1 of 1 copy available
In 1932, as her husband assumed the presidency, Eleanor Roosevelt entered the claustrophobic, duty-bound existence of the First Lady with dread. By that time, she had put her deep disappointment in her marriage behind her and developed an independent life—now threatened by the public role she would be forced to play. A lifeline came to her in the form of a feisty campaign reporter for the Associated Press: Lorena Hickok. Over the next thirty years, until Eleanor’s death, the two women carried on an extraordinary relationship: They were, at different points, lovers, confidantes, professional advisors, and caring friends.
They couldn't have been more different. Eleanor had been raised in one of the nation’s most powerful political families and was introduced to society as a debutante before marrying her distant cousin, Franklin. Hick, as she was known, had grown up poor in rural South Dakota and worked as a servant girl after she escaped an abusive home, eventually becoming one of the most respected reporters at the AP. Her admiration drew the buttoned-up Eleanor out of her shell, and the two quickly fell in love. For the next thirteen years, Hick had her own room at the White House, next door to the First Lady.
These fiercely compassionate women inspired each other to right the wrongs of the turbulent era in which they lived. During the Depression, Hick reported from the nation’s poorest areas for the WPA, and Eleanor used these reports to lobby her husband for New Deal programs. Hick encouraged Eleanor to turn their frequent letters into her popular and long-lasting syndicated column "My Day," and to befriend the female journalists who became her champions. When Eleanor’s tenure as First Lady ended with FDR's death, Hick pushed her to continue to use her popularity for good—advice Eleanor took by leading the UN’s postwar Human Rights Commission. At every turn, the bond these women shared was grounded in their determination to better their troubled world.
Deeply researched and told with great warmth, Eleanor and Hick is a vivid portrait of love and a revealing look at how an unlikely romance influenced some of the most consequential years in American history.
-
Creators
-
Publisher
-
Release date
September 27, 2016 -
Formats
-
OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780735289413
- File size: 396261 KB
- Duration: 13:45:32
-
-
Languages
- English
-
Reviews
-
Narrator Kimberly Farr generally maintains the tone of an objective bystander in this examination of Eleanor Roosevelt's relationship with Lorena Hickok and later her friendship with David Gurewitsch. When reading excerpts of letters between the women or the descriptions of intimate moments in their relationship, Farr's detachment is distracting. Roosevelt was a pivotal and sometimes controversial character in the history of the twentieth century. In addition to providing insight into the characters of both women, the book provides a glimpse of the events and politics of the time. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine -
October 31, 2016
Few know of Eleanor Roosevelt’s decades-long relationship with Lorena “Hick” Hickok, an Associated Press reporter assigned to cover her in the early years of F.D.R.’s presidency. Though previous biographies have marginalized or disregarded this relationship, Quinn’s biography delves deeply into the letters and other records to illustrate a powerfully rich love story that affected the world directly and indirectly. Reader Farr turns in a clever performance for the audio edition. At times, she reads in a straightforward manner. At other points in the book her tone, rhythm, and projection changes, and she becomes lively. These shifts help contrast Roosevelt’s public persona as first lady of the United States and her private life with Hick. A Penguin Press hardcover.
-