The Roosevelts: An American Saga by Peter Collier

The Roosevelts: An American Saga by Peter Collier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An intimate look at the families of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt. rather than just look at what they did in history this takes an intimate look at the individuals and how they related as a family. In other words this is a family focused story account and outside events are treated as secondary priority. Everyone's strengths and flaws are looked at. If anything could be taken from this is that even though they may have had money and prestige they were imperfect and dysfunctional.

Theodore, Eleanor and Franklin each had to over come adversity in their lives. Theodore fought to over come his childhood illness's and losing his mother and first wife(soon after giving childbirth) on the same day. Eleanor who over came losing first her mother then her Father(Elliot who was Theodore's brother)who committed suicide for untold reasons. Franklin grew up struggling to gain independence from an overbearing mother and then to be struck with polio just as his political career was about to take off.

We learn how a rivalry developed between the two sides of the family. The children of each side struggled to live up to their parents image and strengths but many times coming up short. They are human just like the rest of us.

I did enjoy listening to this and certainly learned a lot from it. I recommend this if your looking for a more intimate look these families and that were a big influence on our country in the first half of the 20th Century.

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The Civil War, Vol. 2: Fredericksburg to Meridian by Shelby Foote

The Civil War, Vol. 2: Fredericksburg to Meridian by Shelby Foote
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't think their is a more extensive and detail filled account of the American Civil War around. I've already read the books and thought listening to it would enhance an already detailed account. It is very detailed and thorough as Shelby Foote is one of the master's when it comes to Civil War history. The only complaint I had about this is that sometimes to audio is off balanced both in volume and tone at times as you can tell where the stopped and started the narrative at times. It is long too as it clocks in at over 40 plus hours. It may be a bit easier to get through this than physically reading the book but that's hard to say as I read the book quite some time ago. The only critique as far as the book I can think of was that Shelby seemed to focus a lot more on the southern side during the Battle of Gettysburg. In particular the battle for Little Round Top which was probably one of the most pivotal points of the battle, if not the war it's self which seemed to only get a paragraph or two and told almost entirely from southern point of view. I still view this series a must read for any U.S. History or Civil War buff. Just be aware it is extensive reading or listening involved.

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