It Seems To Me

It Seems to Me: Selected Letters of Eleanor Roosevelt by Leonard Schlup & Donald Whisenhunt.

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky;(May 18, 2001)
ISBN-10: 081312185X

 

Book Description

One of the most important women of the American Century, Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) was also one of its most prolific letter writers. Yet never before has a selection of her letters to public figures, world leaders, and individuals outside her family been made available to general readers and to historians unable to visit the archives at Hyde Park.

It Seems to Me demonstrates Roosevelt's significance as a stateswoman and professional politician, particularly after her husband's death in 1945. These letters reveal a dimension of her personality often lost in collections of letters to family members and friends, that of a shrewd, self-confident woman unafraid to speak her mind.

In her letters, Eleanor Roosevelt lectured Truman, badgered Eisenhower, and critiqued Kennedy. She disagreed with the Catholic Church over aid to parochial schools, made recommendations for political appointments, expressed her opinion on the conviction of Alger Hiss. Some letters demonstrate her commitment to civil rights, many her understanding of Cold War politics, and still others her support of labor unions. As a whole this collection provides unique insights into both Eleanor Roosevelt's public life, as well as American culture and politics during the decades following World War II.

This year and last year has seen me reading a lot about Eleanor Roosevelt.  So when I saw this book at the used book store I grabbed it up.

The letters in this particular book (there are other books out with more personal letters) are to famous people in politics.  Some were written while Franklin and she were in the White House, and many others were written after Franklin’s death.

I found I was most interested in the few letters they showed when she wrote to Winston Churchill (they show very few but many more were written), and then letters in the later part of the book to Jack Kennedy before and during his presidency.

It almost makes me furious inside that I lived through Eleanor Roosevelt’s later years and adored JFK so much and yet no one or nothing really pointed out their relationship.

Eleanor was a prolific letter writer both personal and “work related”, and she kept her finger in politics and good will right up until a month before her death when she wrote to JFK to ask if he’d help her in one of her “causes”.

I don’t “do” politics in my blog or facebook or anywhere really.  Politics and Religion are two subjects I avoid at all costs..and to be honest I do believe they are both very personal… however.. I do find I have to express my feelings on Eleanor Roosevelt.  Were she alive today, I would be the first to jump in and help her be the first female President of the United States.  I have to admire someone with belief that things could be better and things can change and never sat back but went out, and with all that was in her, tried to make them happen. 

I ask for no real discussion on the topic because it is one of those “what if” things that there is no real  response needed.  I just think she is one of the worlds greatest women.. and I am deeply saddened that I didn’t take an interest in her until recently.