Weighing in at over a thousand pages and a good two pounds (at least), this is purported to be the definitive one-volume biography of FDR. I truly hope so, for I don't believe my wrists could endure another paragraph on the subject. That being said, it is indeed comprehensive (perhaps overly so in some of the minutiae of policy-making). Black appears to have perused the memoirs of nearly every single individual who ever interacted with FDR. To someone as lamentably ignorant of history as myself, this book presents a number of captivating revelations that were never taught to us in high school: FDR's unsuccessful attempt to revamp and severely curtail the power of the Supreme Court; his shrewd and cynical handling of Joseph Kennedy, Douglas MacArthur, all of his vice-presidents, and countless others; Congress' refusal to permit absentee voting for American GIs during WWII, in part due to the fear of enfranchising black soldiers...

Black seems disinclined to recognize Russia's decisive role in defeating the Nazis. He even writes, \\"...the British and Americans could have defeated Germany without Russia, and would have done so, even without atomic weapons.\\" Hmmm. So while Black doesn't conceal FDR's less appealing traits, his insistence on the complete collapse of Western civilization as the inevitable consequence of continued American isolationism, a stance artfully undercut by Roosevelt, does impart a hint of hagiography to the book.

Overall, though, this is an outstanding overview of the man's life and times, with vivid depictions of his contemporaries (particularly, Churchill) and incisive analyses of the issues surrounding the Great Depression and the evolution of the war.

A Massive and Lively Chronicle of Roosevelt's Life and Achievements

This is a truly remarkable work that delves deep into the life and times of Roosevelt. It is a massive chronicle, yet it is filled with such vitality and energy that it never fails to engage the reader.

From the very first page, one is drawn into the story, unable to put it down. The author's highly opinionated style adds an extra layer of interest, making the biography a unique and captivating read.

As told by an incorrigible, sometimes irascible raconteur, the narrative is filled with colorful anecdotes and personal insights that bring Roosevelt to life in a way that few other biographies can.

Whether you are a history buff or simply interested in learning more about one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, this biography is a must-read. It offers a comprehensive and engaging look at Roosevelt's life and achievements, and is sure to leave a lasting impression on all who read it.

**Franklin Delano Roosevelt: A Balanced Biography**

Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom by Conrad Black is an extensive work. Spanning 1,134 pages, it consists of five parts with five chapters each, covering FDR's life from January 1882 to April 1945. This is likely the longest single-volume biography of him. Conrad Black, known for writing about Nixon and Trump, might not be the obvious choice to author an FDR biography, yet here it is. Surprisingly, the book is balanced, often looking favorably on FDR's life and legacy by comparing him to Lincoln. For example, Black blames Hoover and "reactionary" Republicans partly for the Great Depression, which is not a common view among conservatives. However, FDR's flaws are also revealed, disproving any idea of a hagiography.

The book devotes only 15 pages to FDR's childhood from 0-18 years old. He becomes President-elect on page 249, leaving 885 pages for his presidency. Eleanor Roosevelt is presented as an argumentative, naive, and unrealistic wife, but Black also refutes rumors of her lesbianism and shows sympathy for her difficult upbringing and marriage. The rest of FDR's family (except his progenitors and TR) isn't in-depth until page 900.

FDR's humor shines through. He called a New York Republican nomination attempt "amphibian." He had a routine of introducing his balding son James in a humorous way. At Tehran in 1943, he quipped about Stalin's proposal to execute Germans. At Yalta in 1945, he made a joke about Churchill and Wendell Willkie.

While Black's biography is well-researched, it reads like a recitation of facts compared to other biographers. The need to describe every person who met FDR didn't help. It got more interesting after World War II broke out on page 528, but even that became turgid. Overall, it's like a thousand Wikipedia pages. However, Black's homage to FDR at the end is beautiful.

"I am like a cat. I make a quick stroke, and then I relax."

— Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a proud dog owner (p.1118)

**Title: The Importance of Reading**

Reading is an essential activity that offers numerous benefits.

It allows us to expand our knowledge, explore different cultures and ideas, and improve our language skills.

When we read, we expose ourselves to a wide range of vocabulary, sentence structures, and writing styles, which helps us to become better communicators.

Moreover, reading can be a great source of entertainment and relaxation.

It can transport us to different worlds,让我们体验各种情感 and forget about our daily stressors.

In addition, reading has been shown to have a positive impact on our mental health.

It can reduce anxiety and depression, improve our concentration and memory, and enhance our overall cognitive abilities.

Therefore, it is important to make reading a part of our daily routine.

Whether it's a book, a magazine, or an article, reading can enrich our lives in many ways.

So, pick up a good book today and start reading!

A surpringly well informed bio based on secondary sources. This well written book provides a wonderful introduction to our greatest president.

The author has done an excellent job of gathering and presenting information from various secondary sources. The result is a biography that is not only informative but also engaging to read. The writing style is clear and concise, making it accessible to a wide range of readers.

The book covers all aspects of the president's life, from his early years to his presidency and beyond. It provides insights into his personality, his leadership style, and his achievements. The author also examines the challenges and controversies that the president faced during his time in office.

Overall, this is a highly recommended book for anyone interested in learning more about our greatest president. It is a great introduction to his life and legacy, and it will leave readers with a deeper understanding and appreciation of his contributions to our country.

An exhaustive study has been conducted, and it presents a compelling case. Roosevelt was indeed an opportunistic president. However, this does not overshadow the fact that he was also extraordinary. His progressive politics had a profound impact. It saved America from various crises and made it a safer place for both the common people and the elites. Interestingly, the elites, who might have initially viewed Roosevelt as a class traitor, also benefited from his policies. Roosevelt's ability to navigate through complex political landscapes and implement reforms that addressed the needs of the nation was remarkable. His actions not only brought about social and economic change but also set the stage for a more prosperous and inclusive America.

Author Conrad Black, a Canadian, shows great perception when he wrote on page 1022 of his extensive work.

He states that "Franklin D. Roosevelt was an unprecedented phenomenon. Our 32nd president is truly admirable for two remarkable achievements: his always sunny disposition in the face of an epic battle against polio and, of course, his resounding victory over the arch-villain, Adolph Hitler." However,

while reading Conrad Black's captivating 1134-page biography, one develops a distinct dislike for the elitist and waspy snobbishness of President Roosevelt. Born into a wealthy family with considerable privilege and having Cousin Teddy previously elected to the White House, FDR utilized every possible political tactic and connection throughout his life to have his way and ascend to an elitist position where he frequently dictated to the rest of us what we were permitted to do.

FDR's tenure was not the ideal model for presidential leadership in our representative republic, where the executive is an employee of the citizens. (President Washington still remains unrivaled.) FDR was not what our Founders had in mind when they drafted our Constitution. Fortunately, a subsequent Congress passed the 22nd amendment to our Constitution, which limits presidents to two terms. It's a pity that Congress didn't go further and limit their own terms as well. God protect us forever from elitists in power who believe it is their right to tell Americans what we can and cannot do. Liberty suffered a blow from which it has not yet fully recovered during the rule of a brilliant but rather insufferable Franklin D. Roosevelt.

I was truly impressed by this book, so much so that I felt compelled to share my thoughts on the aspects that I most enjoyed. When I first laid eyes on it at Waldenbooks, the sheer size of the tome caught my attention. With 1280 pages (including notes and index; 1134 pages of text), it is indeed a substantial book. I have a penchant for reading books that are rich in detail, rather than those that are mere overviews or introductions. However, that size does come with some drawbacks. It's not a book that you would want to lug around on a trip. After spending many weeks with it, I also became rather eager to reach the end.

If I hadn't come across this book in the store, I'm not sure if I would ever have been interested in reading it, or any book about Roosevelt for that matter. My political philosophy is ostensibly the opposite of his...or so I thought. After reading it, I've come to believe that Roosevelt is not quite the liberal/socialist I might have assumed. In fact, when I informed a friend that I was getting this book, he was quite surprised and referred to FDR as a socialist.

One can't deny that Roosevelt did "liberalize" the United States. But considering the economic and political turmoil of the 1920s and 1930s, we are perhaps fortunate that initiatives even closer to socialism weren't introduced. With socialist agitators vying for position on the left, and isolationist conservatives on the right, it's truly remarkable that Roosevelt was able to chart what I would describe as a fairly centrist course.

Despite being full of detail, the book progresses at a brisk pace. By page 137, he is stricken with polio, and by page 249, he is president. The first third of the book, as expected, deals with the Great Depression and FDR's New Deal legislation. I found this section of the book rather tiresome. However, with my newfound understanding of economics and finance, I hope to make better sense of it upon a second reading.

The book really picked up for me on page 455, when the author, Conrad Black, begins to dissect the events that led up to the Munich appeasement. This chapter (51 pages) is a tour de force and sets the stage admirably for the lead-up to Pearl Harbor (page 683).

Between the wars, most of America was blissfully isolationist. The strength of these chapters lies in the fact that Black shows us how FDR, who could discern Hitler's intentions from the outset, carefully and patiently steered public opinion towards a readiness to fight the Nazis and, of course, the Japanese. A consummate political leader, FDR in essence shaped public opinion, rather than simply following it.

Once America enters the war, the last half of the book takes us through FDR's efforts to collaborate with Churchill and Stalin to defeat the Axis. Black concludes with an excellent analysis of FDR's main achievements. Many historians criticize FDR for failing Eastern Europe at Yalta, but Black presents convincing arguments that, given the military and political realities he faced, Roosevelt was ultimately successful.

Throughout this biography, Conrad Black demonstrates not only his fairness and attention to detail as a biographer but also his exceptional eloquence as a writer.

This is an overall interesting read. However, the author has interjected with an excessive number of his own judgmental comments. For example, words like "obviously mistaken" are used. This kind of subjective language can sometimes overshadow the objectivity of the content.

Moreover, there are a great many details and speculations about what happened. While these may add to the narrative, they also have the potential to water down the true sense of historical accounts. It becomes difficult to distinguish between what is fact and what is the author's own interpretation or assumption.

As is the case with any books in this category, it is important to approach it with a grain of salt. We should not blindly accept everything written but rather critically evaluate the information presented. By doing so, we can gain a more accurate understanding of the historical events and avoid being misled by the author's biases or unfounded speculations.

He is not my favorite president, yet he undoubtedly possessed certain strengths.

I firmly believe that he was extremely adept at deceiving people in order to ascend to the presidency. He seemed to have a knack for presenting a false front and convincing others to support him.

However, it cannot be denied that he was also highly shrewd in his interpersonal dealings. He knew how to manipulate and charm people to get his way. He was able to navigate the complex web of politics and make connections that would further his agenda.

Despite my personal feelings towards him, I must admit that he was a master of the game when it came to achieving power and getting things done. Whether his methods were ethical or not is another matter entirely.

Having read biographies of his wife, Eleanor and fifth cousin, Theodore, I had a strong desire to delve deeper into the life of the man who was frequently mentioned in those two biographies. FDR was yet another remarkable American who emerged during a time when the nation was in desperate need of his leadership.

FDR was born into a wealthy and privileged family. As a child, he had the opportunity to travel extensively and met renowned figures such as Mark Twain and even President Grover Cleveland. His life seemed idyllic until the age of 14 when he was sent to Groton Boarding School.

Most youths in his social class attended private boarding schools to prepare them for the challenges of adulthood. At Groton, he was far from being pampered. Lacking athleticism, popularity, and leadership skills, he was humbled. However, he mustered up the determination to turn his miserable experience around. He took up boxing, became a dorm prefect, joined the debate team, and completely transformed his social standing before leaving for Harvard.

At Harvard, he excelled. He made the football team and, by his senior year, was the editor of the prestigious Harvard Crimson newspaper. He also passed his bar exam, which meant he didn't need to complete law school to become a lawyer.

In 1905, he married his distant cousin, Eleanor, and they had six children. In 1918, their marriage almost ended when Eleanor discovered a pack of love letters from her social secretary, Lucy Mercer. FDR, aware that a divorce would damage his political ambitions, chose to stay in a mostly platonic marriage with Eleanor, and he continued to excel politically.

He served as a NY state senator, Secretary of the Navy, and ran for VP with Cox (losing to Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge). Then, in 1921, he contracted polio. Despite their strained relationship, Eleanor became a great motivator and encouraged him to pursue his political aspirations.

In 1928, he became the governor of NY and won the presidential election in 1935. He was a remarkable leader who didn't let his disability hold him back. He led the country out of the Great Depression with his "New Deal" program and guided the nation through World War II.

An interesting aspect of his presidency was his concern about the aging Supreme Court. He proposed a bill stating that judges must retire at 70, and if not, the president had the authority to add additional judges, up to a maximum of six. Of course, this bill didn't pass Congress. It's quite amusing to think about today's major politicians, including the two leading presidential hopefuls, Trump and Biden, who are both elderly.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was filled with drama, including the bickering between two high-strung women in FDR's life. His daughter, Anna, was quite a character. She even encouraged Lucy and FDR to continue their affair and arranged for their trysts! Then there was distant cousin Anna, Teddy Roosevelt's daughter and Eleanor's niece, who seemed to stick her nose into everything. She constantly bickered with her stepmother, and her rude personality was evident in her quote, "FDR deserves a good time, (referring to his affairs) he is married to Eleanor!" Overall, the book was both entertaining and informative.

This is an astonishing biography of an extraordinary president.

It has been meticulously researched and comprehensively presented. Conrad Black spares no effort in building his argument that FDR was the "most important person of the 20th century."

The deep affection and profound respect that Black holds for his subject pervade the pages of this book, making it an absolute delight to read.

Black's detailed exploration leaves no aspect of FDR's life and presidency untouched. He delves into the historical context, the political challenges, and the remarkable achievements of this iconic leader.

The book is not only a fascinating account of FDR's life but also a testament to Black's admiration for his subject.

Readers will be captivated by the vivid descriptions and engaging narrative, which bring FDR to life on the page.

Whether you are a history buff or simply interested in learning more about one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, this biography is a must-read.

It offers a unique perspective and a wealth of information that will enhance your understanding of FDR and his lasting impact on the world.