This is My Story

by Eleanor Roosevelt

One of the most recognized and remarkable women of the twentieth century, Eleanor Roosevelt led a rare and privileged life. In This Is My Story, first published in 1937, Roosevelt reflects on her childhood, early adulthood, and the years of her marriage before moving in to the White House. With startling frankness, Roosevelt reveals and examines the events and people who shaped her life, including her famous uncle, Theodore Roosevelt, and the man who would become her husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Eleanor Roosevelt went on to publish numerous other works, both biographical and political, including This I Remember and On My Own, memoirs of life as first lady of the United States, and of life following the death of her husband.

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Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Memoir, Inspirational

278 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1939

About the author

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. She was a suffragist who worked to enhance the status of working women, although she opposed the Equal Rights Amendment because she believed it would adversely affect women. In the 1940s, she was one of the co-founders of Freedom House and supported the formation of the United Nations. Eleanor Roosevelt founded the UN Association of the United States in 1943 to advance support for the formation of the UN. She was a delegate to the UN General Assembly from 1945 and 1952, a job for which she was appointed by President Harry S. Truman and confirmed by the United States Congress. During her time at the United Nations chaired the committee that drafted and approved the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. President Truman called her the "First Lady of the World" in tribute to her human rights achievements.
She was one of the most admired persons of the 20th century, according to Gallup's List of Widely Admired People.

Reviews

[Aida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleanor Franklin writes a story about her early life up through post-WWI and when her husband first fell ill with Polio. It's an interesting account of her upbringing, her education, her early married life, and her becoming an independent socially educated woman. I felt sorry for her while reading about her childhood, which Eleanor describes as being ignored by her mother and extended family members because she wasn't pretty or intelligent. In addition, she was looked at as clumsy, awkward and unable to accomplish much. Situations where her mother was very critical and punitive towards Eleanor were often pointed out being due to her ugliness, as well as her shaming the family by Eleanor's somewhat rambunctious behavior, which all led to her developing severe shyness and a poor self esteem. What a sad and lonely life she must have led! It is not until she marries and well into that relationship and following the post WWI era , that Eleanor begins to grow to realize her own intelligence, independence and self worth. I'm now compelled to read the more modern version of her autobiography, which covers the later part of her life and more of her humanitarian work.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hard book to locate. It cost around $100 to buy it, and I went to 3 libraries before I was able to read a copy. It is Eleanor Roosevelt's autobiography, written at age 40. Here are my disjointed thoughts:

(1) One has to give a large leeway when reading this book. Mrs. Roosevelt was very candid for the time (1930's), although some of her large confessions are not even an afterthought in today's world. There was such a large melting pot of immigrants, so diversity was everywhere. However, there were several passages of casual racism, which were cringe worthy and uncomfortable to read.

(2) Her wealth was immense and very un-relatable. Raising children without nurses, maids, cooks, governesses, doctors, drivers, boarding schools and a domineering mother-in-law? How did she possibly manage!

(3) She underwent a huge personal evolution of a woman's place in the world. Starting from a position that the woman is subservient to a man in every aspect of life, to being able to form her own opinions and eventually make her own political speeches.

(4) Her book stops at the beginning of the most important era of her life! So it's nice to know that you can still accomplish great things after the age of 40.

Now I'll have to read a biography to get the full story....

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a graceful book, right from the opening line. She's honest in the best way, without being hurtful, but with an insightful approach to herself and those around her. I wrote down a thousand quotes from this book. Who is like her today?

[Tove R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This autobiography could have been so much better, but Mrs Roosevelt seems to have written it for herself. It is filled with things I believe only a few people would be interested in. The book is filled with sentences like "In May we moved to Albany with servant A and B. In September we moved back to New York, and got new servants C, D, and F. In October we went to Montreal and I met Mrs G and Mrs H. In December we had Mr and Mrs I's child J with us." I have never read a book with so many exclamation points! At times there can be sentences after sentences ending with exclamation points! Annoying!

Some information shared was interesting, but I think I'll stick to biographies instead of autobiographies, when it comes to First Ladies. This book ended before she became one. So many things happened to Eleanor Roosevelt even during the years before her District days, but she jumped over the important parts, or the parts I would have been interested in. To be honest, why would I care about the eldest three kids having a cough at the same time?

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great book. Eleanor Roosevelt was way beyond her time. I think she might have even inspired me to start journaling. There are many life lessons that I've gleaned from this book and it was a quick, easy read to boot.

[Susan Albert · Rating 5 out of 5]

In its time (written in 1936), a surprisingly candid & revealing memoir of ER's childhood, courtship and family years, through FDR's illnesss and her entry into politics. Ends in 1928, when FDR becomes governor of NY. Written at Lorena Hickok's urging to define herself to her public and to earn money, most of which ER used to bail her children out of various scrapes. This is the book on which most ER biographies are based.

[Sayed]

Too good

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiration - a life well lived

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating insight into one of the heroes in my life.

[Lauren Perotto · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first half of the book about her growing up years and early marriage. But then it turned into a travel log and address book. It was interesting to read about the time period and events from her point of view. I’d still like to learn more about her. In some ways she was very open about her own life and faults. In other ways she completely ignored some major life events that I know played a part in her story.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay, I really liked learning about her life. It can be easy to assume that popular figures never faced trials, but she certainly did and she didn't always know what to do and went through years of awkwardness, but eventually got involved in a lot of good causes, I believe with great intentions. I learned a lot from her example in this book, but it is a little rambling.

[Debby Nowicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book as it gave me a little more information about Eleanor Roosevelt and that family. I am interested in that information from her point of view. I am going to read the next one she wrote which should go into his presidency since this one ended before that.

[Pamela Wetherill · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wise, self-reflective, self-critical woman. This book is as remarkable for what it doesn't mention as what it does; her self-directed growth as a human and a woman and a mother and a wife is as timely and relevant today as anything out there.

[Palwinder kaur]

III I kilo very well book