Author: Ann Atkins
Publisher: Flash History Press LLC
Publish Date: October 1, 2011
Source: I received a copy from the author. This did not affect my review.
Why You're Reading This Book:
- You're a history fan.
- You're not afraid of going off the beaten path.
From Goodreads.com: "Transforming the power in Eleanor's story to your story starts now. Whatever the scale of your rendezvous with destiny, the fact remains it is up to you to live it. Eleanor's story is a do-it-yourself guide that shows us how to accomplish many things. From a childhood plagued with drunks and drama queens, Eleanor must now discard her dependency on Franklin and face off with her grand dame mother-in-law. Refusing to cave in to society's rules, Eleanor's exuberant style, wavering voice, and lack of Hollywood beauty are fodder for the media. First Lady for thirteen years, Eleanor redefines and exploits this role to a position of power. Using her influence, she champions Jews, African Americans, and women. The audacity of this woman to live out her own destiny challenges us to do the same. After all, it's not about Eleanor. Her story is history. Her life shows us how to live."
My Two Cents:
You all know by now that I'm a history fan. Fictional or non-fictional, I love it all! I know a lot of people aren't so much into non-fiction history books. A lot of the typical criticisms are they're too long or too dry. This book seeks to change all that. Atkins does a great job of making history super accessible in this slim book. She hits all the highlights and seeks to put Roosevelt's life in context for those who may not be familiar with her story.
This book would be very well received by young adult or adult readers with little background in the life of Eleanor Roosevelt. If you already have a background in Roosevelt's life, you probably are not going to gain any new insights into her history.
One of the most interesting things about this book is the section at the end of each chapter that makes connections between Eleanor and pop culture references. It's an interesting concept but I think that it could really draw readers into the book. It certainly drew me in a little more too!
Bottom line: This is great History-light!
This seems like such a strange idea for a book but I'm intrigued! I'd never have thought about connecting anecdotes from her life to pop culture references.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll keep my eye out for this one!