“Kirstin Downey’s lively, substantive and—dare I say—inspiring new biography of Perkins . . . not only illuminates Perkins&...
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Mar 16, 2009
Carol
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Frances Perkins, born 1880 into an upper-class but no longer well-off Boston family, and she used her connections and her gentility well. An eye-witness to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, she took an early interest in the welfare of the working class and in the settlement-house movement, supporting nascent labor-union activities in New York, finding her strongest support from Tammany Hall. She knew Franklin Roosevelt fleetingly as a young man, but forged a working alliance during his gover
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Sep 28, 2011
Pearl
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I thought I knew quite a lot about the influential women in American history; but I knew very little about Francis Perkins, other than that she was FDR's Secretary of Labor throughout his entire time as President. And she was the first woman to be appointed to a Cabinet position. I am ashamed I didn't know more about what she accomplished and about what we owe her.
If you work a 40-hour workweek, have ever collected unemployment insurance, have been protected in your apartment building More...
If you work a 40-hour workweek, have ever collected unemployment insurance, have been protected in your apartment building More...
Sep 03, 2011
Mary
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An apparently "dry" subject--Frances Perkins was a remarkable woman and a major social innovator, with political sense, as a close confidante and adviser to FDR. She was responsible for much of the social aspects of the New Deal--Social Security, child labor laws, minimum wage. She had hoped to include health insurance with her package, but realized that to achieve Social Security she had to postpone that issue (80 years!). Downey does a splendid job of fleshing out her subject, alt
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Jan 26, 2011
Sue
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Kirstin Downey was on a mission to restore Frances Perkins to her rightful place in history, as the author and moral conscience of much of the domestic legislation of the 1930s. Social security, unemployment insurance, workplace safety, minimum wage -- all of these safety nets were her handiwork, as she served as Secretary of Labor under the sympathetic and supportive benevolence of Franklin Roosevelt.
Perkins was the first woman to occupy a seat in a presidential cabinet, and that alo More...
Perkins was the first woman to occupy a seat in a presidential cabinet, and that alo More...
Nov 12, 2010
Will
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An interesting historical biography saddled with a terrible title. I'm grateful to my friend Anna for giving it to me for my birthday this year.
What you think of as FDR's accomplishments in the 30s -- Social Security, Disability, Unemployment Insurance, Public Works, &c. -- were really Frances Perkins's accomplishments. The only progressive legislation that she was not on board for was the Wagner Act. And she was wary of FDR's worst domestic actions, the National Recovery Administratio More...
What you think of as FDR's accomplishments in the 30s -- Social Security, Disability, Unemployment Insurance, Public Works, &c. -- were really Frances Perkins's accomplishments. The only progressive legislation that she was not on board for was the Wagner Act. And she was wary of FDR's worst domestic actions, the National Recovery Administratio More...
Oct 31, 2010
Jane
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Frances Perkins was named Secretary of Labor by Franklin Roosevelt in 1933. As the first female cabinet secretary, she organized the fight to improve the lives of America’s working people while juggling her own difficult family demands.
Her ideas became the cornerstones of the most important social welfare and legislation in the nation’s history, including unemployment compensation, child labor laws, and the forty-hour work week.
She lived by her grandmother’s creed: ‘When in doubt, do More...
Her ideas became the cornerstones of the most important social welfare and legislation in the nation’s history, including unemployment compensation, child labor laws, and the forty-hour work week.
She lived by her grandmother’s creed: ‘When in doubt, do More...
Aug 01, 2009
Bap
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I can discount some of the zeal of the author to place Perkins at the heart of the new deal, but she still presents a compelling case that this was one remarkable woman who strived fro progressive reform, factory codes, social security, unemployment insurance and wage and hour laws. She was a social worker and an idealist who witnessed young girls plunging to their deaths in the Triangle fire of 1911. She learned he art of politics, compromise, and the advantages of making alliances for the be
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Jun 26, 2009
Andy
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This was a great book. I had read about her before and knew that she was the progressive force and FDR's conscience, but there was a lot I didn't know. Like how immigration used to be in Labor Department and she used her authority to maximize the entry into Us of Jews escaping from Hitler and resisted efforts to use Immigration department to deport people who were organizing unions. I also didn't know that the conservatives tried to impeach her for that and also started rumors that she wasn't r
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Sep 11, 2009
Rob
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Poorly written, but even poorly written and schmaltzy at times, the life of Frances Perkins is worth the read. Perkins was the first woman member of a presidential cabinet who served as Roosevelt's Secretary of Labor during the New Deal. In her life she crosses paths with many icons (a few of them actually interesting) of early 20th Century American political and cultural life. She made her career by understanding men in power and sucking up to them. At this she was an expert. She also, had, it
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Oct 01, 2011
Sarah
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I was fascinated by this biography of Frances Perkins, FDR's Secretary of Labor and the first female cabinet secretary in the U.S. It was, however, pretty heavy on detail and perhaps not a great read for anyone who's not a policy wonk or researching the period for her own novel. Still, there are some great anecdotes here, particularly about how shabbily Perkins was treated by other members of the Roosevelt administration. She was an amazing woman who achieved so much politically while supporting
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Aug 17, 2009
Kathleen
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I found myself strangely obsessed with this book once I started it... maybe it's the struggle in our current time to pass the one New Deal element that France Perkins left undone: universal health care.
This was a great reminder that the policies we take for granted now (oh, like let's say the eight-hour workday, or the requirement that workplaces have fire escapes, or the rules that mean ten-year olds can go to school instead of to work in the factory) were considered impossible and More...
This was a great reminder that the policies we take for granted now (oh, like let's say the eight-hour workday, or the requirement that workplaces have fire escapes, or the rules that mean ten-year olds can go to school instead of to work in the factory) were considered impossible and More...
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Aug 03, 2009
Ellen
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I feel as if this book was written with a definite slant toward proving that Frances Perkins invented the New Deal and that not only was she FDR's Moral Conscience but also the source of all or most of his most important programs. While much is made of her sudden decline in popularity with the rest of the Cabinet, no real explanation of that decline is put forth. Neither is the withdrawal of FDR's support completely explained. It is clear that Ms. Perkins was a woman of formidable strengths and
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Jul 29, 2011
Jim
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I enjoyed this book, but I will admit that I was really looking for the double volume treatment on this one because Francis Perkins is one of my all-time favorite cabinet officers, maybe tied with Alexander Hamilton and Gen. Marshall. There were times when I felt Downey's mastery of the New Deal itself wasn't as strong as it could have been... She didn't discuss some of the crucial philosophical differences between what has been called the First New Deal and the Second New Deal, and while it is
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Jul 22, 2009
Dinah
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When FDR asked Frances Perkins to be his Secretary of Labor she came to him with a list of what she wanted to accomplish and let him know that without his support she wouldn't take the job. The list? A 40-hour work week, a minimum wage, worker's compensation, unemployment compensation, a federal child labor law, direct federal aid for unemployment relief, Social Security, a revitalized public employment service and health insurance. She accomplished ALL of it except health insurance and we're st
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Aug 31, 2009
Libby
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Frances Perkins was a fascinating woman. She saw the Triangle Shirt Factory Fire as she was dining with other upper-class activists. They ran down to the street in horror. Although she had already been involved in activism, this atrocity spurred her to working on worker safety. She knew how to work with the system, specifically Tammany Hall politicos. She was on several New York commissions relating to worker rights, then appointed Labor Secretary under FDR. Of course she experienced sexis
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Oct 14, 2010
Tom
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The Truman biography got me curious about Frances Perkins, and as I work with social policy there was also professional interest as well. Pretty amazing to realize she was a witness at the social studies textbook classic Triangle Shirtwaist fire and went on to create the minimum wage, social security, unemployment, and disability. Oh, and she laid the groundwork that allows for unionization and collective bargaining. Oh and she is responsible for federal workplace safety codes. And with many of
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Mar 05, 2010
Meri
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Francis Perkins was probably the most amazing woman I never heard of. A lot of the legislation I credit FDR for actually came from her. She was the first woman elected to a cabinet position, and she did incredibly well in her job. She had brains and drive, but I would like to have seen a little more about how she got to be where she was, and the obstacles she faced to get there. Downey mentions a few things--how some people publicly decried her for being a woman--but not much on problems Fra
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Apr 16, 2009
Susan
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This is an important book, not only for the history of the Depression years & the Roosevelt (FDR) administration, but as a portrait of a pioneer in women's rights and labor rights. Frances Perkins is probably an unknown name to many people - from baby boomer age on. but she is responsible for so many labor, and safety in the workplace laws as well as for the development of Social Security. She was a powerful woman in the U.S. government at a time when women were not welcome in the workplace & os
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Sep 30, 2011
Sue
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Frances Perkins is one of the most important figures of the 20th century, but almost no one knows about her. Have you collected unemployment? Do you get Social Security payments? Or work a 40 hour week and then get time and a half for overtime? That's because of Frances Perkins. And she pushed for these things while Congress and her fellow Cabinet members refused to take her seriously because she was a woman. She was later kicked out of her job because she was a woman. You should know who this
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Jul 17, 2011
Rhod
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Francis Perkins fought her way though the prejudice of being the first woman to hold a cabinet post and despite all the things she did to improve the lives of others never got the credit or respect she richly deserved. The book documents her life and takes the reader from the early 1900's through World War II and beyond. As secretary of labor, she really had to deal with some childish egos that gave the whole labor movement a bad name. We may all be benefitting from the battles this lady waged.
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Nov 28, 2009
Donna
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Just contemplate the following:
building occupancy codes
fire escapes & fire protection for buildings
Social Security
unemployment insurance
worker's compensation
minimum wage laws
maximum hour laws & overtime pay
Fair Labor Standards Act
Wagner Act permitted labor organizing and forming NLRB
National Recovery Act
You might think all of these should be associated with Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, but you'd be only half right. More...
building occupancy codes
fire escapes & fire protection for buildings
Social Security
unemployment insurance
worker's compensation
minimum wage laws
maximum hour laws & overtime pay
Fair Labor Standards Act
Wagner Act permitted labor organizing and forming NLRB
National Recovery Act
You might think all of these should be associated with Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, but you'd be only half right. More...
Jul 16, 2009
Carol
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An illuminating look into one of the most important people in 20th century American history. If you like your eight-hour workday and your Social Security, thank Frances Perkins. But her personal life was not idyllic, she was hated by many in and outside of the Roosevelt Administration, and she had to work until the day she died. Downey did a great job researching and presenting this all-too unknown woman, but I wish for stronger writing, as well, to compliment this complex subject.
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Jun 08, 2009
Denise
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This book was really interesting. I know that all presidents get credit for achievements that are probably due to others in his administration, but I was surprised by how much Frances Perkins achieved. She really was the brains (and the political brawn) behind the New Deal, as well as most of our modern-day labor laws, and most Americans have never heard of her. I don't know if that's due to sexism or just how history was written, but this is worth reading.
Oct 01, 2011
Melissa
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It took me a while but this book has been a fascinating read. Frances Perkins was a true trailblazer and pioneer and such an inspiration - particularly to women. The causes she fought for in the 30's and 40's (worker protection, social security, immigration) are things we take for granted today and were non-existent then. I marvel at how she even thought of these causes.
The aspect of this book that actually made me feel better about today's political climate is that the craziness More...
The aspect of this book that actually made me feel better about today's political climate is that the craziness More...
Jun 19, 2011
Jessica
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This took a while to get through, but not because I didn't enjoy it. It's a very detailed biography of a woman I knew nothing about, but have come to admire greatly: Mrs. Frances Perkins, the first female cabinet secretary ever appointed. Previously unbeknownst to me, Ma Perkins was the Secretary of Labor appointed by FDR, and the author and champion of Social Security, 40-hr work week, worker's compensation, employment insurance, ending child labor... and the list really does go on and on. It d
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Sep 22, 2009
Colleen
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This was the next selection for my book club and I have really enjoyed it. It is well written and seems like Downey spent a lot of time doing research. Amazing to think that this was less then a 100 years ago and how she was worried about things like medical insurance for all. I enjoy biographies and do not read enough of them. Any suggestions for others would be appreciatied. One of the best books I have read this year.
Dec 23, 2009
from npr.org:
Here's how Franklin Roosevelt's controversial choice for secretary of labor recalled the first meeting of FDR's Cabinet in 1933:
"I tried to have as much of a mask as possible. I wanted to give the impression of being a quiet, orderly woman who didn't buzz-buzz all the time. ... I knew that a lady interposing an idea into men's conversation is very unwelcome. ... You didn't butt in with bright ideas."
Here's how Franklin Roosevelt's controversial choice for secretary of labor recalled the first meeting of FDR's Cabinet in 1933:
"I tried to have as much of a mask as possible. I wanted to give the impression of being a quiet, orderly woman who didn't buzz-buzz all the time. ... I knew that a lady interposing an idea into men's conversation is very unwelcome. ... You didn't butt in with bright ideas."
Jan 19, 2011
Dotty
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Frances Perkins was FDR’s Secretary of labor. She was present at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and it was an event among others that propelled her to work for laws to protect workers.
Fire escapes, maximum occupancy levels for buildings, Social Security, minimum wage among many other improvements were the result of her leadership in FDR’s administrations. Impressive woman.
Fire escapes, maximum occupancy levels for buildings, Social Security, minimum wage among many other improvements were the result of her leadership in FDR’s administrations. Impressive woman.
Nov 15, 2011
Judith
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A must read for anyone who thinks that FDR was the only great thinker behind the New Deal. Frances Perkins was the woman behind much of the New Deal. Her accomplishments amidst bitter personal tragedies was nothing less than miraculous. She worked right until her dying breath for the betterment of labor conditions and equality for women.
Jun 09, 2009
Barbara
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This was an interesting book. I'd heard of Frances Perkins but had no idea how key she was to all the great things we still have because of the New Deal. I expected to be inspired by someone who accomplished so much, but her life was so dreadful that it didn't make me feel like doing something important. Some things have gotten better.
