Book 9: No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodwin

A couple weeks ago, I sent out a tweet: "Anybody want to suggest a good political biography?"  Melissa, from For the Love, responded with "No Ordinary Time" by Doris Kearns Goodwin and boy was I glad she did.  I have read a decent number of (contemporary) political biographies and none hold a candle to this book. 

No Ordinary Time chronicles the relationship of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt during their time in the White House.  As a political science major, I am pretty ashamed to admit that I really did not know a lot about FDR, and I found him fascinating.  While he definitely had his flaws, what struck me was his constant calm and his sense of balance even while having the most stressful job in America, during arguably the most stressful time in American history. 

Yet for me, the book was not really about FDR.  It was all about Eleanor.  I daresay I might be a bit obsessed, having already perused the internet for more bios on her life.  We really give Hillary Clinton too much credit, because Hillary Clinton was really ripping a chapter of Eleanor Roosevelt's "First Lady Handbook."

I do have a confession, I didn't actually read this book, I listened to the audio book.  And if you are a fan of audio books the reader (s - for a short period) was just a delight.  I listened to it every morning while getting ready and was sad when the final chapter closed today.  Even if you are not a lover of politics or history, I think you would still like this book.  There is a reason it won the Pulitzer Prize!

Make sure to friend me on Goodreads! My user name is DuolyNoted. 

Next Up: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (which in truth, I am almost done with)