Before the Trumpet: Young Franklin Roosevelt, 1882-1905

The contention of this wonderfully detailed book that chronicles the life of FDR from his birth in 1882 and concludes with his marriage to Eleanor in 1905 is that the makings of a great person can be found in his or her upbringing. A thorough analysis of both the Roosevelt and Delano families throughout the 1800's lends creedence to the fact that FDR was groomed to be great by both sides of the family. I finished this engrossing and well-written book in a few days, and I am enjoying immensely the second part of the saga, Ward's A FIRST CLASS TEMPERAMENT, which takes FDR's story from his marriage through to his reentry into politics in 1928.

"Mornings on Horseback" is a good companion to "Before the Trumpet," but only because it gives you a bigger sense of New York high society in the late 1800's. FDR's father and TR's father were contemporaries and even mistaken for each other. It feels like Mr. Ward writes from a greater emotional distance about FDR than Mr. McCullough does about TR, which seems right to me. The beginning which is about FDR's grandparents is a bit detailed, but it does set the stage. Mr. Ward discusses FDR's father's schoolmaster, for example, which fills out the picture when you read about FDR's own school days. The real jaw dropper concerns FDR's maternal grandfather Warren Delano, who knew the stamp collecting went that deep? But more the wonder is Franklin himself. This portrait is "Before the Trumpet," worts and all, he marries his cousin for chrissakes, he can't/won't get away from his mother, and yet the trumpet does sound for Franklin, he pursues it, and he is there waiting, with and because of Sara and Eleanore. It's amazing to consider their development.

Geoffrey Ward shares the ability of David McCullough, and that is to take a scholarly topic and write about it intelligently and coherently. He also makes the journey fun for the reader and he showcases this ability in this excellent book. FDR as a youth was a very different man from the President he was to become. Polio was the defining moment that both changed FDR and deepended his compassion and understanding for the downtrodden.In this first volume of Ward's Roosevelt trilogy, he illuminates FDR's dominating mother and the problems she caused between Franklin and Eleanor. One almost cringes when the obtrusive Sarah Roosevelt plans her son's honeymoon, buys homes for him (with connecting doors for her to intrude upon)and basically usurps FDR's own decision-making processes. Franklin Roosevelt was not a great man, or a particularly engrossing man when young. He achieved greatness only after tragedy befell him, but Ward sets the stage here for Roosevelt's later greatness. If you're interested in Roosevelt or the flighty, banal rich New York set of the turn of the century, then this is your cup of tea. It is also a fine book.

Most of this book is about FDR's family and it is fascinating. It reminded me some of David McCullough's Mornings on Horseback, although FDR had a very different youth from TR's. I had forgotten how rich FDR's family was, and the opulence with which they lived. And what dramatic lives they had--the Delanos and their time in China make a fantastic story. And when you read this great book you will want to read the sequel, A Fist Class Temperament