FDR's Shadow: Louis Howe, the Force That Shaped Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt

Louis Howe's influence and importance to FDR and the Roosevelt's is nicely illuminated in "FDR's Shadow". Politicians of any era need a window, a lifeline if you will, into the real world helping them see not just what's possible, but what's worthwhile. For FDR, Louis Howe provided that perspective. Julie Fenster opens our own window onto that relationship. Some disagree, but I think FDR saved American capitalism. It's one thing to run a bunch of economic measure through a computer today, concluding that the New Deal failed. It's quite another to be in the Oval in 1933 where the one choice was NOT to do nothing. Louis Howe was at the forefront of those early days and critical decisions. For better or worse, todays debates about the role of government would seem familiar Howe and FDR. Although they might laugh at our contemporary worries about health insurance reforms and the role of government. (They might not laugh at Obama-as-Hitler, having dealt directly with the original.) The Depression -- three years old as FDR took office -- was a true "existential threat". His decisive actions, informed by the path he and Louis Howe took to the White House, were a turning point in American history. The sub-text of the conflicting obligations to family, friends, nation read as a template for what the "Greatest Generation" would face during the war years. If you're interested in one of history's pivotal friendships and moments, I recommend "FDR's Shadow".

"FDR's Shadow" tells the unusual story of the relationship between FDR and Louis Howe and their families. Louis Howe was one of those cheer leaders, sounding boards, a general right hand men needed by any highly successful politician. Howe grew up as the asthmatic son of an upstate New York Democratic newspaper editor who gave Louis an introduction to his vocation, journalism, and his passion, politics. It was on his beat of reporting on the New York legislature that Howe met then State Senator Franklin D. Roosevelt. They established a working relationship which continued when Roosevelt took Howe to Washington upon Roosevelt's assumption of the position of Assistant Secretary of the Navy. In FDR's 1920 campaign for vice-president it was Howe who had to keep the candidate focused on his audience and his goals. It was during this campaign that Howe began mentoring Eleanor Roosevelt as she emerged from her cocoon and blossomed into a campaign partner and a leader among Democratic women. Howe's role in the Roosevelt household transformed in 1921when Franklin was stricken with polio. Eleanor sent for Howe who immediately left Washington for Campobello. From this day forward, Howe would be a part of the Roosevelt household and an occasional visitor to his own. In what today would be called crisis management, Howe assumed direction of the medical treatment, access to the cottage and, eventually, FDR's transportation back to New York. In the years that followed it was Howe who kept Franklin and Eleanor focused on his rehabilitation and return to the world of politics. Howe's total dedication to FDR was illustrated by the time spent with Franklin making and racing model boats, while excluding their own sons from this pass time. It was Howe who kept the dream of the White House alive. Throughout the twenties, a peculiar triangle developed between Eleanor, Franklin and Louis. Eleanor and Franklin would never vacation together nor could they share their confidences as they journeyed into an uncharted world. They each found their confidant in Louis, who found his family in Eleanor and Franklin, even as he distanced himself from his own family. In the chapters of this book, the reader follows FDR as he returned to public life with his highly acclaimed nomination of Al Smith for President in 1924, his narrow election as governor of New York in 1928 and the careful staking of the White House, culminating in Roosevelt's election in 1932. The stories continued until Howe's death on April 18, 1936. Despite all that I have written, this book is primarily about the life and career of Franklin D. Roosevelt and, secondarily, about Eleanor. I have studied extensively about FDR but I still learned much about him and Eleanor from this book. It draws the reader's attention to Eleanor's development into a political force in her own right. After reading this book I suspect that, had she been First Lady fifty years later, Eleanor, not Hillary, would have

Very few if any biographies of Franklin Roosevelt fail to mention his friend and supporter Louis Howe. Howe was also responsible; in part, for the emergence of Eleanor Roosevelt's emergence as a political presence, allowing her a way to still engage with FDR following his infidelity and betrayal. Although Eleanor was first put off by Howe's bad habits and gnome like appearance, she developed a deep appreciation of his fidelity to both her and Franklin. He encouraged her to find her own voice and to work as an extension of her husband. Louis Howe was not an imposing man, he was of slight build, disheveled, and suffered a myriad of illnesses. His devotion to the Roosevelts was a curiosity and matter of speculation. After meeting FDR in 1911, Howe was convinced that Roosevelt was presidential material and he began to guide FDR's political career. Under Howe's guidance, FDR turned towards the working class (this branding him a traitor to his class} and often was a trusted sounding board for both the Roosevelts. Julie Fenster's FDR's Shadow is a thoroughly researched look into a man once referred to as "most private' of the President's private secretaries". A well researched look into one of the greatest political "king makers".

One of the great advantages of the Vine program is that one is, at times, encouraged to become aware of most excellent writers and important bits of history. This is one of those times. Julie M. Fenster is one of those writers and this is one of those books. Louis Howe surely had a tremendous influence on American history as he more than any other Democrat, even Roosevelt himself, was responsible for FDR's election to the presidency and Eleanor Roosevelt's political, public blossoming. But the scope of this book is broader than just Howe's biography. Julie Fenster paints a marvelous picture of the New York political world in the early part of the twentieth century and illuminates Roosevelt's life during those times. A great read.

FDR's Shadow was Louis Howe, whose life was not terribly, or rather was marginally, successful, until fate brought he and FDR together, at first with mild brushes, and later, with Howe seeing the potential in an FDR Presidency, even when FDR was taking some NY State ups and downs and sometimes enduring a few political bludgeoning's. Reading the early history of Howe one begins to wonder how this man seemingly wretched in many ways, came to be a man of such incredible insight, foresight and ingenuity. But I have seen this type of growth before and probably so have you. That Howe saw even in the paralyzed and near helpless FDR during the polio attack, a man of destiny is remarkable to say the least. That Howe sacrificed the greatest career offer of his life to move into the Roosevelt home and help nurse FDR to back to health and eventually to a presidency, was phenomenally, prophetic. Howe was a hanger on in his marriage, and on his career and not particularly interested in wealth or success, to the point where he often rolled in poverty. His wife, and apparently one-sided true love, Grace, did not seem to share his romantic and marital intensity, or his seemingly casual view of career import. How he became, or rather blossomed into the brilliant, indomitable and enlightened choreographer of the Greatest president America has had since the era of the Founding Father's, Ms. Fenster lays out with precise and unbiased alacrity. The Book, FDR's Shadow, follows Howe, as his early career crisscrossed Roosevelt's path over a period of years until they hooked up. After reading two tomes, (1900 pages) on FDR, FDR, and Traitor To His Class, and several smaller volumes, in the last several months, including; Roosevelt's Secret War, as well as Roosevelt and Lucy, I had what I thought was a well rounded portrait of the man, but FDR's Shadow, rounds out the picture of Howe with a more satisfactory finish. I had wondered about his long absences from his wife and children and what I found was a flawed marriage, in which loyalty and romance seemed one-sided, flowing from Howe to his wife and apparently seldom returned. Julie M. Fenster's research is impeccably presented and displays a well-rounded and comprehensive biography, which even gives glimpses of the Roosevelt my family, had come to know and love, so well. One reviewer called Howe FDR's Karl Rove, hardly true, there was not a speck of Machiavellian or murderous evil in Howe, though he was probably brighter than Rove, he also had something Rove lacked, a conscience. The writing beginning in the generations before Louis Howe and skating amid the bumps and disappointments of Howe's loveless love life and his poor earning record, to his finding his place in the world and his masterful direction of FDR's political career and life, including overcoming of Eleanor's distrust and dislike of him and his turning down career altering wealth in order to help nurse FDR back to health from the disease I shared w