Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Political Life

"A one-volume biography of Roosevelt by the #1 New York Times bestselling biographer of JFK, focusing on his career as an incomparable politician, uniter, and dealmaker In an era of such great national divisiveness, there could be no more timely biography of one of our greatest presidents than one that focuses on his unparalleled political ability as a uniter and consensus-maker. While Robert Dallek's Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Political Life will take a fresh look at the many compelling questions that have attracted all his biographers--how did a man who came from so privileged a background become the greatest presidential champion of the country's needy? How did someone who never won recognition for his intellect foster revolutionary changes in the country's economic and social institutions? How did Roosevelt work such a profound change in the country's foreign relations?--the focus of his book is on Roosevelt as a man dedicated to public affairs, a master politician who skillfully and cannily used the presidency to advance a remarkable national agenda."--Provided by publisher. "In an era of great national divisiveness, there could not be a more timely biography of one of our greatest presidents than one that focuses on his unparalleled strategic skills as a unifier and a consensus maker. Robert Dallek's Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Political Life takes a fresh look at the many compelling questions of his remarkable presidency: How did a man who came from so privileged a background become one of the greatest champions of the country's needy? How did someone who never won recognition for his intellect foster such revolutionary innovations in our economic and social institutions? How did Roosevelt bring about such a profound change in America's foreign relations, leading it from isolationism to become an international superpower? By the time he became president, Roosevelt already commanded the respect and affection of millions of people through his services as assistant secretary of the Navy and governor of New York.^ Although many of his biographers agree that the onset of polio at the age of thirty-nine endowed him with a much greater sense of humanity, Dallek views that affliction as an insufficient explanation for his transformation into a masterful politician who would win an unprecedented four presidential terms and advance a remarkably progressive agenda. He attributes Roosevelt's success to two perceptive political insights. First, he made the presidency

Year

2017

Language

English

Publisher

Viking

Editions

1

Pages

704

ISBN

9780525427902

Data source: Wikidata