I was skeptical about how this book would handle Eleanor Roosevelt and her role in Franklin's life and his indiscretions. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised at its balance when it involved Eleanor. The fact that Persico relied on Blanche Wiesen Cook's works on Eleanor made me feel more comfortable with his scholarship. I was less familiar with the other women in his life, so I appreciated learning more about Lucy Rutherfurd, Missy LeHand, and some of the other women. I wouldn't say the book was breezy but it certainly moved quickly through FDR's life with key moments that involved some of this women.

FDR was a very complex man, which is an area that this book adequately covers. I finished this book with two main thoughts ---- there is no way that FDR would have been able to continue his presidency or even be elected in today's political coverage. We would have never elected a man with his physical or family issues. Second, I never knew how poor his health was during the latter part of this third term and campaign for a fourth term. I now question if he should have run for the fourth term. ( )

It is not an easy task to tap into a prominent historical figure's marriage to another prominent historical figure... The author does it well though and manages to maintain an impartial approach through all of it. I have read other works on the presidency of FDR and on FDR the man, but this book addresses a more particular, even personal aspect of his life that has frequently been glossed over in other works to date. A good read. ( )

Although the title of this book leads one to believe that the focus is on FDR and his relationship with Lucy Rutherford, in fact the subtitle is more accurate as the book reviews the President's relationship with many. many women in his life, including the pivotal one with his mother.

In the end though I felt an enormous sympathy with his wife, Eleanor, and hope she understood that a man of Franklin's ego requires that sort of adoration from many and it had nothing, really, to do with her. ( )

Franklin Roosevelt's legacy was larger than life; and Eleanor Roosevelt was the matriarch of the U.S. In my mind Eleanor Roosevelt connected our country to all of Europe - that was my impression as I grew up in my post WWII years.

Reading Joseph Persico's 'Franklin and Lucy' invited me into a circle of the Roosevelts' acquaintances, friends, family, and hangers-on. I felt as if I were visiting each character, attentively listening as he or she related the role played, the relationship imagined or manifested, and observations of other players in the lives of these two great people. In these many visits and conversations, certain facts were repeated once or twice, as experienced by different people. At first I found this a bit annoying, but chose to see the repetition as an emphasis of specific information, reflecting on the character of subject.

Perhaps Eleanor gave the best description of herself and of her husband when she wrote, "You build a facade for everyone to see and you live separately inside the facade." Because a person doesn't emotionally react to rumors, vile comments, or a philandering husband, doesn't ignore the depth of pain on the inside. Yet Eleanor chose to live behind the facade and stay her path.

Franklin Roosevelt, born with gifts of wealth, status, and apparently an undeniable magnetism and charm, used all his 'inheritance' to fulfill his political plans and sexual needs - but all on his terms.

With all the false names, paramours, back roads, secrets, and clandestine meetings, Persico avoids a seamy web and straight-forwardly presents a well documented and very human portrait of the Roosevelt relationship.

On a side note, as a library worker, I appreciate that in his acknowledgements, Mr. Persico specifically thanks the many libraries and staff. I also appreciated the keyed notes to primary and secondary references. sage Feb. 28, 2009 ( )

It was curiosity that made me choose this book. FDR has always been a foggy historical figure in my mind. I couldn't have said more than that he was president and that he created the New Deal. I was delightfully surprised to find this an engrossing biography of a fascinating human being and the equally fascinating women in his life. He was so much more alive and vibrant than I realized.

I probably learned more about FDR's sex life than I cared to know, though it's no competition, in the writing, for a modern novel. Persico gives that information to help complete the portrait of the man. I appreciated that he would make statements to the effect of We can't know for certain what went on behind closed doors, when pointing out logical speculation.

The primary focus of the book is, as the title suggests, about FDR's affair with Lucy Rutherfurd. While I can't go so far as to condone his affairs, by the end of the book, I'm aware of enough to see FDR as human and to understand him better. Of all the women described in the book, I felt that Lucy perhaps was the most elusive, however. The perspective is more of how this love affair affected the life, marriage and politics of FDR.

The woman most clearly presented, not surprisingly, is Eleanor Roosevelt. I knew only a little more about her than about FDR, prior to reading this book. For the first time I see her as a woman, a human being, rather than just a social figure. Although I came to understand FDR, I felt most for Eleanor (which may or may not be simple gender identification). The tensions and problems in their marriage were as much her fault as his and any blame comes out so equally that, even though I feel most for her, I can't dislike Franklin, Lucy or any of the other women mentioned. His mother, who tried to be far too involved in his personal life, marriage and even politics (the one area in which she seemed to have the least direct impact) was easier to dislike, but even she was not totally unlikable.

This book left me with a desire to read more. I want to know more about Eleanor Roosevelt and more about the first half of the 20th century. I may or may not look specifically for books about FDR, but I certainly won't think "boring" the next time I see one. ( )

I've read other books about the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt along with books such as Closest Companion: The Unknown Story of the Intimate Relationship Between Franklin Roosevelt and Margaret Suckley, so I was excited when I saw Franklin and Lucy: Roosevelt, Mrs. Rutherfurd, and the Other Remarkable Women in His Life by Joseph Perisco on the LibraryThing Early Reviewer list.

With so many books available on this topic, I wondered what new information Joseph Persico would provide. I was happily surprised by the result. The book is filled with interesting stories that have been overlooked by other authors focusing on FDR's life.

Let's explore three elements that make this book particularly effective.

First, the conversational approach made the book read more like a novel than a word of nonfiction. Persico's writing style made the book easy and enjoyable reading.

Second, the broader focus on the women in Franklin's life provided different perspectives than is often found in books about FDR. I'd recommend changing the title to Franklin and his Remarkable Women because Lucy is only one of many women in Franklin's life.

Third, Persico did an outstanding job making the players in Franklin's life feel multidimensional. Rather than whitewashing unpleasant aspects their lives or promoting the scandalous elements, the author finds the humanity in each character.

Franklin and Lucy is an excellent addition to the many wonderful works related to FDR and the women around him. ( )

Wow. What an intimate portrait of a man who is well respected in history! We all know about Eleanor Roosevelt and how she shook stodgy Victorian ways and became a woman who was often quoted in regards to subjects such as feminism. It's known that she had lesbian love affairs, but I never realized that FDR, too, wasn't faithful in his marriage.

I find it fascinating how the childhoods of presidents and first ladies effect the way they govern the people. The backgrounds of both FDR and Eleanor are fascinating. I also quite enjoyed learning more about Lucy Rutherford's background as well.

I prefer that history celebrate the whole person. This book does not paint anyone in a positive light, rather it shows the people for who they were, flawed or not. ( )

I agree with reviewer "inkstained". I guess I just don't know enough about FDR to really get into this book. I have picked it up and put it down on more than one occasion. I really feel that to read an autobiography you have to already know a little about the person and be interested to know more. I thought that FDR's marriage was good, at least that is what we were shown. I am struggling to get through this book and may just end of giving up all together. My agreement with "inkstained" is that it is through no fault of the author. ( )

Joe Persico deftly takes on a delicate subject -- the status of Franklin Roosevelt's marriage to Eleanor. Relations between these two well-loved figures were notoriously strained, though this was not common knowledge during their lifetimes. Following an affair between FDR and Lucy Mercer in the 1910s, the marriage became more of a platonic partnership. After that, Franklin surrounded himself with the companionship of several significant women. Whether these relationships were sexual is unknown, but the relationships were certainly a major part of his life. Persico does an excellent job of explaining how these close friendships both shaped and revealed his character. This book provides a great look at Roosevelt, the man, beyond Roosevelt the President. ( )

I've always found Franklin Roosevelt to be the most interesting of our former presidents. He presided over not one, but two national crises (the Depression and World War II), was elected to an unprecedented four terms, was a powerful and inspiring speaker, and he did all of this while concealing the fact that he was crippled as a result of a bout with polio. In Franklin and Lucy, Joseph Parsico looks at FDR's relationships with the women in his life. This, of course, includes his mother, his wife, and his eldest daughter, Anna, but equally important to him it seems was Lucy Rutherford. Persico, through the use of letters and other documents, that theirs was clearly an affair of the heart even if it is unclear if there was every any physical infidelity. It would be easy to judge Roosevelt harshly for the long term relationship he had with Lucy, and certainly the hurt he caused Eleanor was unconscionable, but Persico doesn't offer us any villains in this story, just human beings with the regular compliment of needs and foibles. It just so happens that two of these human beings, Franklin and Eleanor, were major historical figures. That's really the strength of this book, the way it depicts the Roosevelts, for all their power and influence and greatness, as people and not the icons they've become. I'm left wondering, if Eleanor had found happiness in her marriage, would she have been half as accomplished a person as she ultimately was? What of Franklin? Persico does a fair job exploring why FDR needed the other women in his life, that Eleanor, while being an ideal match intellectually, was incapable of providing him with the emotional nourishment that he needed, but for as much genuine affection as he shows to Lucy and others such as Missy LeHand (sometimes called his "surrogate spouse), there's also a selfishness to it all, he doesn't seem to be able to give all that much back. Does he get a pass, as some quoted in the book seem willing to give him, because of the suffering he endured or the great pressure he was under? It's not for me to judge, but it was certainly interesting to read about. ( )

In this new book on FDR, Persico turns away from politics, government, and war and instead turns to Roosevelt's personal life. His main thesis is that to understand Roosevelt, you have to understand his relationships with others, particularly women.

The book focuses on key relationships-- his overbearing mother Sara, his wife Eleanor, his various mistresses, mainly Lucy Rutherford and Missy LeHand, his daughter Anna and a few other cousins. The political life, and the historical events that surround this story are all background material, mentioned in passing, always in the background.

The portrait that emerges is one of a Roosevelt who needed women to be supportive, but submissive. At the same time, we see the relationship with his wife Eleanor to be one of professional and political soul-mates who worked amazingly well together for the betterment of the country, but couldn't relate on a personal level, so they sought personal fulfillment elsewhere.

In the end, Persico paints a complex and deep portrait that neither condemns nor apologizes for the behavior of his subjects. At times Franklin is fighting against the odds for survival, at times he is jovial and loving, at times he is ruthless. As Persico explains in the conclusion, the reason Franklin's image survived his adulterous ways "is largely explained by the fact that revelations about his private life surfaced only after his legacy in history had been securely established. Further, the press largely left his personal life alone."

see the full review at www.tushuguan.blogspot.com ( )

It's amazing when you read a book like this and you find out just exactly how much you DIDN'T know about such a very important historical person, even though a good portion of their life was always right out there in the open for all to see. I was under the impression the FDR and Eleanor had a loving, caring marriage. They might have had one that was loving at one point in time, but little did I know that they spent most of their time going in separate directions!

I couldn't put this book down. This book was about FDR on a much more personal level than most, and it delved rather deep. It was fascinating to read about all of the different women that passed through FDR's sphere and how he dealt with them. Very in depth, and I was honestly riveted. ( )

I've started and stopped this book several times and not been able to get through it, likely through no fault of the author's. Having lacked a thorough knowledge of FDR's presidency, I thought a study of his romantic life might be an entertaining introduction to a period of American history I'm not well-versed in. I was wrong. I'm sure this is actually a very good book, but it's not for the beginning armchair historian. Read up on FDR's life first and the events current to his life first and then read this to fill in some of the more sordid details. ( )

This is a fascinating book about the web of romantic relationships surrounding Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, and an exploration of the importance of these relationships to the most consequential presidential administration in the twentieth century, and perhaps all of U.S. history.

After FDR’s affair during WW I with Eleanor’s personal assistant Lucy Mercer Rutherford nearly ended their marriage, both Eleanor and Franklin became involved in a number of relationships outside of their marriage that, while it cannot be established that they were overtly sexual (though in at least one case for each of them it seems quite likely), were intensely romantic and profoundly important to both of them. Persico shows how Eleanor’s relationship with her bodyguard Earl Miller, and more importantly with the journalist Lorena Hickock helped her to grow from a typically reserved Victorian upper class woman to the most remarkably expansive, broad-minded and activist first lady in history. While FDR continued to love Eleanor, and in some ways came to respect and even depend on her for her conscience and knowledge of public issues, after his affair their marriage was, at her insistence, completely celibate, and he relied for the female companionship he needed and, Persico thinks likely, for sexual intimacy on several other women over the course of some twenty-five years. Most importantly, Persico’s research reveals that FDR’s relationship with Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd did not end as has widely been believed, but continued furtively throughout his presidency.

Persico is sensitive and insightful, and his judgments about what seems likely to have happened when the evidence is indeterminate reflects a generous but not naïve reading of human nature and the situation and motivations of the particular people he writes about. His writing is sympathetic in the best sense of the term -- avoiding moralizing platitudes to help the reader better understand his subjects.

However, Persico fails to make a convincing case for his assertion that these relationships were central to FDR’s presidency. While it’s clear that FDR depended on Lucy and other women for companionship and intimacy, and that this might have contributed in some way to his character – just as his disability did – it does not seem that they concretely affected his thinking on any particular policy matters. That appears to have remained the province of Eleanor herself.

Still, on the whole this is a fascinating book to read – history that makes for enjoyable beach reading. ( )

It has been many years since I last indulged my fascination with Franklin Roosevelt’s life and Presidency by reading a new biography. As its subtitle implies, this one concentrates on his relationships with women, their influences on him and his considerable impact on their lives. Although much of the information in Franklin and Lucy had a comfortably familiar feel to it, Persico’s style is very reader-friendly, and I found myself thoroughly engrossed.

The title of this book, Franklin and Lucy, is a bit misleading. Although it was prompted by the recent discovery of letters establishing that Roosevelt and his lady-love, Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd, were in communication during a long period of time when it had previously been thought that their relationship had ended, it is not primarily about their connection. I believe I Iearned more of interest about FDR’s dependence on his mother, Eleanor’s coping mechanisms, and the Eleanor/FDR marriage, than I did about the love affair with Lucy. I found myself disliking the man, pitying his wife, and wondering about the magnetism that bound so many women to him.

It is no secret by now that throughout his presidency, Franklin Roosevelt was “involved” with women other than his wife. He was a strikingly handsome young man, and before being stricken with polio in 1921, a very athletic one as well. He was always attractive to -- and attracted by-- women, and that did not stop when he became confined to a wheelchair. He clearly had a dynamic personality that made him irresistible to certain women, even when he treated them in a cavalier manner, as he often seemed to do. It is no surprise, either, that his mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt, was a dominant influence in most all aspects of his life, with the singular exception of his decision to marry distant cousin Eleanor. Nevertheless, Persico’s treatment of these and other relationships in FDR’s life is insightful, and takes the reader a bit deeper into the territory than anyone I have read before. It also treats extensively of Eleanor's own emotional attachments to various men and women who came in and out of her life over the years.

Persico makes much of Eleanor Roosevelt’s shock and disappointment upon finding letters to her husband which eliminated any doubt about his extra-marital liaison with her former social secretary. (Earlier, suspecting too much chemistry between FDR and Lucy Mercer, Eleanor had fired Lucy under pretense of economizing, only to find her employed in Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin Roosevelt’s office in the blink of an eye.) Although Eleanor offered Franklin a divorce at that point, and he was quite inclined to accept, his mother emphatically refused to allow it. Roosevelts did not get divorced, in any case, and it would be tantamount to political suicide for Franklin at the time. Sara controlled the bank accounts; Franklin and Eleanor saw reason. It is sobering to contemplate what the second half of the 20th century might have been like if FDR had put his personal happiness ahead of his ambition in 1918 by divorcing his wife and marrying Lucy Mercer.

If you’re looking for an analysis of Roosevelt as a politician, a world leader, or a President, this book won’t give it to you. If you’d like a more personal perspective, it’s rich with material and well worth reading. ( )

The author has taken an unusual but ultimately successful approach by viewing FDR and his life and times through the women in his life, from his mother Sara and his wife Eleanor to the many women with whom he had relationships of more or less intimacy, including the well-known Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd. Persico's access to previously unavailable papers belonging to Mrs. Rutherfurd, as well as the great mass of other material he used, contributes to this sometimes startling portrait of an often selfish, self-absorbed man who nonetheless was one of our greatest presidents, married to arguably the greatest American woman of the 20th century.

While a devoted amateur of American history and government, I am no FDR expert. I learned a great deal about both Franklin and Eleanor that I had not known, and it is fascinating. Persico does a remarkable job helping the reader understand the social and emotional climate in which the Roosevelts lived. He is less successful, though he tries valiantly, at explaining why a man like Franklin Roosevelt — "an Adonis," prior to his crippling by polio, who spent his life charming everyone he met — would marry a woman like Eleanor, who could charitably be described as plain and suffered from low self-esteem and a lack of many of the "womanly virtues" of the time. What is clear is that while their marriage was an emotional failure, their partnership was a brilliant success, and the United States is the better for it (despite the invective some on the right still fling at the Roosevelts, particularly Eleanor).

It's clear that many great men have had personal lives that were — to put it politely — messy. It is also clear that a man like Roosevelt could not have behaved as he did in today's atmosphere. Persico argues, convincingly, that the women in Roosevelt's life met his emotional needs in ways that allowed him to be the great man he was. It is for the reader to ponder whether the close scrutiny of politicians today is for better or for worse. ( )

So many words have been written about the life and times of FDR, it's impossible to keep from re-reading the same phrases over and over again. Each new biography sounds invariably like parts were lifted from other sources yet in this work, it's clear that the author did strive to present his material in way which remained true to the title. Rather than just rehashing old gossip with an emphasis on titillation, Mr. Persico has offered his readers a broad lesson in the life and times of FDR seen through the prism of his interactions with the women surrounding him. In most cases, he has refrained from pseudo-psychoanalysis that belabors so many similar works. If you've never read an FDR biography, this would be an interesting starting place; if you're an FDR admirer, you may find far too many warts exposed to enjoy this work. I personally found it a good read, buttressed by credible scholarship. ( )

Insightful portrait of FDR in the light of the women in his life. His love of Lucy and Missy and his dalliances with other women were reflective of how much he respected and loved them rather than for his own gratification. The interlaced story of Eleanor makes the book all the more interesting. ( )

A fascinating look into FDR's personal life--namely the women that affected him the most. Having read a number of histories on WWII and one on FDR, I still found the book enlightening. Persico weaves the stories from FDR's female companions and love interests into the familiar narrative of FDR's life to reveal interesting details. The downside of the book is that while it expounds upon the personal details of FDR's life in a new way, it does not dig too deeply into how these relationships affected his major geopolitical decisions. There are some notable exceptions--e.g. his decision to stay with Eleanor for political/family reasons. However, to bump this book from four to five stars, the author should have tried to demonstrate what, if any, link existed between the women and FDR's actions. Overall, the writing and depth of research were excellent and the book is well worth the effort to read. ( )

An interesting approach to the FDR story, approaching the tale through his interactions with women. It seamlessly worked the new material about Lucy Rutherford into the mix. The only criticism I had wa that it didn't seem particularly weighty. ( )

When it comes to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, politicos and casual students of history should begin their studies by perusing any number of the popular biographies and political histories regarding the New Deal. However, if, after such a period of study, an individual remains intrigued by the personal and private relations of FDR, Franklin and Lucy could very well be the book for him or her. In this work, Joseph Persico presents an informative and all too readable examination of Roosevelt's relations with the women in his life, specifically: Sara, his mother; the inimitable and indefatigable Eleanor; his aide Missy LeHand; and, of course, Eleanor's secretary, the titular Lucy Mercer. All things considered, Franklin and Lucy is by no means a necessary read, but it is sure to please those who are interested in a relatively impartial exploration of the premise and subjects at hand.

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This was a LibraryThing Early Reviewer Book (for more on LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program, go here). ( )

Franklin and Lucy is an intimate look into the personal life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the women close to him. Joseph Persico examines the roles played by Roosevelt’s mother, wife, dearest lover, closest companion, daughter, and a cadre of others. While Persico occasionally makes assumptions based on no more than reasonable speculation, most of his conclusions are well-supported and persuasive.

The title is somewhat misleading in suggesting that the book focuses primarily on Lucy Mercer Rutherford, who became Franklin’s lover while working as Eleanor’s personal secretary during World War I, but then played only a peripheral role in his life until late in his third term as President. Persico’s point seems to be that Lucy was Franklin’s true love. However, the same point could have been made about Missy LeHand, Franklin’s long-time secretary and best friend, who lived with him for decades. Although the timing is fuzzy, a case could be made that, had Franklin not discarded Missy when she suffered a series of mental and physical breakdowns, she, not Lucy, would have deserved top billing in the book’s title.

Just to describe this minor flaw in the book is to demonstrate its absorbing appeal. Persico keeps the tone personal rather than prurient, but the intimate details are thoroughly discussed. He shows Franklin’s domineering mother Sara using the family purse strings to direct Franklin’s life. He explores Eleanor’s complex relationship as simultaneous inspiration and aggravation, as well as describing her own personal intrigues as she led her parallel life as an international do-gooder. He considers Franklin’s lifelong appeal to women and his delight in their company, despite being crippled by polio.

Although designed to fit a niche in collection of FDR biographies, Franklin and Lucy provides enough context to provide a good introduction to the man’s life. The book is entertaining, thorough, and readable.
( )

Joseph Persico has plowed in depth another aspect of Franklin D. Roosevelt's life: his relationships with women other than his wife. An iconic figure of the 20th century, Persico is almost apologetic for Franklin's wanderings away from his "cold" wife Eleanor--despite the fact that her coldness was a direct result of Franklin's affair with Eleanor's social secretary, Lucy Mercer. Indeed, Eleanor Roosevelt's great contributions to the U.S. and world were set loose by her husband's infidelities and distance. If you want to read justifications of Franklin's flirting and dalliances with several women, read this book. If you want to get a more balanced version, read Doris Kearns Goodwin's "No Ordinary Time." ( )

Franklin and Lucy: President Roosevelt, Mrs. Rutherfurd and the Other Remarkable Women in His Life, by Joseph Persico, is a fascinating look at a side of FDR few of us have seen. Lucy (Mercer) Rutherfurd, with whom Roosevelt had a long-standing affair, is the main focus, but the author also examines his relationships with his wife Eleanor, his mother Sara, his private secretary Missy LeHand and FDR's cousins Daisy and Polly.

There have been countless books written about Roosevelt and his presidency over the years, but Persico does a fine job of re-examining the man's life and times from a very different perspective. Having slogged through Conrad Black's 1,300-page opus four years ago, I can safely say that this was a refreshing change of pace and I enjoyed it very much. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in FDR and his personal life behind the scenes both at the White House and before his election. ( )