the train to crystal city by jan jarboe russell

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. Edgar Hoover, who amassed a huge file on Eleanor, which burgeoned after she became first lady. Her commitment to socially and politically progressive causes and her Village friends-many of whom were lesbians-roused the suspicions of J. Beginning in 1920, she kept an apartment in Greenwich Village. Consequently, the marriage transformed into “a professional collaboration between equals,” allowing Eleanor to pursue her own friendships and interests. “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. In 1918, Eleanor’s discovery of Franklin’s affair with Lucy Mercer was shattering. Her cousin Franklin’s love bolstered her self-esteem even though his mother, Sara, disapproved of their marriage-and persistently interfered with their lives. Roosevelt’s childhood was grim: Feeling rejected by her mother, she was distanced from her adored father because of his alcoholism and mental instability. Relying mostly on published biographies, journalist Russell offers a sympathetic portrait of Roosevelt, highlighting her long connection to Greenwich Village society and politics. A study of how a New York City community nurtured Eleanor Roosevelt’s life and thought.

The train to crystal city by jan jarboe russell