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13th out of 340 books
—
940 voters
No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt
Winner of the Pulitzer PrizeNo Ordinary Time is a monumental work, a brilliantly conceived chronicle of one of the most vibrant and revolutionary periods in the history of the United States. With an extraordinary collection of details, Goodwin masterfully weaves together a striking number of story lines—Eleanor and Franklin's marriage and remarkable partnership, Eleanor's...more
Paperback, 759 pages
Published
1994
by Simon & Schuster
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Nov 08, 2009
Ed
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone with interest in recent American history.
Recommended to Ed by:
The History Book Club
A truly memorable book. Doris Kearns Goodwin is a fine writer who manages to transform seemingly insignificant snippets of data into compelling reading.
This volume covers the period from May, 1939 to April, 1945 and focuses on what was going on in the U.S. through the actions and writings of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and others close to them. It truly deserves its Pulitzer Prize and the four or more other awards and accolades it garnered.
I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable about the...more
This volume covers the period from May, 1939 to April, 1945 and focuses on what was going on in the U.S. through the actions and writings of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and others close to them. It truly deserves its Pulitzer Prize and the four or more other awards and accolades it garnered.
I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable about the...more
Through No Ordinary Time, I loved learning more about the U.S. home front during WWII and the impact FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt made on the nation as President and First Lady. WWII was such a catalytic time in our nation's history. When Hitler was invading much of Europe prior to U.S. engagement in the war, our military ranked 17th or 18th in the world as a result of an isolationist policy felt in Congress and throughout the nation. (Many Americans thought that the oceans dividing us from Europe...more
3 likes · like · see review
This was actually my second reading of this book, having read it originally circa 2000. No Ordinary Time is an easy, enjoyable read for anybody in the Post World War II Generation. In part, the book chronicles the sacrifices of our parents and grandparents on the home front during the Second World War , leaving you with an understanding about the debt of gratitude we owe those remarkable people (not to mention those who actually fought the war). Regardless of your political bent, one instantly r...more
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I'm reminded of the saying, "If you want to learn something, read non-fiction." I am learning the answers to questions I didn't know I had. "Exactly how did the internment of the Japanese get started? When were land mines invented? What was Eleanor Roosevelt really like?" It was around this time that Executive Order 8802 came about, with the wording we are all so used to: discrimination is banned on grounds of "race, color, creed, or national origin." The national origin part was added because t...more
5 likes · like · see review
This is a marathon of a book that I found difficult to put down. Goodwin's depiction of the Roosevelt's during WWII takes on a very narrow timeline that unfolds week by week. Her knowledge of the subject becomes clear in her attention to detail. It is not nearly a chronological history, it is more of a personal portrait which explores the emotions, motivations, and fears of America's greatest president, and those around him.
History has afforded us perspective that the subjects of the book lacked...more
History has afforded us perspective that the subjects of the book lacked...more
4 likes · like · see review
Mar 04, 2008
Suzanne
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
biography,
american-history
I love Doris Kearns Goodwin. This is by far the very best book (in my opinion) on what it was like to live here in The States during the Second World War. She describes the relationship between Franklin & Eleanor in human terms; their incredible political partnership existing within the tragedy of their lonely, asexual marriage, Eleanor's female attachments and Franklin's renewed relationship with Lucy Mercer. The descriptions of Winston Churchill's visits to the White House and his wanderin...more
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This is one of the best American history books I've ever read. Doris Kearns Goodwin skillfully weaves together the personal and the political to bring light to the unique partnership of FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt. Though it appears they may have driven each other a little crazy, there was also a lot of love there - and sometimes people are brought together because they can use one another's skills to accomplish things important to both of them - and in this case, important to our country. The boo...more
This is a great book and it's no surprise why it won the Pulitzer Prize. It is dense, but I like Doris Goodwin's writing style and there is a lot of detail and information contained in this book on President Roosevelt, his wife, and the home front. Not only does Ms. Goodwin tell the story of the American homefront starting in 1940, but she weaves in a biography of both Eleanor and Franklin at the same time so the reader understands what went on prior to 1940 in their personal lives. By weaving i...more
This monumental, Pulitzer Prize-winning history details the marriage and political partnership of FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt during the war years. Based on primary sources such as White House Diaries, many personal interviews with everyone from FDR’s valet to the man who decided to publish an unflattering picture of FDR late in his career, and newspaper accounts, this 635-page tome is thorough, eminently readable, and fair (with the caveat that biographies are rarely undertaken by those who do no...more
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Packed with information on every aspect of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt during the WWII timeframe, this book is a history lovers dream. Unfortunately, I am no history lover. I became glossy-eyed when fine details were being mentioned about everyday activities. I felt that the book strayed from the main story and gave too much supporting detail. Yet, as is with all of the history books that I marginally enjoy, I learned quite a bit of information that I would never have gained otherwise. I was...more
I loved this book. I purchased it after visiting the Roosevelt homes in Hyde Park, NY and had a really hard time putting it down. It's a LONG book so I read it for many weeks.
I thought I knew the history of the US pretty well but a lot of what I read startled me. I had no idea that racism was so pervasive in our culture then. I was struck by how the arguments that were used THEN to keep society segregated by race are so similar to the ones used today to discriminate against gays. Before the end...more
I thought I knew the history of the US pretty well but a lot of what I read startled me. I had no idea that racism was so pervasive in our culture then. I was struck by how the arguments that were used THEN to keep society segregated by race are so similar to the ones used today to discriminate against gays. Before the end...more
I love Doris Kearns Goodwin's story telling ability and attention to detail, as well as her ability to interweave personal with public stories.
Some of my favorite parts:
Eleanor worked for a while for the Office of Civilian Defense. Just after Pearl Harbor, she and Fiorella La Guardia were on a trip to the west coast, which was believed to be in imminent danger of attack. "They met with the governor of California, the mayor of the city, and the State Counsel of Defense. 'I am not here to give yo...more
Some of my favorite parts:
Eleanor worked for a while for the Office of Civilian Defense. Just after Pearl Harbor, she and Fiorella La Guardia were on a trip to the west coast, which was believed to be in imminent danger of attack. "They met with the governor of California, the mayor of the city, and the State Counsel of Defense. 'I am not here to give yo...more
It was interesting the parallels in the relationship of Eleanor and Franklin when she discovered his infidelity and he couldn't divorce her because his mother forbade it and the stigma and scandal it would cause the family. Hillary never left Bill but they don't appear to be close as man and wife. Both Eleanor and Franklin used each other as a platform for their agendas and as I see it so do Hillary and Bill.
I also saw some similarities in Eleanor's stoic front after Franklin died to the stoic f...more
I also saw some similarities in Eleanor's stoic front after Franklin died to the stoic f...more
This was very well-written with lots of detail and many amusing anecdotes. A very in-depth look at the public and private lives of the Roosevelts during 1939 - 1945. I learned a lot. Unfortunately, I couldn't help feeling that the two "protagonists" were shown in the best light possible. I'm not saying it was false, just that bias can appear as much in what you don't say as in what you do. Nonetheless, a very worthwhile read.
Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt have taken on a mystical standing in or culture since FDR's death and the end of World War II. However, with all of this, he seems to be one of the best-known Presidnets that many Americans know little about. This book changed that for me. Doris Kearns Goodwin takes you deep into the lives of FDR and his quite famous wife, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Oftentimes too detailed, you learn a lot about this relationship, the couple's friends and associates, what made t...more
What it says on the tin – 800 pages on Eleanor and Franklin, personal and political, from 1940-1945. The thing that's good about it is the same thing that's frustrating: this is a book about their marriage, their friends, the war, race relations, the rise of organized labor, the new women's workforce, etc. etc. So it's wide-ranging and densely woven, but because it's so diverse, it occasionally lacks cohesion and true depth. Her Team of Rivals did better, there.
Also, I was quite put off by the h...more
Also, I was quite put off by the h...more
I love this book. I'm fascinated by the changing social attitudes and conditions during World War II in the United States. I'm also captivated by the personalities of both Franklin Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor and so I was a happy camper while reading this book. It is a detailed examination of the marriage of Franklin and Eleanor and their ability to overcome emotional distance to create a unique partnership. Both realized that the United States could not emerge from the war if it was a unifie...more
No Ordinary Time is so deserving of all the praise it's received, including the Pulitzer Prize. It's truly an enthralling read, bringing the Roosevelts and those surrounding them to life and painting an incredibly vivid portrait of the WWII years in the White House and in the country as a whole. The great, sweeping saga of that time in history is there, but so are myriad small, well-chosen details that make FDR and Eleanor real living, breathing human beings.
Doris Kearns Goodwin is a fabulous wr...more
Doris Kearns Goodwin is a fabulous wr...more
This title was the first book by Doris Kearns Goodwin that I have read, and it was by no means a disappointment. It is entirely different from historical fiction. The extensive use of quotes from diaries and letter gave the dialogue and context credibility. For many adult Americans, this period of time, roughly 1940 to 1945, is fascinating because it formed the basis for the modern America we now recognize with women working, a integrated society and military, and an economic middle class. Frank...more
A two-semester history class lies within the covers of "No Ordinary Time," Doris Kearns Goodwin's Pulitzer Prize winning work subtitled "Franklin & Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II."
I've never known as much about my country as I have after reading this book. I'd learned about all the battles of the war, but I never really knew all the effort it took back on the home front to make winning those battles possible. And this inside look into the effort that FDR had to put forth t...more
I've never known as much about my country as I have after reading this book. I'd learned about all the battles of the war, but I never really knew all the effort it took back on the home front to make winning those battles possible. And this inside look into the effort that FDR had to put forth t...more
I picked up this book in an attempt to make my reading a tad more scholarly than it has been as of late. I have to admit, I figured I would get about 50 pages in before putting it down and reaching for a different - and lighter - book, but to my surprise after turning the first page I didn't put it down until 100 pages later! Besides being very easy to read and follow, this book was exceptionally interesting and full of human-interest goodness. I adored learning more about Eleanor and FDR during...more
Doris Kearns Goodwin won the Pulitzer Prize for this book. When you turn the first page, you'll immediately know why. This book puts you in the White House with Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. They aren't historical figures to be admired from a distance. Instead, in Goodwin's telling, they're real people made all the more remarkable for what they accomplished during the most difficult times.
As a bonus, there are also wonderful tales of Winston Churchill as he travels to Washington to plan the w...more
As a bonus, there are also wonderful tales of Winston Churchill as he travels to Washington to plan the w...more
This summer, a friend and I went to visit the FDR Museum/Library. We took the train from Grand Central and a Park Guide picked us up at the Poughkeepsie Train Station. Very interesting. Worth a two day visit. Need to go back to see Val Kill - Eleanor's home. Realizing that that I knew very little about FDR/ER, I picked up Goodwin's book (I've read her book on the Fitzgeralds and Kennedy's). For me this was a great book to read - a combination of biography and history. Learned a lot. Eleanor did...more
Great book, way more interesting than it looks. This sat on my shelf for ever, and when I finally picked it up I was really glad I did. It's easy to feel a little WWII-ed out, you know? We figure we know everything about that because of all the movies and TV, but we really don't often get a close look at what was going on at home, in the white house. This provides some great context. Particularly good were the little moments she touches on, the ebb and flow of ER and FDR's relationship, and how...more
Fantastic! One of the best written, most immediate history books I've read. Absolutely disserving of the Pulitzer. I actually cried in the last chapters as all the primary individuals were dying off. I especially cried at the description of the country mourning Roosevelt. Such a great book. Well worth the time to read all almost 700 pages!
I learned that FDR and Eleanor were complex, truly great people who had what would now be considered an open marriage. FDR cheated emotionally (even if there i...more
I learned that FDR and Eleanor were complex, truly great people who had what would now be considered an open marriage. FDR cheated emotionally (even if there i...more
Oct 23, 2011
Mike McKay
added it
This is a remarkably researched story of leadership by a courageous, determined and humanly flawed world figure. Biographies of great historical figures are a very accessible way to learn (or relearn) about complex and challenging times. They also often provide engaging examples how leaders work through ethical, practical and political dilemmas and how they coordinate efforts of the individuals and teams they rely on for success. In Roosevelt's case, complexity layers upon complexity as he deals...more
This was a very well-written biography of, arguably, our greatest President and certainly our greatest First Lady, set mostly during World War II. In addition to chronicling FDR's expert handling of the U.S.' response to the war in Europe and in Japan, particularly his ingenious Lend-Lease program and his development of the so-called Military-Industrial Complex and Mrs. Roosevelt's tremendous contributions to Women's Rights and Civil Rights, the book also delves into their personal lives, reveal...more
This book provides the reader with a much clearer understanding of the remarkable couple of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt during the years of World War II. I was not up to the challenge of reading Reid's volume 3 of the Last Lion (re Winston Churchill) thus I decided to hop across the pond whilst keeping in temporal and subject matter order! The book is very complete as to covering both parties and as to the myriad of issues of that time. Most interesting and amazing is how calm (a...more
No Ordinary Time chronicles the relationship of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt during their time in the White House. As a political science major, I am pretty ashamed to admit that I really did not know a lot about FDR, and I found him fascinating. While he definitely had his flaws, what struck me was his constant calm and his sense of balance even while having the most stressful job in America, during arguably the most stressful time in American history.
Yet for me, the book was not really abou...more
Yet for me, the book was not really abou...more
Really enjoyed this book. I come from a political family and parents lived through this time. It was nice to read a different spin on some of their stories. Learned a lot of things I was not aware of. My mom is 93 now, and when I told her some of the tidbits she was surprised.
Only thing keeping me from four or five stars was hearing a little too much about Eleanors sexual inclinations and gender neutral implications. The causes she worked for were admirable, but talking about same sex partners...more
Only thing keeping me from four or five stars was hearing a little too much about Eleanors sexual inclinations and gender neutral implications. The causes she worked for were admirable, but talking about same sex partners...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| History and political intrigue | 4 | 25 | Feb 25, 2013 09:57pm |
Also credited as "Doris Kearns" on the first editions of Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream.
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Dec 28, 2012 08:58am