Book Review: Roy Jenkins' Franklin Delano Roosevelt
This paper reviews Roy Jenkins' biography Franklin Delano Roosevelt, published as part of Times Books' "American Presidents Series." The review examines Jenkins' unique perspective as a British politician and academic, noting how his background informed his treatment of Roosevelt's social class, private financial schemes, political maneuvering, and constitutional controversies. The paper also discusses how co-author Richard Neustadt completed the book after Jenkins' death in 2003, and evaluates the biography's candid, detached tone as one of its chief strengths. Overall, the review finds the book a concise and frank portrait of one of America's most consequential presidents.
- Overview of the Author and Work: Jenkins' credentials and the book's origins
- Roosevelt's Social Class and Early Life: Jenkins' insight into Roosevelt's social milieu
- Candid Treatment of Roosevelt's Political Dealings: Frank discussion of Roosevelt's financial and political schemes
- Roosevelt's Personal Quirks and Political Ruthlessness: Roosevelt's calculating nature and use of political allies
- Constitutional Controversies and Detached Objectiveness: Jenkins on FDR's Supreme Court packing attempt
- Completion by Richard Neustadt and Final Assessment: Neustadt's role and overall verdict on the biography
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What makes this paper effective
- The review is organized thematically, moving from the author's credentials to specific analytical observations about the biography's strengths, rather than simply summarizing the book's content.
- The student uses direct quotations from the source text to ground evaluative claims, demonstrating textual engagement rather than relying on vague impressions.
- The paper draws a thoughtful connection between Jenkins' own political career and his non-judgmental portrayal of Roosevelt's ruthlessness, showing analytical reasoning beyond summary.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates evaluative analysis in a book review context: it does not merely describe what Jenkins wrote but assesses how and why he wrote it that way, linking the author's biography and background to his interpretive choices. This author-context technique is a hallmark of strong literary and historical criticism.
Structure breakdown
The review opens with a biographical sketch of Jenkins to establish his authority and perspective. It then moves through several thematic observations — class understanding, political candor, personal flaws, constitutional controversies — before closing with an assessment of Neustadt's contribution and an overall verdict. Each paragraph addresses a distinct evaluative point, giving the review a clear, logical progression from author credibility to content analysis to final judgment.
Overview of the Author and Work
Roy Jenkins, the author of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, had an illustrious career as a politician, academic, and writer spanning more than sixty years. He was British, born in Wales, served as a Liberal member of parliament, performed distinguished service during World War II, and served as President of the Royal Society of Literature. His works include a celebrated biography of Winston Churchill, as well as biographies of Truman, Gladstone, Baldwin, and many others. Shortly before his death in 2003, Jenkins undertook to write a biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt for Times Books' "American Presidents Series." With his usual excellence, he began work on this brief book; however, he died before its completion, and the book had to be finished by the historian Richard Neustadt. Like Jenkins, Neustadt was involved in politics as well as academia. Despite these circumstances, Franklin Delano Roosevelt is an easily read portrait of Roosevelt that offers a unique perspective.
Works Cited
Jenkins, Roy, and Richard Neustadt. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. New York: Times, 2003. Print.
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