journey through illness, rehabilitation, and political resurgence, offering readers a deeper understanding of the man behind the iconic leadership.
October 4, 2023
Star review: 4.5 stars.
Becoming FDR is a well written biography that follows the life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, one of the most beloved and successful presidents of the United States. Well the book does a wonderful job of covering the life and adventures of FDR, it truly excels in turning these events into a story. If one was to read a Wikipedia page and read the events, they may have the same basic knowledge of the events that happened. However, a good biography like this one does not just tell the events of FDR’s life. Instead, it creates a story that can be admired and believed in. Becoming FDR does this through FDR’s recovery from Polio, with recovery from the brink of death teaching him greater ambition, leading him to propel himself from basic political roles into the longest-serving president of America ever.
In addition, Becoming FDR is written very well. The story flows continuously, despite being very long to describe just one person. Stories and details relevant to his story and legacy are included, well those which would just add irrelevant length are removed. The only reason the book does not get a full 5 stars is because of its commentary on other figures such as his wife and Teddy Roosevelt. Details and events relevant to these characters should still be included in the story, but sometimes the book talks about these characters just because they are important to his life, even though it is not very relevant to the story of FDR.
My Favorite Quote:
One of my favorite quotes from the book is the line from chapter 3. The line goes “While the others spoke of partnerships and appointments to the bench, Franklin laid out a specific plan through politics: first a run for NY legislature, followed by service in Washington as assistant secretary of the navy, and then election as governor of New York.” This long line in my opinion perfectly embodies the spirit of the young ambitious Franklin. Before his fight with polio, he was a successful man who made his way up in life, but was more relaxed and less driven then after his experiences. Instead of reaching towards those dreams, he was working in a law office, not yet working towards his dreams. He would move to follow nearly this exact path (much of it being before his illness), but not with the same ambition and desire as he would later in life.
Summary:
FDR lived a truly incredible life, becoming one of the most famous and beloved American presidents. Born into a prestigious family, he hit life running and took every opportunity that was offered him (other than joining WW1).Despite this, he would get a cause of Polio that would bring him close to death, damaging his body for years and leaving him partially paralyzed for the rest of his life. Despite this, he would use these hardcomings to grow himself into a person who believed he could obtain the highest position in the world, becoming the president of the United States. Not only would he do that, but he would be one of the best presidents ever, creating himself one of the greatest legacies in the world, despite not even being able to use his own two legs.
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