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Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Granta Books (2004), Hardcover
Description
Biography & Autobiography. History. Politics. Nonfiction. HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The most complete portrait ever drawn of the complex emotional connection between two of history�??s towering leaders Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill were the greatest leaders of �??the Greatest Generation.�?� In Franklin and Winston, Jon Meacham explores the fascinating relationship between the two men who piloted the free world to victory in World War II. It was a crucial friendship, and a unique one�??a president and a prime minister spending enormous amounts of time together (113 days during the war) and exchanging nearly two thousand messages. Amid cocktails, cigarettes, and cigars, they met, often secretly, in places as far-flung as Washington, Hyde Park, Casablanca, and Teheran, talking to each other of war, politics, the burden of command, their health, their wives, and their children. Born in the nineteenth century and molders of the twentieth and twenty-first, Roosevelt and Churchill had much in common. Sons of the elite, students of history, politicians of the first rank, they savored power. In their own time both men were underestimated, dismissed as arrogant, and faced skeptics and haters in their own nations�??yet both magnificently rose to the central challenges of the twentieth century. Theirs was a kind of love story, with an emotional Churchill courting an elusive Roosevelt. The British prime minister, who rallied his nation in its darkest hour, standing alone against Adolf Hitler, was always somewhat insecure about his place in FDR�??s affections�??which was the way Roosevelt wanted it. A man of secrets, FDR liked to keep people off balance, including his wife, Eleanor, his White House aides�??and Winston Churchill. Confronting tyranny and terror, Roosevelt and Churchill built a victorious alliance amid cataclysmic events and occasionally conflicting interests. Franklin and Winston is also the story of their marriages and their families, two clans caught up in the most sweeping global conflict in history. Meacham�??s new sources�??including unpublished letters of FDR�?? s great secret love, Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd, the papers of Pamela Churchill Harriman, and interviews with the few surviving people who were in FDR and Churchill�??s joint company�??shed fresh light on the characters of both men as he engagingly chronicles the hours in which they decided the course of the struggle. Hitler brought them together; later in the war, they drifted apart, but even in the autumn of their alliance, the pull of affection was always there. Charting the personal drama behind the discussions of strategy and statecraft, Meacham has written the definitive account of the most r… (more)
Media reviews
"With its keen, nuanced analysis and sympathetic insight, Meacham's book makes for intense and compelling reading. His achievement is memorable, even considering the innate drama of his topic. His heroes are charismatic giants, paladins in a titanic struggle between good and evil, and masters of
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the English language and the theatric moment." Daniel Davidson, The Washington Post Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member missmath144
The book starts with an analogy that all friendships have one person who kisses and the other who presents the cheek to be kissed, and that Roosevelt is the one who always presented his cheek to Churchill. Churchill was the constant friend. Franklin seemed to really like Churchill, but the
The friendship develops along with America's involvement in World War II, so the book is partly a cursory history of the war and partly the two friends' involvement with and support of each other's war efforts.
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friendship wasn't as unwavering.The friendship develops along with America's involvement in World War II, so the book is partly a cursory history of the war and partly the two friends' involvement with and support of each other's war efforts.
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LibraryThing member IllanoyGal
A look at the friendship of two of the great leaders of the world during WWII. This book takes a look at how that relationship grew and how it affected the conduct of the war.
LibraryThing member Maurice_Frontz
Listening to the Books-on-Tape production, read masterfully by Grover Gardner, had its good and bad points. On the one hand, Gardner captures the rhythms and cadences of the speeches and conversations of both Churchill and Roosevelt. On the other, listening for long stretches at a time could
Nevertheless, this book, although perhaps it could have been made shorter by simply paring down the blow-by-blow descriptions of each drink Churchill and Roosevelt took during their dinners together, was well worth the time. Indeed, part of its charm was in those descriptions, as Meacham wished not to simply talk about the decisions that were made but to describe the very human men whose friendship enabled the United States and Britain to fight, and win, World War II; and indeed shaped the world as we know it today. Thatcher and Reagan, Bush and Blair found their progenitors in Franklin and Winston: not agreeing on every matter but convinced of the necessity of the Anglo-American "special relationship" because of the shared history values and values of the two nations, and linked by a very real bond of personal friendship.
In this friendship, Churchill was the wooer and Roosevelt the wooed. Churchill needed Roosevelt, Roosevelt did not need Churchill, but perhaps felt he needed to be needed. Churchill wore his heart on his sleeve; Roosevelt did not give his heart to anyone. The fact that Roosevelt died first allowed Churchill to do what Eleanor Roosevelt did, defining FDR for the ages in his most positive light, rather than FDR defining his own legacy according to the vagaries of FDR's personality.
This is not to say that FDR did not have an honest personal connection to Churchill; in the words of the immortal lyric, he was "always true in his fashion." Meacham does not shrink from portraying FDR's faults, as he does not shrink from Churchill's faults. Instead, he portrays the two men as human beings - complex, and yet committed to the right as God gave them to see it. Perhaps with the benefit of time, people such as George W. Bush, Tony Blair, and Barack Obama will also receive such honest treatment.
The most intriguing parts of the book involve Churchill's desparate courtship of Roosevelt and America's aid and favor in Britain's darkest hour, when he was convinced that nothing but America's intervention could save Great Britain; Roosevelt's delicate dance toward war, when his personal trait of keeping hidden his deepest thoughts and feelings worked to his own and the world's advantage; the beginning of the face-to-face relationship between WSC and FDR on ship in the North Atlantic and in Washington at Christmas 1941; and a dramatic day-by-day account of FDR's last days and the actions of both Eleanor Roosevelt and Churchill following his death.
Meacham has assembled his account based on letters, diaries, and recollections of the time, reminding us what a very literate age it was. As a pastor, I note the public faith at the time, very different from seventy years later, and the personal facility of both Churchill and Roosevelt with Scripture and the language of faith.
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transport me into the position of being one of those caught at the dinner table during an endless Churchill speech. Nevertheless, this book, although perhaps it could have been made shorter by simply paring down the blow-by-blow descriptions of each drink Churchill and Roosevelt took during their dinners together, was well worth the time. Indeed, part of its charm was in those descriptions, as Meacham wished not to simply talk about the decisions that were made but to describe the very human men whose friendship enabled the United States and Britain to fight, and win, World War II; and indeed shaped the world as we know it today. Thatcher and Reagan, Bush and Blair found their progenitors in Franklin and Winston: not agreeing on every matter but convinced of the necessity of the Anglo-American "special relationship" because of the shared history values and values of the two nations, and linked by a very real bond of personal friendship.
In this friendship, Churchill was the wooer and Roosevelt the wooed. Churchill needed Roosevelt, Roosevelt did not need Churchill, but perhaps felt he needed to be needed. Churchill wore his heart on his sleeve; Roosevelt did not give his heart to anyone. The fact that Roosevelt died first allowed Churchill to do what Eleanor Roosevelt did, defining FDR for the ages in his most positive light, rather than FDR defining his own legacy according to the vagaries of FDR's personality.
This is not to say that FDR did not have an honest personal connection to Churchill; in the words of the immortal lyric, he was "always true in his fashion." Meacham does not shrink from portraying FDR's faults, as he does not shrink from Churchill's faults. Instead, he portrays the two men as human beings - complex, and yet committed to the right as God gave them to see it. Perhaps with the benefit of time, people such as George W. Bush, Tony Blair, and Barack Obama will also receive such honest treatment.
The most intriguing parts of the book involve Churchill's desparate courtship of Roosevelt and America's aid and favor in Britain's darkest hour, when he was convinced that nothing but America's intervention could save Great Britain; Roosevelt's delicate dance toward war, when his personal trait of keeping hidden his deepest thoughts and feelings worked to his own and the world's advantage; the beginning of the face-to-face relationship between WSC and FDR on ship in the North Atlantic and in Washington at Christmas 1941; and a dramatic day-by-day account of FDR's last days and the actions of both Eleanor Roosevelt and Churchill following his death.
Meacham has assembled his account based on letters, diaries, and recollections of the time, reminding us what a very literate age it was. As a pastor, I note the public faith at the time, very different from seventy years later, and the personal facility of both Churchill and Roosevelt with Scripture and the language of faith.
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LibraryThing member mahallett
great reader, very good story, very sympathetic to r & c.
LibraryThing member JenniN
Surprised at how Churchill was portrayed as being so dependent on Roosevelt and how FDR seemed to capitalize on this dependency. Book was very interesting, readable, and provided behind-the-scenes insights into negotiations between London and Washington. A different perspective on WWII
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relationships. Show Less
LibraryThing member mybucketlistofbooks
A very enjoyable book written by a Pulitzer Prize award winner. This explores the relationship – both professional and personal – between the two most important leaders of the twentieth century, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. This is not a full biography of either man, nor is it a
Making heavy use of primary sources, including newly analyzed diaries of Lucy Mercer Rutherford and the papers of Pamela Harriman, Meacham paints a very vivid portrait of the two men and the nature of their relationship. In many ways they were very similar in their upbringing and outlook on the world. Both idolized their flawed and somewhat aloof fathers, both were born into privilege and were later accused of betraying their class, both were strong willed and were excellent communicators, both depended heavily on their spouses (though in different ways), and both viewed the future optimistically. Their relationship was intimate but complex, with each playing a role defined largely based on the goal each was trying to achieve.
From the start Churchill was the suitor and Roosevelt the courted. While Britain held out against the Nazis alone for nearly an entire year Churchill worked to convince Roosevelt of the need for American help. As the leader of a country not in imminent danger, Roosevelt had to deal with the strongly isolationist sentiment dominant in the U.S. at this time. As Churchill pushed him Roosevelt worked to get England the help it needed without getting too far ahead of public opinion; preparing the country for what he was convinced would be the necessity of American involvement. In both cases incredible political instincts and a talent for persuasiveness moved each towards their goal.
After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and Germany declared war on the U.S., Roosevelt and Churchill formed a relationship that became the most formidable alliance of two leaders in world history. In terms of their political relationship, Roosevelt continued to be the dominant partner. The United States had the men and material to wage the kind of fight that was going to be necessary to defeat the Axis powers. Churchill was still often in the position of having to woo Roosevelt to a course of action he believed most beneficial. While Churchill spent nearly 120 days in North America during the war, Roosevelt never visited England. On the other hand, Churchill was the face of resistance to Naziism, his charisma and courage in the face of overwhelming odds focused attention on the dangers of a world dominated by despotism.
On a personal level , their relationship had developed into what some have called a “love affair,” with each having a deep affection and admiration for the other. It is this relationship that is the primary theme of this book and what is most riveting about it.
There is little new information presented, except the details provided Lucy Rutherford’s diaries and Pamela Harriman’s papers. It’s the focus on the relationship itself that is unique here. It is very easy to be cynical nowadays, with public expressions by politicians of friendship dismissed as smoke and mirrors. In this case however those expressions were genuine, and it was the relationship that developed that allowed this alliance to literally save the world from despotism!
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history of WWII. While you will get elements of both in this book, the sole focus is their relationship.Making heavy use of primary sources, including newly analyzed diaries of Lucy Mercer Rutherford and the papers of Pamela Harriman, Meacham paints a very vivid portrait of the two men and the nature of their relationship. In many ways they were very similar in their upbringing and outlook on the world. Both idolized their flawed and somewhat aloof fathers, both were born into privilege and were later accused of betraying their class, both were strong willed and were excellent communicators, both depended heavily on their spouses (though in different ways), and both viewed the future optimistically. Their relationship was intimate but complex, with each playing a role defined largely based on the goal each was trying to achieve.
From the start Churchill was the suitor and Roosevelt the courted. While Britain held out against the Nazis alone for nearly an entire year Churchill worked to convince Roosevelt of the need for American help. As the leader of a country not in imminent danger, Roosevelt had to deal with the strongly isolationist sentiment dominant in the U.S. at this time. As Churchill pushed him Roosevelt worked to get England the help it needed without getting too far ahead of public opinion; preparing the country for what he was convinced would be the necessity of American involvement. In both cases incredible political instincts and a talent for persuasiveness moved each towards their goal.
After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and Germany declared war on the U.S., Roosevelt and Churchill formed a relationship that became the most formidable alliance of two leaders in world history. In terms of their political relationship, Roosevelt continued to be the dominant partner. The United States had the men and material to wage the kind of fight that was going to be necessary to defeat the Axis powers. Churchill was still often in the position of having to woo Roosevelt to a course of action he believed most beneficial. While Churchill spent nearly 120 days in North America during the war, Roosevelt never visited England. On the other hand, Churchill was the face of resistance to Naziism, his charisma and courage in the face of overwhelming odds focused attention on the dangers of a world dominated by despotism.
On a personal level , their relationship had developed into what some have called a “love affair,” with each having a deep affection and admiration for the other. It is this relationship that is the primary theme of this book and what is most riveting about it.
There is little new information presented, except the details provided Lucy Rutherford’s diaries and Pamela Harriman’s papers. It’s the focus on the relationship itself that is unique here. It is very easy to be cynical nowadays, with public expressions by politicians of friendship dismissed as smoke and mirrors. In this case however those expressions were genuine, and it was the relationship that developed that allowed this alliance to literally save the world from despotism!
Show Less
LibraryThing member Chris_El
A well put together history of the relationship between Churchill and Roosevelt. Churchill was the suitor here for obvious reasons. Britain needed help in the war. Besides the necessity of that assistance it is clear than Churchill regarded Roosevelt as a friend. Roosevelt felt some affection for
Worth the read.
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Churchill though certainly more restrained and aloof. Roosevelt was not above putting politics before friendship with Churchill which is made clear by his dealings with Stalin. Worth the read.
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LibraryThing member gopfolk
I never realized that Churchill did not attend FDR's funeral. That is just a taste of the detail that this book goes into. I was amazed at the detail that was put together to make this book. The author did great work detailing out the relationship as the world around these great men continued to
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transform them. Show Less
LibraryThing member etxgardener
The heads of state during World War II were all out-sized men and definitely aligned on a good/evil axis. Two of the "good guys" were Franklin Delano Roosevelt, our only 4-term president and Winston Churchill the silver-tongued, bombastic Prime Minister of England. The story of the relationship
FDR is flattered, but wary; always considering his other political constituencies. FDR's ability to live a highly compartmentalized life meant that no one rreally completely knew how he thought - ever. Both wer members of teh aristocracy of their respective countries sand also students of history as well as politicians of the first order. And both rose magnificently to the task of saving western civilization during the Second World War.
Meacham, who had access to previously unpublished correspondence gives the reader a ringside seat to the great conferences in Casablanca, Tehran and Yalta where not only the way to victory in the war was planned, but also the structure of post-war Europe that existed until the 1980's.
This is a great story and Meacham makes it accessible to the modern reader. A terrific story for everyone.
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between these two men is fascinating. Churchill primarily plays the role of the suitor as he tries to cajole FDR and the Americans into supplying a desperate England with arms with the entry of the US into the war as his ultimate goal. FDR is flattered, but wary; always considering his other political constituencies. FDR's ability to live a highly compartmentalized life meant that no one rreally completely knew how he thought - ever. Both wer members of teh aristocracy of their respective countries sand also students of history as well as politicians of the first order. And both rose magnificently to the task of saving western civilization during the Second World War.
Meacham, who had access to previously unpublished correspondence gives the reader a ringside seat to the great conferences in Casablanca, Tehran and Yalta where not only the way to victory in the war was planned, but also the structure of post-war Europe that existed until the 1980's.
This is a great story and Meacham makes it accessible to the modern reader. A terrific story for everyone.
Show Less
LibraryThing member rondoctor
Excellent read, but it IS history. Meacham alternates short vignettes between Roosevelt and Churchill, highlighting the personal aspects of their interactions, ups and downs. Still, I get the feeling that there is much left out, especially re Eleanor's role.
LibraryThing member ulmannc
It's an interesting read and I did pick up a bit more insight into the relationship FDR and Churchill. 40% of the pages are notes and bibliography. I'm getting used to that from Mr. Meacham. It is interesting to look through them but not tonight. It probably would have been a faster read but I
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mostly read it on a Kindle compatible tablet at lunch. It was easy to stop and then pick it up. Show Less
LibraryThing member scottjpearson
Franklin Roosevelt (FDR) and Winston Churchill both remain among some of the most towering figures in twentieth-century history. Without them, democracy might only be a relic of history. Without them, the lingua franca of the world might be German instead of English. Rather, their friendship,
In 1939, Great Britain declared war on Germany because of the German invasion of Poland. It soon was embroiled in a battle for its survival with German bombs falling over London. The American public, still new to the international scene, did not want to get involved in yet another European war. However, Churchill pinned hopes for Britain’s and democracy’s survival on persuading FDR to fight with the British against the Germans. The Americans, of course, had thrice the population that represented more soldiers and more industrial power. After testing the waters in a deal of armor for land, the tragic events of Pearl Harbor bonded the two in history.
Several personal traits come out in this book. First, Churchill’s eloquence is clearly seen. Sometimes – as when dealing with Stalin – it could even get in the way of good diplomacy. Second, FDR’s emotional ebullience is likewise clear. They both respected each others’ political toolset. Third, they visited each other often, for Christmas or other conversations. FDR wanted entry into the war for a while, but could not convince the American people until the Japanese attack. Finally, they juggled adding a “third wheel” to the mix when meeting with the un-emotive Stalin. Clearly, they both misjudged long-term Soviet aspirations, to which the rest of the twentieth century testifies.
Readers can only imagine world history if Churchill were not elected as Prime Minister or if isolationist voices won out in America in the election of 1940. These men were not all-powerful, and their democracies intended them to be accountable to the people. However, imagining a British triumph in the Battle of Britain in 1939 and the following years is impossible without both Churchill and FDR. It’s a good thing for us all that they got along and gave birth to the United Nations as an imperfect tool for global stability.
Meacham, a historian and author par excellance, brings all this (and more) to light by combing through historical sources about these two. He tantalizes us readers with detail after detail about and eloquent word after word. He provides us a real treat with the main course tasting as good as the dessert. Anyone interested in diplomacy, whether among nations or even just among colleagues, should pay heed. Meacham teaches us grandly as he learnt from the two English-speaking masters of Franklin and Winston.
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forged by need and trial, led to an end to great European wars and to the blossoming of hopes of world peace. It also cemented the Anglo-American alliance as a bulwark against Soviet domination in the soon-appearing Cold War. In this book, the acclaimed American historian Jon Meacham examines their interactions for a deepened understanding of this vital relationship with an eye to the wider historical narrative, both in the near and far-reaching futures.In 1939, Great Britain declared war on Germany because of the German invasion of Poland. It soon was embroiled in a battle for its survival with German bombs falling over London. The American public, still new to the international scene, did not want to get involved in yet another European war. However, Churchill pinned hopes for Britain’s and democracy’s survival on persuading FDR to fight with the British against the Germans. The Americans, of course, had thrice the population that represented more soldiers and more industrial power. After testing the waters in a deal of armor for land, the tragic events of Pearl Harbor bonded the two in history.
Several personal traits come out in this book. First, Churchill’s eloquence is clearly seen. Sometimes – as when dealing with Stalin – it could even get in the way of good diplomacy. Second, FDR’s emotional ebullience is likewise clear. They both respected each others’ political toolset. Third, they visited each other often, for Christmas or other conversations. FDR wanted entry into the war for a while, but could not convince the American people until the Japanese attack. Finally, they juggled adding a “third wheel” to the mix when meeting with the un-emotive Stalin. Clearly, they both misjudged long-term Soviet aspirations, to which the rest of the twentieth century testifies.
Readers can only imagine world history if Churchill were not elected as Prime Minister or if isolationist voices won out in America in the election of 1940. These men were not all-powerful, and their democracies intended them to be accountable to the people. However, imagining a British triumph in the Battle of Britain in 1939 and the following years is impossible without both Churchill and FDR. It’s a good thing for us all that they got along and gave birth to the United Nations as an imperfect tool for global stability.
Meacham, a historian and author par excellance, brings all this (and more) to light by combing through historical sources about these two. He tantalizes us readers with detail after detail about and eloquent word after word. He provides us a real treat with the main course tasting as good as the dessert. Anyone interested in diplomacy, whether among nations or even just among colleagues, should pay heed. Meacham teaches us grandly as he learnt from the two English-speaking masters of Franklin and Winston.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kaulsu
Meacham is one of my favorite biographers. This book was a treat! As always, reviewing a biography always leaves me wondering if my ratings have to do with the book--how it was written, how readable, etc.,--and how did I "like" the subject(s)?
I guess neither Roosevelt nor Churchill remains as
I guess neither Roosevelt nor Churchill remains as
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firmly on the pedestal that history has placed these two men. But I am glad to be seeing them through more of a clear lens rather than the rose-colored I used prior.... Show Less
Subjects
Awards
William E. Colby Award (2005)
Language
Original publication date
2003 (1st edition, New York, Random House)
2004 (UK edition, London, Granta)
Physical description
512 p.; 9.29 inches
ISBN
1862077150 / 9781862077157