historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, biography, 20th-century*****

This well researched and documented biography of one of our most iconoclastic women of the twentieth century has an agenda and slant but is overall a study of how a wealthy but often neglected girl with a really lousy self image came to grow into a strong and effective woman who did her best for all in a time of transition for the whole world. I think that it is impressively well done and that the younger generations could learn a lot by reading this book.
We may not still suffer under J. Edgar Hoover and Joe McCarthy as Eleanor and the rest of America did but we have our own problems, some of which she actively fought against way back in the 1930s and beyond.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Scribner/Simon and Schuster via NetGalley. Thank you!
I wonder who knit more socks for the troops, Martha Washington or Eleanor Roosevelt.
Eleanor got more press.

I have been fascinated with Eleanor Roosevelt ever since my parents took me to see the play "Eleanor" as a young girl. I went on to research her at the wee age of ten and used her as the subject of one of my history projects in fourth grade. To say I was intrigued by her would be an understatement.

Throughout the years, I always kept my eyes and ears out for any documentaries and books related to the Roosevelts', more specifically to Eleanor herself. I was delighted to begin and read Eleanor in the Village some twenty-five years after I first became interested in her life.

This book provides an insight into Eleanor when she was residing in Greenwich Village. The stories and insights provide a deeper view into why she was the way she was. After learning about how she was as a young woman, I now understand the prowess of her tenacity.

There isn't necessarily any new information in this book if you are an avid fan of Eleanor, but it does tie in together her driven nature and the roots of it in a way that is refreshing for the readers of today.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Place yourself in Greenwich Village during the roaring twenties, the depression and the Roosevelt presidency. These are some of periods for this amazing story of the life of Eleanor Roosevelt from her early childhood until her death. It draws attention to all the different facets of her life and how they wove the fabric of her decisions. You learn the details of her marriage and life with President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The book treats delicate matters in respectful ways. It gave you the facts as they were but did not pass judgment or cause you to think less of either of them. Before reading this book I was not aware of most of details covered by this book. I found myself spellbound by what I was learning. I love historical stories and this book taught me, entertained me and introduced me to an outstanding couple.

The influence of the Bohemian lifestyle available in Greenwich Village helped set the direction of Eleanor’s thinking and future work in the advancement of Women’s issues at the time. Her independence resounds throughout.

The book is beautifully written and I am now a fan of Jan Russell. Her interviews with family descendants give authenticity to the story. Be sure you do not miss this one. It will be excellent as a book club choice.

This book enriched my understanding of Eleanor Roosevelt and the life she lived. I have liked Eleanor Roosevelt for years and it was nice to see how she lived and loved outside her life with husband FDR.
I like that the book talks about her upbringing and how it shape how Eleanor related to people the rest of her life. Some of the relationships in this book may upset some people, but I understand complete how someone would embrace that life style or at least be associated with it. The book also talks about how much Eleanor helped FDR become president and did the leg work for him and became his eyes while president. There are a places in this book that were disturbing because of some peoples paranoia and distrust in others who tried to improve the status quo.
The flow of the book is wonderful and it was very easy to read. I enjoy every minute I spent with the book and I wish I could have known Eleanor Roosevelt.

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This is a highly readable, interesting and entertaining book about a little known but influential time in Eleanor’s life. I have read several excellent biographies in the past, the most recent being ‘Eleanor’ by David Michaelis. In this latest offering, Jan Jarboe Russell concentrates on an incredible, eye opening period that inspired Eleanor’s political views and contributed to her years as a progressive thinker and leader. The village was a safe harbor for artists, bohemians, the outcasts of society and a group of ‘New Women’ seeking social change, sexual freedoms and equal pay. Eleanor joined forces. Her involvement and her voice in the political arena was greatly and her transformation can be traced to her Village days. Eleanor remained forever linked to Greenwich Village, purchasing a Washington Square apartment where she lived during the Second World War and after Franklin’s death.
Eleanor was nothing less than remarkable. Her progressive thinking, advocacy, activism and fight for civil rights touched many lives and her impact is everlasting.
My thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have not read many books on Eleanor Roosevelt and found Eleanor in the Village to be quite eye-opening. I loved how her parent's world was presented and, not being part of the elite, I found it entertaining and laughable at the lengths women went to just to be seen by the right people. As the story progresses, we follow Eleanor through marriage, childbirth, and dealing with Franklin's adultery. What resulted was a political partnership that allowed both to grow and pursue their own interests. Russell's book was entertaining, insightful, educational, and filled with quotes that promote future reading. Overall, this is a great read for a rainy day or long business trip.

Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read an advance reader's copy.

I would call this a light history. Russell doesn't proffer any new facts that haven't been told and retold in countless other books about Eleanor Roosevelt. She does do a nice job of tieing Eleanor's attachment to Greenwich Village, but tends to extrapolate on other areas that really don't fit with the narrative. At times it was like the author was trying to include every major name in the book for some remote connection to her theme. It's still a decent look at Eleanor's life. The most interesting thing was the mention of 12 pages of the FBI file on ER that have still not been released.

A very interesting look at Eleanor Roosevelt’s time in Greenwich Village.A time where may of her opinions were formed.A time where she could be herself live her life.I’m always interested bin learning more about her and. This book was aside of her life I knew nothing about.#netgalley #scribner

I have read a number of books on the Roosevelts. I found this one very interesting, focusing on Eleanor’s time spent in the (Greenwich) Village, discovering herself, her voice and the issues that she championed. The author draws from some very good previously published books and sources to focus in on this aspect of Eleanor’s life. It was a quick, informative and enjoyable read.

A very insightful book of the life of Eleanor Roosevelt’s life. A strong independent woman who did much to further the lives of women who came along after her. A look at her upbringing , her marriage to FDR and the way she managed to have a life of meaning through all the ups and downs of the time and family she was born in. A must read!

Russell's biography focuses on the importance of the Greenwich Village experience on the life and life's work of Eleanor Roosevelt. Encouraged to feel second rate throughout most of her life, Eleanor Roosevelt finds freedom and identity for herself from this unique culture and from the New Woman's movement. The reader learns that Roosevelt, so admired for so long, deserves even more respect and admiration for overcoming personal struggles and sacrificing herself for women's rights and the downtrodden on all levels far beyond her lifetime. This biography shows the reader how this was greatly due to her experience and ongoing connection to the Village..