Schlesinger's The Age of Roosevelt (3 vols)
Unique combination of readable but thorough history of FDR and the New Deal. Measures up to scholarly criteria without boring your pants off. Required reading for anyone who wants to understand U.S. politics and economic challenges in the first half of the 20th century.
Absolutely Amazing - Stunning in scope and detail of research
The history of politics in the 20th century is found in these volumes on the life and times of FDR from - populists to the progressives. Rich in analysis with the perspective of distance and time. A must read for any student of 20th century U.S. history.
So how come he stopped
I just finished all three of Schlesinger's books on FDR and the New Deal... and this one finishes as Roosevelt defeats Landon for a second term. There is a reference within this book to a next volume, but he never wrote it? Additionally, Schlesinger wrote an autobiography that he entitled volume one, describing his life until 1950... and then never wrote the rest of it?
I'm just curious why he did that, since I would love to read the rest of both topics... he was a fabulous writer as well as a dapper character.
I highly recommend these three volumes for a better understanding of where we've come from as a country... I haven't yet read Amity Shlaes' neo-liberal anti-Roosevelt rant, but I plan to, because I can't believe that someone could think like that impassionately... one would have to be a banker or a member of the National Association of Manufacturers....
(3 reviews)
