Exploring the Bond Between Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill: An Intimate Look at an Unforgettable Friendship

djh66: very informative book

United States on Oct 02, 2023

N. Hrenoff: Easy to read and engrossing. Love it.

United States on Sep 14, 2023

Richard K. Mason: After I read both of Lynne Olson’s terrific books on this period, CITIZENS OF LONDON, and TROUBLESOME YOUNG MEN, I wanted more. My brother Ken had given me Jon Meacham’s LINCOLN, which I loved, so I decided to purchase this book. It is a marvelous read. One of the reviewers of one of Olson’s books criticizes her book essentially along these lines, that “this is not the book to read if you want to get a history of WWII.” But I’m not reading these books to get a history of WWII. These books, and I definitely include Meacham’s FRANKLIN AND WINSTON, bring an incredibly important and dramatic period in the history of the world to life. It is a relatively brief period of history, and the authors have surveyed a mass of detail and made a compelling narrative related to events, opinions, and personalities. Meacham’s book is a totally engrossing narrative about FDR and Churchill and their wartime relationship, the issues they confronted, and their contemporaries. The importance of this period of time cannot be overstated and Meacham brings it to life. The relationship between FDR and Churchill and their correspondence are, per se, fascinating, as are the vignettes about...

United States on Sep 11, 2023

Murray Brown: The author has spent an inordinate amount of time looking for sources. Well, in reality, I suppose his Staff did. Regardless, it is jam-packed with details of both families. A wonderful insight into the two minds of WWII.

Canada on Sep 07, 2023

Nada: Das Lesen von guten Büchern ist für mich die beste Therapie.

Germany on Feb 13, 2023

Kai Lee: The author stated in the introduction “Roosevelt was the better politician, Churchill the warmer human being”. This is followed in the beginning of Chapter 1, by two impressions of the first female member of Roosevelt’s cabinet, Frances Perkins. Perkins once heard a fellow politician say “Awful arrogant fellow, that Roosevelt”. Her bottom line on Churchill: “He’s pig-headed in his own way, often right and brilliant, but …”, leaving the sentence unfinished. With these teasing opening, the author successfully hooked the readers to this 370 pages of narratives of the epic friendship of the two towering figures of the twentieth century, FDR and WSC.

They first met in a dinner party in the Gray’s Inn in London on July 29, 1918, when Churchill, age 43, was minister of munitions and former first lord of the Admiralty. Roosevelt, age 36, was working for the US Navy Department. They two did not make much impression on each other. They did not make contact again until September 1939, when FDR (now President) telegraphed WSC (first lord of the Admiralty again) inviting him to correspond direct on naval or other matters. WSC became Prime Minister in 1940. France was...

United States on Jun 22, 2021

Bill Emblom: Author Jon Meacham has provided us with the friendship between two stalwarts who led a successful guidance through World War II. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill were the two heavyweights who assured that peace would reign throughout the world. Their uneasy alliance with Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin is masterfully told by author Meacham with anecdotes involving their conferences at Tehran and Yalta. At Tehran Stalin felt he should have more influence due to Russia having paid the greatest price in causalities.

The human side of all three of these leaders comes out as well. Churchill wanted Roosevelt to assist England against Adolph Hitler's German air attack in the 1940 Battle of Britain but Roosevelt wisely begged off due to the United States not being prepared to join in the fight. It was only after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, America was brought into war with Japan. Then, to Churchill's delight Germany declared war on America so now Churchill was to get the support he longed for. In the meantime Hitler was biting off more than he could chew by attacking Russia as well as declaring war on America.

Many conferences between Roosevelt...

United States on Nov 21, 2020

Ken Robinson: The book smelt mouldy

United Kingdom on May 17, 2018

Rebecca Burns: This audio story has kept my low vision partner enthralled over the summer!

Australia on Jan 25, 2018

Frank Walsh: This used book was in much worse condition than was described. I had expected it to be in much better condition (the cost of postage & handling made it too expensive.)

Canada on Jun 19, 2013