Eleanor in the Village

January 25, 2021
Journalist Russell (The Train to Crystal City) analyzes the powerful influence of Greenwich Village on the life and politics of Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) in this immersive history. Russell sketches Roosevelt’s early life as the shy daughter of New York socialites (her mother called her “Granny”) and niece of President Theodore Roosevelt, who gave Eleanor away at her 1905 wedding to her distant cousin, Franklin Roosevelt. Upon finding love letters from her social secretary, Lucy Mercer, to her husband, Eleanor lived independently within her marriage and spent significant amounts of time in Greenwich Village, where she found “her authentic self,” according to Russell. In the bohemian neighborhood, Roosevelt drew inspiration from progressive thinkers, many of whom were lesbians, including League of Women Voters cofounder Esther Lape; protested on behalf of garment workers; and frequented New York City’s first integrated nightclub with Lillian Hellman, James Baldwin, and other friends. These and other “unorthodox activites” brought Roosevelt to the attention of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, whose “secret file” on Roosevelt ran to 3,900 pages. Russell has plenty of details to back up her argument that Greenwich Village was essential to forming Roosevelt’s character, and laces the narrative with illuminating asides about New York City history. The result is an original look at an iconic figure of American politics.

January 22, 2021

Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) has long been one of the most studied First Ladies. In this new biography, Russell (The Train to Crystal City) briefly covers Roosevelt's life, but pays special attention to her connection with Greenwich Village, a New York City neighborhood known for its diverse and bohemian occupants. Russell also makes sure to cover some monumental moments in Roosevelt's life that happened outside the city as well, but only briefly. This is a concise and interesting history, but it could have benefitted from more time spent painting a picture of Roosevelt's life in the Village. It seems the area and her experiences there made an impact, but it is unclear how exactly that happened. Instead, this book almost serves as a history of the Village itself, with time spent covering its famous inhabitants during the 20th century. Insight into Eleanor, her relationship with husband Franklin, and their house in New York, is occasionally interwoven throughout, though it may leave readers wanting more. VERDICT This biography of Eleanor Roosevelt concisely covers her life and connection to the Village, but it would have benefited from more time spent there. Primarily for supplement research on the Roosevelts.--Rebecca Kluberdanz, Central New York Lib. Resources Council, Syracuse

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2021
A study of how a New York City community nurtured Eleanor Roosevelt's life and thought. Relying mostly on published biographies, journalist Russell offers a sympathetic portrait of Roosevelt, highlighting her long connection to Greenwich Village society and politics. Roosevelt's childhood was grim: Feeling rejected by her mother, she was distanced from her adored father because of his alcoholism and mental instability. Her cousin Franklin's love bolstered her self-esteem even though his mother, Sara, disapproved of their marriage--and persistently interfered with their lives. In 1918, Eleanor's discovery of Franklin's affair with Lucy Mercer was shattering. "The bottom dropped out of my own particular world," Eleanor wrote, "& I faced myself, my surroundings, my world, honestly for the first time." Sara forbade the couple to divorce, convinced it would end her son's political future. Consequently, the marriage transformed into "a professional collaboration between equals," allowing Eleanor to pursue her own friendships and interests. Beginning in 1920, she kept an apartment in Greenwich Village. Her commitment to socially and politically progressive causes and her Village friends--many of whom were lesbians--roused the suspicions of J. Edgar Hoover, who amassed a huge file on Eleanor, which burgeoned after she became first lady. Despite growing independence, Eleanor cared devotedly for her husband after he contracted polio in 1921, keeping his name before the public and pushing him to pursue his dream of a political career. In 1929, he became New York's governor, and in 1932, Eleanor campaigned heartily during his run for the presidency. Besides chronicling Eleanor's evolution as a public figure in her own right, Russell examines her flirtations and affairs, especially with newspaperwoman Lorena Hickok. The author makes much of Eleanor's connection to the Village, even wondering "if FDR ever would have become president were it not for Eleanor's ongoing and transformative experiences in the Village." Her brisk biography, though, doesn't support that wistful speculation. An admiring profile of an estimable woman.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.