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32nd out of 395 books
—
144 voters
The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt
The long and eventful life of Eleanor Roosevelt (1884�1962) was full of rich experiences and courageous actions. The niece of Theodore Roosevelt, she married a distant relative and Columbia University law student named Franklin Delano Roosevelt; he gradually ascended throughout the world of New York politics to reach the U.S. presidency in 1932. Throughout his three terms,...more
Paperback, 454 pages
Published
March 22nd 1992
by Da Capo Press
(first published November 30th 1960)
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I got into reading about past Presidents around the time of the inauguration and became very curious about Eleanor Roosevelt when reading about her husband. After reading this three-volume autobiography, I am no longer curious, but I have even more admiration.
If you're very curious about her childhood, then by all means read the first volume, but if not, read the wikipedia article for a summary and skip to the good stuff. The second volume covers her years in the White House and contains many o...more
If you're very curious about her childhood, then by all means read the first volume, but if not, read the wikipedia article for a summary and skip to the good stuff. The second volume covers her years in the White House and contains many o...more
Enjoyable read, and it was fascinating to observe how she responded to and was influenced by circumstances at different stages of her life. Given how widely quoted she is and the esteem she seems to be held in, I had assumed before reading this book that she had led a charmed life sheltered from the trials and tribulations faced by us mere mortals. Finding out that this was not the case was a pleasant surprise which made her all the more human and easy to relate to.
There were some things I woul...more
There were some things I woul...more
There are already enough reviews about this book so I will be brief. This is an autobiography of an American First Lady. Her writing style is very clear and polished. She is extremely diplomatic (almost the point of absurdity.) For example, I was several chapters in before realizing how awful her mother in law was. She wrote about her so objectively. It is rather like something DATA from Star Trek (an emotionless but lovable android) would write. However, I did find this very enjoyable and infor...more
My first reaction when I completed this book was "Whew!" I felt like I had just completed a chore that I could check off my list. Truth be told, I didn't really read the last 3 chapters, but skimmed every third paragraph or so to see if she was saying something interested. Of course she wasn't.
This book is in 3 Parts, apparently each written at separate times and intended to be separate books. Word to the wise: read only one of them - whichever one piques your interest. I'll break it down for yo...more
This book is in 3 Parts, apparently each written at separate times and intended to be separate books. Word to the wise: read only one of them - whichever one piques your interest. I'll break it down for yo...more
Eleanor lived through very interesting phases of the country's history - World War I, World War II, the suffrage movement, and the Cold War to name a few. She played a significant part of her husband's presidency, being FDR's eyes, ears and legs, so to speak.
I read this book because it was used heavily as a source in Noelle Hancock's "A Year with Eleanor." Hancock was an entertainment blogger who got laid off. One day, she read a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, "Do one thing every day that scares...more
I read this book because it was used heavily as a source in Noelle Hancock's "A Year with Eleanor." Hancock was an entertainment blogger who got laid off. One day, she read a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, "Do one thing every day that scares...more
There were parts of this book that I loved and parts that made me want to throw it out the window. I kept having to remind myself that she still did all the amazing things that I love Eleanor Roosevelt for, but she did them stuck in the mindset of a early 20th century female "housewife" - husband, social niceties and family first. However, around the time that Franklin entered the White House, Eleanor kicked it into high gear. With the children gone and her husband immersed in a career that she...more
I have always admired Eleanor Roosevelt, not always agreed politically but felt she was wise. Found it a very uplifting and informative biography. Of course in an autobiography you only learn what the author wants you to learn but it tells what is important to her, what she worked so hard for. She admitted mistakes, she was always learning, always trying to improve. I thought being born rich she had it all. She was born a Roosevelt niece of Theodore Roosevelt who ‘gave her away’ at her wedding w...more
This provided a lot of insight into the progressive thinking of this famous lady. She seems to be a prototype: she was raised in an age when women were meant to serve, yet she lived beyond that into an age in which women began to be heard. The book was great in revealing her concern for people of other countries. What was missing was much about her personal relationships. The sum total seems to be a very private person who was much more comfortable dealing with strangers, or at least that is the...more
This is a wonderful book, IMO. The first section focuses on her early years of childhood and marriage and the pre-White House years; the second on the White House years; the third part on her UN years; the fourth on her later-year thoughts. I have always admired ER, particularly when I was young; as a middle-age woman now - I still want to be ER when I grow up!
Her early years are interesting, as she had to face a lot of criticism - e.g., from her mother about her appearance (ER calls herself an...more
Her early years are interesting, as she had to face a lot of criticism - e.g., from her mother about her appearance (ER calls herself an...more
May 02, 2010
~mad
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Mailed to Jane
Recommended to ~mad by:
one of CMC's books
This is one of my mother's books - she idealized Mrs Roosevelt - so I am looking for some insight. Having read 60+ pages, I see some resemblance already!
This quite a read. I learned more from this book thanI ever would have in a classroom - and I am not a history buff. But I have all of these books!
It dragged 'for me' at the end at the last convention Eleanor attended. Isn't that interesting - I found another time and another place much more fascinating than the time during the first 10 years of...more
This quite a read. I learned more from this book thanI ever would have in a classroom - and I am not a history buff. But I have all of these books!
It dragged 'for me' at the end at the last convention Eleanor attended. Isn't that interesting - I found another time and another place much more fascinating than the time during the first 10 years of...more
I had actually known very little about Eleanor Roosevelt before reading this book. It was wonderful to both learn about her and view the world through her eyes. She lived to be almost eighty and her life was never dull. One can only aspire to be a fraction as active as she. A biography of Eleanor Roosevelt is fascinating because you really get sense of how she developed as a person. It was a slow process for her and she didn't become the independent person we think of until well into her middle...more
Eleanor Rosevelt condensed three volumns of earlier autobiographies, then added information to bring it up to 1960 and produce this book. She was a shy, intelligent child who later married Franklin D. Roosevelt who became President in 1932. She was a very active First Lady who volunteered for many organizations and wrote a newspaper column, while she also raised a family and entertained dignitaries. She later became a UN delegate and an activist in the Democratic party. Mrs Roosevelt had a fasci...more
I was shocked to meet the Eleanor in the first part of this book who was dutiful, obedient, and a woman who never gave any thought to whether she supported women's suffrage. In her words, "the ability to think for myself did not develop until I was well on in life and therefore no real personality developed in my early youth." How depressing...but it gives some hope to those of us about to hit that age at which Eleanor's life really started to get fired up.
The early part of the book also offers...more
The early part of the book also offers...more
Sep 18, 2008
Alison Kenney
added it
I'm excited about this...very timely given the upcoming election!
OK, I'm about half-way through now...I've discovered that Eleanor was a daily columnist. She wrote a column a day/six days week for many years. That's the problem with this book: she turns each event into a folksy "here's the deal" column. Meeting Kings and Queens or FDR's relationship with Churchill are all reported the same way - she finds one cute anecdote and focuses on that, and the book misses out on so much "meat" along the...more
OK, I'm about half-way through now...I've discovered that Eleanor was a daily columnist. She wrote a column a day/six days week for many years. That's the problem with this book: she turns each event into a folksy "here's the deal" column. Meeting Kings and Queens or FDR's relationship with Churchill are all reported the same way - she finds one cute anecdote and focuses on that, and the book misses out on so much "meat" along the...more
After reading a lot, then setting it down for a year or so- I picked it up last month and finished up last night! I really liked the last part the best. Honestly, Eleanor's best side seemed to come forth after her husband's death. Though I understand that if you are married to a highly political man (ie president for over a decade) that your life revolves around that but it was nice to see her have her own life after his death. Also, she says herself that she really learned to quit fearing doing...more
I did like this book. I gave it 4 stars because at times she put extraneous information. I did not know why the reader was told if the guest was wearing sandals or toe covered shoes. I know it is a auto-biography and the reader has to put up with this detail when one reads auto-biographies.
Her perspective on issues was very eye opening, (from the civil war to the civil rights). I do see how she tried to empathize but for everyone there is only so much we can wear another person's shoes.
Her perspective on issues was very eye opening, (from the civil war to the civil rights). I do see how she tried to empathize but for everyone there is only so much we can wear another person's shoes.
Eleanor Roosevelt is by no means a literary master, but her story was intriguing and worth the read. I enjoyed how the autobiography evolved as she evolved. Her descriptions of her early life were straightforward and without introspection. As she matured and found her own voice, her life and her story became more personal and opinionated. While much of the book was guarded in the way that the wife of a president must be, her perspectives at times were quite interesting, especially her vehement a...more
Very interesting to read. While some of the book got tedious with the daily happenings I found her insight to life ver interesting. Loved how she found herself with different challenges at each stage of life. I wanted to write down every thing she said. It seemed that she had a quote for every situation. What an interesting woman. So strong and surprising even to herself.
Made me want to read more about her life and that of her husband President Roosevelt
Made me want to read more about her life and that of her husband President Roosevelt
I had always wanted to know what kind of person ER was. Most fascinating part of reading it was getting her perspective on the threat even people like her - powerful people - felt from the Soviets during the Cold War. It's also interesting that she describes her husband in a very one-dimensional way, carefully avoiding any hint that he might have had flaws. I think loyalty was a much more highly valued trait then than it is now.
I made it about halfway through this book, which is the abridged version of her three volume autobiography. I hoped to learn a lot about the author, but unfortunately her observations remain superficial and too polite to lend any insight. For example, her response to question about what she thought about her husband's polio was something along the lines of I didn't really think about it - it just was.
I also found the language of this book to be quite silted, a product of her time and class, I t...more
I also found the language of this book to be quite silted, a product of her time and class, I t...more
I found this book extremely interesting although a bit lengthy. The first 3/4 of the book was fascinating and well written but as I am not interested in politics, I found the end of the book (which describes her political accomplishments) to be too wordy and long. Her accomplishments are definitely worthy of mention, just not in my interest.
Wow, she sure has some guts! Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the president Franklin Roosevelt, has some really strong beliefs. She has helped women get the right to vote, and fish them out of the well. Even though she's had a not very pleasant childhood, I think that made her all the detirmind to make her voice get out.
Feb 24, 2009
Elizabeth
added it
She was an amazing woman! It is so interesting to read her perspective on her life. She is definately a rare breed and very inspiring. It's not a tell all (ie, nothing on her husband cheating on her) but if you are unfamiliar with the work that she did for this country I think that you should read it.
I thought this autobiography was very interesting--but a bit long. She has some great insights, and I really appreciated her frank approach to her own character, shortcomings, and life lessons. Her writing is full of great one-liners, so I ended up highlighting a lot throughout the book.
I loved reading this book. Eleanor Roosevelt has become an inspiration of mine and reading her Autobiography furthered my belief that this great women deserves our admiration. The things she wrote about reminded me so much of my grandmother they way things were, the way things were done.
Dec 09, 2010
Sarah
added it
I read this when I was in the 5th grade. This, along with The Screwtape Letters, which is the only book I re-read on occassion, and the book of Revelations from the Bible are what I remember most from my 5th grade reading list, though I did not finish the Book of Revelations.
Unfortunately I am finding this tedious...and have taken a break to read other works. I have long wanted to read this because a personality test I took revealed I have a similar personality as Eleanor. Am sure I will return to this eventually...
I was inspired to read about Eleanor Roosevelt after an event at my local library with an historical actress re-creating the late first lady. This book was good, but there were things missing that had been mentioned at the event, so I do want to read a biography from a third party to get the overall picture.
May 25, 2013
Victoria Grusing
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who cares about the USA
There were many observations made by the author, that I wish could be heard by all in the USA. Although the book was finished in the early 1960's we seem to need some of her suggestions more now than we did then.
very interesting life this great lady had. amazed by her humbleness and discipline. She saw may things and gave it a lot of thought. amazing how well she saw what made the difference between USA and the russian east.
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Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was an American political leader who used her influence as an active First Lady from 1933 to 1945 to promote the New Deal policies of her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as taking a prominent role as an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, she continued to be an internationally prominent author and speaker for the New Deal coalition...more
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“Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose a challenge instead of competence.”
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“He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
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Jul 19, 2011 07:00am