This book had a really interesting perspective. A presidential transition is never a simple process but between Hoover and FDR especially. It was really well researched but not that this does take quite a bit of time to fully digest.

"Winter War" by Eric Rauchway explores the presidential transition from herbert Hoover to Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Deeply researched and well written, Rauchway presents the transfer of power well with insight into the thoughts of each leader and their advisors, supported by personal papers and letters. The reader learns the animosity between the men, how little they knew of each other, and their divergent goals for the country on foreign and domestic policy. Highly recommend for devotees of American history, presidential histories, and political analysis.

This book was interesting from the perspective of two men with very different visions on how to end the Great Depression. Hoover spent the transition period after the election in trying to corner Roosevelt into approving or adopting his solutions. Roosevelt was more politically adept than Hoover and managed to avoid the traps laid out to commit his administration before taking office. The book does a good job of reinforcing what has been written about the personalities and beliefs of these two men.

I recommend this book for anyone who wants an insight into the transitioin that took place between these two presidents.

I received a free Kindle copy of Winter War by by Eric Rauchway courtesy of Net Galley  and Perseus Books, the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus pages.

I requested this book as I have read a great deal about these two presidents, but not one devoted to the transition of power between the two. This is the first book by the author that I have read.

FDR’s first inauguration was the last presidential inauguration to be held in March, almost four months after the elections in November. He was elected by an overwhelming majority, defeating incumbent President Hoover. Winter War describes those four months in detail, highlighting how the fight between the progressive FDR and the conservative Hoover led to the establishment of the Democratic and Republican parties as we know them today.

Hoover was convinced he would win re-election against NY Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, so when he ended up losing he decided to do everything possible to work against FDR, even if it meant worsening the plight of the American people as the Depression got worse. In eight chapters, Rauchway highlights the differences between Hoover and FDR in dealing with the issues of the day: foreign policy, the plight of the farmer, Communism, African Americans and social justice, the threat of Nazism and the bank failures which reached a peak just days before the inauguration.

Winter War was a good read which is relevant to today’s political world. While in certain places it came across as a little scholarly, it incorporated lots of new information not often found in other books on the Roosevelt presidency. The ride FDR and Hoover took together on their way to the Capitol for the inauguration was marked by an icy silence which came about through the events of the previous four months (and longer if you add in the campaign). While the focus is on politics, many anecdotes are included which make both presidents human.

Having read many books on FDR, this provides a focus on his four months as President-Elect not often found in other books. On the other hand, if you are interested in how the Republican Party became what it is today, then Winter War should be on top of your reading list.