Wednesday, June 6, 2007
New FDR Biography is a Knockout!
Rarely does a biography merit as much attention as Jean Edward Smith's new biography of FDR does. The prose is simple, clear, lucid and ultimately graceful as it propels the reader onward. Heading into the book my own feelings on FDR were mixed- but when Smith quoted Churchill as saying FDR was the "greatest man he had ever known," I knew I needed to re-evaluate the man. Like all biographers, Smith clearly gets a little too hagiographic about their subject matter - but- I couldn't help but think after reading this work that FDR was perhaps the best American politician to ever have lived. He knew how to delegate, he knew how to pick subordinates, he knew how to massage egos and finally his presence commanded attention despite his physical condition. This book is one of the best, smoothest flowing biograhies I have ever read. Highly recommended.
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