FDR and the American Crisis

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About FDR And The American Crisis

Product Description The definitive biography of president Franklin Delano Roosevelt for young adult readers, from National Book Award finalist Albert Marrin, is a must-have for anyone searching for President's Day reading.   Brought up in a privileged family, Franklin Delano Roosevelt had every opportunity in front of him. As a young man, he found a path in politics and quickly began to move into the public eye. That ascent seemed impossible when he contracted polio and lost the use of his legs. But with a will of steel he fought the disease—and public perception of his disability—to become president of the United States of America.   FDR used that same will to guide his country through a crippling depression and a horrendous world war. He understood Adolf Hitler, and what it would take to stop him, before almost any other world leader did. But to accomplish his greater goals, he made difficult choices that sometimes compromised the ideals of fairness and justice.   FDR is one of America’s most intriguing presidents, lionized by some and villainized by others. National Book Award finalist Albert Marrin explores the life of a fascinating, complex man, who was ultimately one of the greatest leaders our country has known. Review "This well-researched and highly detailed examination of FDR and his presidency provides insight for readers generations removed from the events."   —Kirkus Reviews, starred review  “Marrin blends biography and history in this masterly overview of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s leadership…” —School Library Journal, starred review "...frequent, illuminating photos; unimpeachable sourcing; and a breathtaking historical synthesis..."  —Booklist, starred review About the Author Albert Marrin is the author of numerous nonfiction books for young readers, including Flesh and Blood So Cheap: The Triangle Fire and Its Legacy, which was a National Book Award finalist, as well as Black Gold: The Story of Oil in Our Lives, A Volcano Beneath the Snow: John Brown’s War Against Slavery, and Thomas Paine: Crusader for Liberty. His many honors include the Washington Children’s Book Guild and Washington Post Nonfiction Award for an “outstanding lifetime contribution that has enriched the field of children’s literature,” the James Madison Book Award for lifetime achievement, and the National Endowment for the Humanities Medal, awarded by President George W. Bush. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. His father and I always expected a great deal of Franklin. We thought he ought to take prizes, and we were not surprised when he did. After all, he had many advantages that other boys did not have. --Sara Roosevelt, My Boy Franklin (1933) A Privileged Childhood Hyde Park, the Roosevelt estate, is in walking distance of the village of Hyde Park. Located in Dutchess County, on the east bank of the Hudson River, the village lies seventy-five miles north of New York City. On the evening of January 30, 1882, James Roosevelt sat at his desk in the library of his estate overlooking the river. On this bitter cold night, snow lay deep on the ground, and ice floes in the river sparkled in the moonlight like flecks of silver. At once happy and relieved, James reached for a steel-nibbed pen as he opened his wife Sara’s diary. Turning to a fresh page, he wrote, “At quarter to nine my Sallie had a splendid large boy, but was unconscious when he was born. Baby weighs ten pounds without clothes.” It was a close call, as mother and child nearly died. Sara had gone into labor twenty-four hours earlier, but had trouble giving birth. She was in such agony that the doctor administered chloroform to knock her out. He gave too much. When her baby finally arrived, it was not breathing. Quickly, the doctor grabbed the newborn and began blowing into his mouth, forcing air into his lungs until he began to breathe normally. A few days later, once they were sure he would live, the grateful parents named