Book Review: The Roosevelt I Knew by Frances Perkins

“Many books will be written about Franklin Roosevelt, but no two will give the same picture. For no two people saw the same thing in him.”

Frances Perkins, The Roosevelt I Knew

Review:

Despite having grown up interested in the Great Depression and World War II eras, I never did much research on Franklin Roosevelt as a person. I came across this book secondhand around the time I read Becoming Madam Secretary (a fictionalized account of Frances Perkins’ life), and I thought it would be fascinating to read about FDR from her perspective.

Frances Perkins was the first female to serve in a Presidential Cabinet. She shared both a personal and professional relationship with President Roosevelt. Her writings about him share both sides of these relationships, though there is emphasis on him as a person and not only his politics and acts as President of the United States. 

I loved the range of topics, touching on history, politics, religion, war, and overall culture in different parts of America at this time. It took me longer to get through than I anticipated, the writing rich and endearing. Although I wouldn’t consider this to be a comprehensive biography on FDR, it’s an important one, being an intimate account from a friend and colleague. 

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The writing felt personal yet professional.
• Respectable.

What I didn’t like:

• Had some parts that ran long here and there.

Afterthoughts:

Very glad I came across this!

Where to buy the book: