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“FDR” by Jean Edward Smith ★★★★★
“FDR” is the second Jean Edward Smith biography I have read. The first, “Grant,” was equally compelling. Of course it helps that Smith handled two incredible personalities and national leaders such as Ulysses S. Grant and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Both biographies warrant 5 stars for being fair in their analysis, thorough, and readable . . . in fact, quite readable! As 32nd President of the United States, FDR had two virtually distinct administrations. During his first two terms Roosevelt (the only president to have been elected for four terms) tackled a flailing economy, and during his third and (albeit brief) fourth term he faced the challenges of World War II. FDR began his administration with a passel of problems resulting from the Great Depression. He demonstrated unwavering tenacity as he identified potential economic solutions: “The country needs, the country demands, bold, persistent experimentation. Take a method and try it. If it fails admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” As “Dr. New Deal,” FDR inaugurated a plethora of programs such as Social Security, unemployment insurance, aid to the handicapped and infirmed, minimum-wage and maximum hour legislation, abolition of child labor, rural electrification, flood control, the public works programs, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Civilian Conservation Corps, the WPA and the National Youth Administration. Through these various programs the President instilled a national sense of optimism and hope. His famous quip, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” resonated with a public glued to fireside radio chats. The only major downside to Roosevelt’s early administration was his failed court-packing scheme, which readily deserved a resounding defeat. However during the second part of his administration, FDR became known as “Dr. Win-the-War.” He worked closely with Winston Churchill to help strategize the defeat of Adolf Hitler and major axis powers. Roosevelt may have physically limped due to polio, but was a strongman when it came to negotiating with Stalin and other world leaders (France’s de Gaulle excepted). FDR did not live to see the end of the war, however his leadership was critical to the allied success. He was truly a man of his times who, like Lincoln, engineered a turning point in American history and society.
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
jerry-book
jerry-book
Excellent review Tap. I did have two quibbles. I think FDR made a mistake in 1937 in raising taxes which threw the country back into recession. Also, I thought he could have been a bit stronger with Stalin in the negotiations. However, Jean Smith does make the point there was little FDR could do about Eastern Europe.
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
tapbirds
tapbirds
Thanks, Jerry. Excellent point about the 1937 cutback in federal spending and tax cuts. I liked how Smith summarized this episode, "When Roosevelt sought to pack the Supreme Court, he shot himself in the foot. When he prematurely curtailed federal spending in 1937, he shot the country in the foot." The other misstep I failed to mention was FDR's attempt to purge fellow Democrats who had not supported him on these issues. The two chapters entitled "Hubris" and "Low Tide" were aptly named.
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
tapbirds
tapbirds
Also, I just realized we should have been having this discussion on CRoAH. However, I confess that I've been so swamped lately, that all I could manage was to sneak in reading a few pages every night.
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
mef
mef
One of you said the tax increases were a mistake and one of you said the tax cuts were a mistake, so which is it? :-)
I love the part about willingness to experiment. I wish the current governments of both the US and the UK would try something other than austerity. It ain't working, folks...try something else!
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
tapbirds
tapbirds
As always, Jerry is right. Sigh. :)
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
mef
mef
I didn't mean to make *anybody* feel bad! Just wondered.
What I know about economics could, truly, be written on a matchbook cover, but didn't Maynard Keynes say the way out of recession including government spending, rather than austerity? Have I got that backwards?
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
tapbirds
tapbirds
You didn't make me feel bad, mef. I was merely lamenting my own lack of preciseness. Seems to becoming more habitual of late, hence the sigh.
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
jerry-book
jerry-book
Tap, excellent point about purging the four southern Democrats. That didn't work did it. However, although they were anti-New Deal they were pro defense so (as the author pointed out) they helped FDR on lend lease and other pre-war measures.
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
tapbirds
tapbirds
Yes, and I never responded to why my review only contained FDR's supreme court packing scheme as his only "major" faux pas. I appreciated FDR's desire to keep the country solvent and to minimize the national debt. I felt that reducing government spending was doing the right thing, but at the wrong time. Whereas his court packing scheme was doing the wrong thing, constitutionally, irrespective of timing. Regarding Stalin, I thought Smith did an admirable job of demonstrating how there was little more that FDR or Churchill could do, given that Soviet troops had already occupied much of Eastern Europe. It was certainly a "Sophie's Choice" as to which murderer was less dangerous. As much as I detest Stalin for genocide, Hitler seemed to pose the more immediate threat.
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
I think it is pretty near impossible to govern for four years without a major screw up or two, and given he was in office for 12 years and a month, harder still. I think he made a hand full of grievous errors, but taken as a whole, I rank him as the greatest American president.
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
tapbirds
tapbirds
FDR was certainly a man for his time (apologies for the well-worn cliché, as was Abraham Lincoln and cousin Teddy (progressive domestic policies). He endeared himself to an entire generation, my parents included, who revered his leadership.
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
mef
mef
Finally getting a chance to read after a bit of a hiatus, and am, as usually when in Sweden, raiding the Engish-language section of the excellent library, starting with David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks.
As posted in BTS FB:
Murakami fans: the library here (in Sweden) has the following Murakamis in English: Underground, Norwegian Wood, and After Dark.
I haven't read Murakami; are any of these a good place to start? Any of them darker or on the dystopian side? (My current editing client is a Murakami fan writing dystopian fiction, and in addition to always having meant to read Murakami, I'd like to see what he's aiming for.)
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Beginnings
Beginnings (edited)
Greetings BTS,
Last night I finished reading author Bob Tarte's excellent and fun book "Fowl Weather How 39 Animals and a Sock Monkey Took Over My Life" For those of you interested here are the cast of characters:
http://www.bobtarte.com/Books/FW/Page...
Library Request 4 Today:
The Chrysalids / John Wyndham ; introduction by Christopher Priest
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
mef
mef
A guy in my writing group likes The Chrysalids. In fact, he likes The Chrysalids in the way Donald Trump likes a combover. He talks about The Chrysalids All. The. Time. I know I really ought to read the thing, but...
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Beginnings
Beginnings (edited)
Hi Mef,
I think I might've read it already-either that or I erred by putting the book on my "READ" list here on Shelfari. I took the book off Shelfari already read list and when the book comes in I'll have a look-
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Beginnings
Beginnings
Yep, I've read it.
posted 2 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Beginnings
Beginnings (edited)
Checked out two NEW books from the library last night:
http://www.shelfari.com/books/3628488...
http://www.shelfari.com/books/3799719...
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Beginnings
Beginnings
My last read of 2015 was the book "Bettyville", authored by George Hodgman The author was a magazine and book editor for Simon and Schuster,Vanity Fair etc. George writes about caring for his aging parents and esp. his mother Betty. George experienced trauma regarding his being gay during earlier times in our society when acceptance was not the norm. AIDS is taking his friends and lovers during which time George has to also come to terms with two aging parents as an only child. On top of these consuming concerns there is a desire to escape, which leaves George with a drug addiction. Discovered "Bettyville" while browsing the new fiction aisles of the SDPL.
posted 2 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
mef
mef
A friend of mine *strongly* recommended this to me, too. Haven't got hold of it yet, but he's on Facebook, and writes a blog, if you're interested.
posted 2 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Beginnings
Beginnings
Thank you Mef.
uplandpoet started this discussion 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete | lock thread )
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uplandpoet
uplandpoet
I want to write more than read. Have this story idea after spending a few days with my epileptic 30 something don and his fabulous family in the 4th floor walk up on Pittsburgh. I have trying to think of what he could do for the next 40 years to keep from being bored out of his mind. He currently likes to bake bread, smoke cigarettes on his porch overlooking a his full of houses, a modern low income apartment tower and and old religious compound featuring a classic double domed church and a few out buildings. And other than that and helping his wife take care of my two incredible teenaged grandkids, he listens to the police scanner on his iPhone....
I am thinkingnof having a character based on him solve crimes without leaving his apartment....
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
Stu R
Stu R
Reminds me of Denzel Washington in the movie, 'The Bone Collector.' There's a good quote about writing from Sean Connery in the movie, 'Finding Forrester.'
""No thinking - that comes later. You must write your first draft with your heart. You rewrite with your head. The first key to writing is... to write, not to think!"
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
Thanks, will give it a go
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
Stu R
Stu R
I always wanted to be a publisher author. I finished a book in 2013 and found a literary agent who would send out submissions on my behalf. No charge except the mailing costs and a 15% commission if I was published. After 18 months without success, I parted ways (the mailing costs were quite a bit and I figured I had given it enough time to produce results) I started sending out query letters to publishers following their Submission Guidelines. In September of this year, I signed a contract to have my book published.
Give it a go, Up......you never know what can happen.
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
Cool!!!! I wrote a book back 2000-2002 but had it rejected by literally hundreds agents.... And now looking back I can see it will never be published but I can appreciate what I learned in the writing
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
Stu R
Stu R
I wrote a book with a very unique perspective, one that had never been done. Just as the first hundred days of a new presidency is now analyzed, I wrote a book on the first hundred days of Pope Francis' papacy. That went nowhere but I learned a heck of a lot about research and learning how to write to make the reader want to turn to the next page.
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
Life is learning! Of course by the time you learn everything you die
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
Stu R
Stu R
So right, so right.........But isn't it great to occupy one's time with learning instead of lamenting about the "coulda...shouldas" in our lives? We learn by making mistakes. But the true value of one's mistakes is measured by how much the mistake teaches us so that we can prepare for the future. We never learn everything - even by the time of our death. But passing on what we know, to those who follow us, is a wonderful gift to bestow. I've read your posts on various websites for many years........and what you have passed to your grandson is impressive beyond words. We don't always agree regarding certain topics of discussion, but discussion is how we grow..........Relationships are how we contribute. Contribution is necessary for meaningful growth to take place. Christopher is lucky to have you in his life.
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
Thank you!!! Actually Christopher is my son. It gets a little confusing, I gave an 11 year old son while my grandchildren and 15 and 16 (Christopher has two older brothers, Bart, aged 34, and Dylan aged 29!) but you point is well taken!
I have to add that e also learn a great deal from the young ones....
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
Stu R
Stu R
I know Christopher is your son. Saw your blog and I think you referred to visiting son and grandchildren. That's where I saw your comment regarding your grandchildren. "The young ones" can teach us an awful lot - they have this wonderfully unbiased perspective and a curiosity and thirst for knowledge that seems boundless. Great to be around.
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
:)
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
mef
mef
Up, that's a great premise, just go for it! And who knows--does your son write at all? Is it at all feasible that you could write the book together? (A guy I know just wrote a book with his son--but his son's only, like, 12. I've bought it, but haven't yet read it--story of my life.)
Stu, that's utterly fabulous about your book being published. Can you tell us more? Title and publisher? I'll keep an eye out for it!
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
no, his epilepsy is so disruptive it is hard for him to focus or remember much. in fact, i havent discussed the premise with him. i am a bit concerned he might be offended.
i am still thinking on how to go about it, but i do want to write it and soon.
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
mef
mef
I hope you aren't offended (I don't intend to offend), but that could make for a fascinating book. If the detective can't remember things, what does he do? Make notes; come back to them; puzzle out what they might mean--no, I'm just turning the character from The Housekeeper and the Professor into a detective, aren't I? Still, as Donald Maass says, everythig has been done before; what matters is how you do it. It could be powerful, I think...
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
thanks, that is a great thought. and could add a lot of variation. one of the things that intrigues me is that he tells me seizures are often accompanied by out of body experiences. in fact, many people who study seizures think much of the spiritual encounters of the Adamic (and possibly others) traditions were people who thought they were prophets and had visions because they had seizures.
I am toying with the notion that he might sometimes get glimpses of crimes from an "aerial view", bu wonder how to do that without it being too hokey or an easy way out.....
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
mef
mef
I think that if you're aware of the possibility of hokeyness or unfair easy-way-outs, you're probably pretty safe. Like any good fantasy, you'd have to make the rules and then stick to them.W (ho said that? Asimov?) Then as long as you don't violate your own rules, you're playing fair with the reader.
This could actually work, Up...
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
now, i just gotta write it
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
Turns out the character based on my son is going to play a supporting role to the character based on his wife, though the wife character, unlike my daughter in law, is a beat cop. She stumbles into a version of her town that is a bit like the lost village in Big Fish (the movie, i havent read the 1998 novel).
still havent worked out the murder or anything about how she/they solve it.
posted 2 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
a si posted earlier, the bridges of the area play a rle, the problem is the number, maybe i will just bring the dispute into the story, there are 446 bridges in Pittsburgh, making it the city with the most bridges, of any city in the word, and yes that includes Venice!, but other reports place the bridge total at around 700, just as there are around 700 public staircases, also more than any other city, at least in America, but then there is this:
http://www.clpgh.org/research/pittsbu...
How Many Bridges Are There in Pittsburgh?
"As to bridges, no one has counted them reliably: perhaps 1800 in Allegheny County, with many more than half in the city itself."
-- Walter Kidney.
Pittsburgh in Your Pocket: A Guide to Pittsburgh-area Architecture. Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks, 1988, 14.
Bridges in Allegheny County
State 1311
County 521
Pittsburgh 120
Municipalities 187
Total 2139
This total includes highway, pedestrian and railroad bridges. This includes all bridges over 8 feet long. It does not include private bridges.
Current as of 31 March 1995.
Compiled by Ms. Audrey Iacone, Pennsylvania Department.
Bridges and Tunnels of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Documenting the City (and County) of Bridges (and Tunnels).
posted 2 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
tapbirds
tapbirds
I learned something new about Pittsburg. Thanks!
posted 2 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
Cool!
posted 2 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
https://sleepingbearpressdontwaketheb...
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
Stu R
Stu R
I like it!
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Karin
Karin
Cool!
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
thanks yall!
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
i used the pics or a lot of them in my new chapbook
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
uplandpoet
uplandpoet
I hope to do it justice
posted 3 months ago. ( edit | reply | permalink | delete )
Beginnings
Beginnings (edited)
Reading a couple books-somewhat simultaneously:
A Stolen Life
A Memoir
by Jaycee Lee Dugard
(about halfway finished)
iBrain
Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind
by Gary Small (Author), Gigi Vorgan (Author)
(again about halfway finished)
The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head
A Psychiatrist's Stories of His Most Bizarre Cases
by Gary Small (Author), Gigi Vorgan (Author)
We Need to Talk About Kevin
by Lionel Shriver (Author)
Currently reading and want to finish first)
So long, see you tomorrow / William Maxwell
(At least halfway finished)
Picking up two library books today!
Fowl weather / by Bob Tarte.
(Read intro. and acknowledgments)
Cleveland Amory's Compleat Cat : three volumes in one.
(Read the 1st couple pages-looks very good-a huge book)
I will have to rearrange my reading schedule, as some of the books have a limited renewal policy.
posted 3 months ago. ( reply | permalink | delete )
Beginnings
Beginnings (edited)
Finished reading author Lionel Shrivers book "We Need to Talk about Kevin"
In addition,
One of the genres I seem to favor is categorized as postapocalyptic fiction. Author Margaret Atwood is an example-I've requested her newest book from the library today-
http://www.shelfari.com/books/3854336...
posted 3 months ago.