The Autobiography Of Eleanor Roosevelt

by Eleanor Roosevelt

Book Overview

A candid and insightful look at an era and a life through the eyes of one of the most remarkable Americans of the twentieth century, First Lady and humanitarian Eleanor Roosevelt.The daughter of one... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 030680476X
• Release Date: February 2000
• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Length: 504 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.3" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

Wrong Book

Just like others complaining about getting the wrong book.. I too received a book for Theodore Roosevelt..but it had the Eleanor Roosevelt cover. The pages were all photocopies as well. I didnt think to read reviews to see if I would be scammed!

I did not get this book

I ordered the autobiography BY Eleanor and received a cartoon book with less than 100 pages Why not ship what I requested looks like others commented same issue

Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt

The book is easy to read, but some parts do not 'flow'. She confuses the reader by all the 'nicknames' of the relatives. I found myself returning to previous pages many times to get the character's name correct. My admiration for this woman has increased after knowing her whole story. The pictures add enjoyment to the experience.

A Remarkable Woman

This book sheds light a long period of American history through the narration of an amazing woman who you will grow to admire as much as I did. Born into an elite aristocratic American family, Eleanor could have remained hemmed in by the insular values with which she was raised. Women were supposed to stay out of politics, Anglo-Saxons were supposed to run the country and only mingle amongst themselves, and the poor deserved their lot. Eleanor grew up with a lot of the prejudices someone of her class and generation might be expected to have but then she transformed into a woman who fought tirelessly against poverty, racism, sexism, and injustices of all kinds. I think that is her true legacy and what makes her so remarkable. In a society that wanted women to be purely ornamental, Eleanor could have done as so many women of her age and class did, remain prisoners to their narrow views and beliefs. But Eleanor did more. Because she was not conventionally attractive, she was supposed to hide away from society. Because she was a woman, she wasn't supposed to get involved in political affairs. But she got involved! She told FDR what she thought about everything, urging him to pass anti-lynching legislation, include more women in his cabinet, and earning his profound respect-if not always his complience! Sometimes she could be a bit naive, (like when, in the fifties, she told a soviet leader how much Americans had done to improve the "life of the negro", but Eleanor's empathy, compassion, humility and personal strength comes through so strongly in these profoundly human writings of hers that I really think anyone would enjoy them. What a wonderful woman!

Copelling read

While reading this book you get to share in the many personal experiences of Eleanor Roosevelt. She does not focus much on her relationships, rather she focuses on sharing her experiences. The places she has gone to and the people she has talked to are absolutley amazing. She shares her firsthand experiences of the mine workers and her talks with people in communist Russia. It is amazing that just one woman has seen and heard from so many varying perspectives. She really did try to empathize with the people and situations around her and this really comes out in her book. I think many people can learn from reading this book on how to be a better listener and observer and critical thinker of the life happening around you.

Completing the ER collection:

If you're looking for a "first" Eleanor biography, don't start with this one. Read it eventually, but not at first. If you have read her collected writings, "No Ordinary Time" or the biography(ies) by Blanche Wiesen Cook this autobiography is a much needed voice. It may not be as engrossing or tantlizing as the others, but it offers a layered look into her history. I struggled with the Wiesen Cook books but ended up enjoying them very much and I would have to say that with out them, this autobiography would not have had such an impact. What she shares in her autobiography is enlightening at times, but what is more significant is the specifics she leaves out or vaguely refers to in the generalist of terms. The best way to describe this book is comparing it to a long chat with a woman you've respected for a long time. You knew things about her, you heard the rumors, but now you're sitting with her, listening to her tell you how she really felt things happened.

A Life Story Well Told: The Autobiography of Elenor Roosevet

The Autobiography of Elenor Roosevelt, by Elenor Roosevelt, tells the story of a grat woman, one who greatly impacted the lives of many Americans. In her own words, the modest Elenor Roosevelt begins her life story describing her childhood in great detail and continues through her later years. This book not only tells the life story of this remarkable woman, but teaches a history lesson of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.