First published 2004
Joseph Lash examines Eleanor Roosevelt and her intricate bond with Franklin Delano Roosevelt in this acclaimed biography. Drawing from Eleanor's private papers, Lash traces her journey from her 1884 birth through the social and family forces that molded her character. The author, who maintained a close friendship with Mrs. Roosevelt for more than two decades, reveals how Eleanor developed into her husband's moral compass and primary advisor. Lash shows how Eleanor's idealistic nature shaped the unusual partnership she forged with Franklin as he climbed from local politics to the presidency. The biography spans Eleanor's transformation from a young woman into First Lady and demonstrates how their relationship influenced American political history. Lash won the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, and Francis Parkman Prize for this work, which covers the period ending with FDR's death in 1945. The book illuminates the personal dynamics behind one of America's most consequential political marriages.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, political-science, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, power-couple
Setting: United States
Period: 1884, 1945
765 pages · Hardcover · History Book Club