Margot’s Reviews > Our Eleanor: A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt's Remarkable Life > Status Update

Eleanor became extremely involved in women's politics... enjoying intellectual women over her husband's friends. She became very political and, even though her husband became the Governor of NY, she seems like she was more actively involved in getting him to meet important people.

During the twenties, the Rooseveltes became very interested in politics. If I read the book correctly, it claims, this is because Eleanor took such a liking to it and, her husband, being stricken, by polio, needed a life, so this was the best they could do. Only, why is it that Eleanor is supposed to be the better politician? In fact, the man who works with them, suggested that she run for President,..

Eleanor, it seems, spent, her time as a mother, in a passive/aggressive state, slowly learning that her mother-in-law was too controlling. She would realize, after her mother-in-law organized her homes, that she really didn't like that she wasn't included in the planning... and her husband would complain, why are you telling me after the fact. Then, a neighbor, left a home, for her to fix up, and she, was thankful.

Interestingly, Eleanor's mother, though considered the Belle of NY, when she was married, seemed to fair as well as her younger sisters in picking a man who, later became a drunk. Also, it seems Eleanor, though she didn't fine herself to be a beauty was very well liked and Franklin adored her for years before his mother allowed them to share their engagement. Her mother-in-law controlled their marriage, at first.

I've admired Eleanor Roosevelte, but this is the first time I've read about her. Her parents were supposed to be a charming couple, but her father had an alcohol problem, so it was better that she maintained a written relationship with him, because he wasn't a reliable man... Eleanor's mother seems to have been disappointed in her, for not looking more like herself...