On Dupont Circle: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and the Progressives Who Shaped Our World

by James Srodes

Prize-winning author James Srodes offers a vivid and scintillating portrait of the twelve young men and women who, on the eve of World War I, came together in Washington, D.C.’s tony Dupont Circle neighborhood. They were ambitious for personal and social advancement, and what bound them together was a sheer determination to remake America and the rest of the world in their progressive image.

At one residence--known ironically as The House of Truth--lived Felix Frankfuter, a future Supreme Court Justice, and Walter Lippman, later the most important political writer of the twentieth century. Another house served as the base for three siblings: John Foster Dulles, future Secretary of State, Allen Dulles, one of the founders of the CIA, and sister Eleanor Lansing Dulles, one of the most important economists of the age.

Meanwhile, nearby lived young Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, who even then were rising political stars, William Bullitt, a charming and unscrupulous writer and future ambassador, and Herbert Hoover, already the most famous American in the world.

The group mixed cocktails, foreign policy, and bed-mates as they set out to remake the world. For the next twenty years they pursued increasingly important careers as their private lives become ever more entangled. By the end of this story, on the eve of WWII, the group came together again for a second chance at history--this time the result was the United Nations.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, Presidents, Biography, Business, Dc Comics

288 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2012

Reviews

[Chris D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a historical look at a group of individuals who had influence in shaping foreign policy in the United States from the period of roughly World War I to the end of World War II. Author Strodes chose to only highlight a small number of people whom he calls progressives that he believes all had a connection socially and influenced both the Democratic and Republican administrations.

To me the book does not succeed as it spends way too much time on the personal lives of these individuals which really had nothing to do with forming the policy objectives that were so important during this era. Dupont Circle has only a very small role in the book and actually a description of this area in Washington and the men and women who lived in this neighborhood might have made for a better book.

[Joy]

I read the first few chapters and quit. I wanted to like this more than I did. The premise is really quite interesting; I just found it pretty dry, and written basically like a history book.

[Jae Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah ..

The title is pretty much a ruse, I had hoped it was to be more about the history of the Dupont Circle itself .. [I know .. to avoid that .. read the summary .. never judge a book by it's cover] .. but I'm already committed to reading it through ..

I suppose I could quit wile I'm ahead, right? Meh, we'll see where the book takes me ...

[Flowergarden24 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book showed how so many prominent political people started out in their careers and were connected through family ties and famous friends. Just like today, corruption , personal misconduct, coverups , scandals and even some intelligence and vision were central to our government operations. It wasn't a book I couldn't wait to pick up each day but I'm glad I finally read through it.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The history was interesting - the tedium of the narrative made it a hard read to get through! Too many names to keep track of, too much back-and-forthing between the characters. I plowed through it as a book group read - would never have finished it without that impetus!

[Frank Duke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely have mixed feelings about this book. I began it, thinking it would deal in depth with the lives of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt during the Wilson Administration when FDR served as Assistant Secretary if the Navy. That was a mistaken impression; the Roosevelts are, at best, peripheral characters in the first half the book, which is more focused on the lives of Walter Lippman and the Dulles brothers from the 1910s to the 1940s.

Having been misled by the book's subtitle, I did find myself enjoying parts of the book -- especially those dealing with progressivism in the 1920s as it tried to keep Wilsonian idealism alive. This was an interesting element about which I knew nothing.

On the whole, this was a huge disappointment. I did not hate this book, but I felt badly misled by its title.

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

IQ "a world already dangerously disillusioned about the inventive genius of statesmen and political scientists", FDR, 1935 letter. pg. 232

If you cover up the year you can almost imagine that quote being about politicians today. Which is both encouraging and discouraging. I'm going to go with a more optimistic viewpoint since I really hope politics can create positive change it's just a messy process that annoys many but with a few good people in there, things can get shaken up. I think this book is a bit too ambitious by boldly proclaiming that it will follow the lives of the twelve Progressives who changed their world to one that resembles the world we know today. It definitely neglects the British Progressives and the women, Eleanor Dulles and Eleanor Roosevelt. I found this especially disappointing since they were the ones I knew the least about. But I think the purpose of this book is more to chronicle the meaning of the word Progressive in the early 20th century (As the definition or at least those who defined themselves as progressives) changed quite a bit in that period. The book is not meant to be a complete biography of each character obviously, I just felt that the author focused more on some characters (FDR, Foster Dulles) than others (the women). However he succeeds in showing how each was influential in at least some small way. And he does a great job of weaving their lives all together.

A straightforward, finely crafted book on some people who have been ignored in history books and the legendary ones who are lionized and demonized too extremely.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine history of the first half of the 20th Century, tracing the lives and careers of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover and various other lesser-known figures such as Walter Lippmann, Felix Frankfurter, William Bullitt, Sumner Welles, the Dulles brothers and a range of others. Not really a scholarly history, at times gossipy and fun to read, this book sheds light on the meaning of "progressive" to a generation of progressives that is much more diverse and idealistic than what the term suggests today. I'd recommend it to fans of non-fiction, popular history and those who would like to understand more about the diplomatic history of the United States. It also helps to explain how the world we know came into being.

[Edgar Raines]

This book has a brilliant concept--the young progressives who lived in the Dupont Circle area of Washington, D.C., during the Wilson administration, how they interacted at dinner parties, and how these experiences molded their future careers as reformers. Unfortunately, the author has not found the evidence that would allow him to execute his plan. The result is a great deal of speculation in the absence of evidence. I abandoned this book before I finished it. I decided I had better things to do with my time.

[Brett · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book included too many historical figures and seemed to feel the need to dwell on the scandals and gossip to retain reader interest, which also had the effect of maligning those who had problems with alcohol or infidelity. The title also suggested there would be a tie between the people described and Dupont Circle, but in the end it seemed to be merely a title as Dupont Circle had a fleeting role in the overall book.

[Eric Scharf · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a long time DC resident this was a fascinating account of the men and women who helped to shape American foreign policy in the early part of the last centutry and the connection to the neighborhood that I long called home. Well written and worth the read.

[Stephen Rodgveller · Rating 3 out of 5]

good mix of history and some gossip, I liked the perspective that it gave to a little known period and how it influenced the world that we now live in.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read it because I live in DuPont Circle, so it was intrigued about this history. It read more like a textbook, so I found myself struggling to read it in my free time.

[Coleen Dailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting history of a group of friends and colleagues and their impact on history.