There were parts of this book that I absolutely loved, and other parts that left me a little bored. That's the best explanation I can give for only giving this three stars. That said, I'm glad I read this, and it definitely offers a greater insight into the life of a fascinating woman.

This book consists of four parts, each of which was originally published on its own. The first part covers Eleanor's early years, from her childhood through her early marriage to Franklin. The second part mostly covers her experiences as the wife of a politician, up until Franklin's death. The third part discusses her activities after Franklin's death. The fourth part is kind of a look to the future, updating on the state of things at the time and where she hoped the country would go.

A major theme of Roosevelt's writing is her path of self-discovery. She writes in depth about how she was constantly trying to please people when she was younger, and as a result didn't develop much in the way of personal interests or opinions until she was much older. As such, the first few sections of this book largely focus on her reactions to things rather than offering any personal insights into her thoughts or opinions. She manages to make being a favored niece of Teddy Roosevelt sound perfectly ordinary, and sometimes glosses over subjects that I wanted to know more about (her relationship with Teddy, for example) and focuses instead on descriptions of houses or, sometimes, clothes.

But after pushing through that, I really enjoyed the later sections of this book. That's where Roosevelt really starts to get into her own thoughts and opinions, and her life as a diplomat is fascinating. It reads almost like a travelogue as she covers her visits to foreign dignitaries and opinions about the progression of the Cold War. It's more political, but offered a lot of insight into her own thoughts.

What this book doesn't cover is any impropriety on the part of anyone in her family. Her father's alcoholism is mentioned, but only casually. Nothing is said of Franklin's affairs of course, and even his illness is somewhat glossed over. If you're looking more for juicy details, Ken Burns' documentary on the Roosevelts or a biography written after her death will offer more insight.