A Bold and Radical Partnership

Franklin and Eleanor: an Extraordinary Marriage by Hazel Rowley is a new, almost scholarly, look at a couple who seem to come alive in its pages. This is a well-documented account of the history and facts based on letters and other documents, of the couple who challenged conventional views of marriage and gave their all to their country. I especially enjoyed reading about Eleanor's feelings about sharing a house with her mother-in-law and her need for her own place. She and FDR eventually both had their own cottages on the Hyde Park property. There is an interesting undercurrent about the White House cook, chosen by Eleanor even though she couldn't cook anything worth eating. The details of FDR's negotiations in WW II are riveting. If you want to feel like you are experiencing the war or the depression, this is the book for you. I highly recommend it.