Can anyone Please Suggest a Book about FDR and How He Saved America from the Great Depression?

[fascisthunter]

I want to study that period in time, because I think much of what we see today happening is parallel to what happened before...

[enlightenment]

1. Try Kenneth S. Davis' multi-volume biography.

Volumes two and three cover the period you want.

[fascisthunter]

2. thank you

[enlightenment]

5. You're welcome.

:)

[dipsydoodle]

3. For the equivalent book on GWB

try Grimms Fairy Tales.

[Pamela Troy]

4. H.W. Brand's TRAITOR TO HIS CLASS

It deals very specifically with Roosevelt's radical approach to the New Deal, and its roots in his own experience with polio. Terrific book.

[OHdem10]

6. Easy Quick Read by JONATHEN ALTER. Short book p

I think it First 100 Days--How FDR saved Capitalism
and Democracy.

Doris Kerns Goodwin--Hers is a Historical book
but interestingly written. Much longer book
but one of the best.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

7. May I Suggest..........

.......that when you get done learning about the New Deal, you might want to check out, "The Second Bill Of Rights: FDR's Unfinished Revolution and Why We Need It More Than Ever" by Cass R. Sunstein.

It talks about all the things FDR WANTED to do with the New Deal but never got the chance. Just think what a great place America would be right now if FDR had actually passed his "Second Bill of Rights." We wouldn't have many of the problems we're facing right now.

[uncommon]

10. I think the rights outlined by FDR there would have done much more good than the New Deal

actually did. It's a tragedy that we never enacted them.

[fascisthunter]

14. will do... sounds fascinating

[TN al]

8. Freedom From Fear by David M. Kennedy

[uncommon]

9. Wasn't the war boom mostly responsible?

Don't get me wrong - FDR did great things for this country, and certainly did much to lift this country from the Depression, but internal war spending is generally a very successful way of improving the economy.

(Of course the wars we are currently engaged in do not involve the level of internal industry required for the WWII effort).

[RaleighNCDUer]

12. I've always thought that to be a Republican myth -

it denies FDR any credit for the recovery, makes the foundation of the recovery the responsibility of rich industrialists, and quite coincidentally unions were weakened by 'no strike' regulations during the war.

It's a little too pat an answer, considering that other aspects of the great depression such as the collapse of international trade are not addressed, and while unemployment was still a little high in 41, we had moved far from the situation of 34.

If his programs were not seen as very effective, how did he get re-elected in 40? We were not yet at war - the war in Europe started two months before the election, but there was serious doubt that we would get pulled into it. So the war was no factor - he was reelected because he was ending the economic crisis.

[OHdem10]

13. War is one of the biggest government programs. Seriously

Had FDR not established the programs to keep money
flowing through the entire country. Businesses were
paralyzed. The Government provided jobs and economic
activity which kept the country from going into ruin.
The War(as I say the biggest of all government programs
look at Afghanistan, and Iraq) helped the economy
move a long more quickly. Once the war ended another
"government program" was put into place. GI BILL which
provided education for returning Military. These same
men with their College Degrees then really became
Giants in Industry and prosperity of historical proportions.

FDR set in place Regulations for Wall-Street, Business
which created the Prosperity we knew from 1947 to 1977.

Since that time The GOP have successfully repealed the
Regulations giving Business more and more power until
they finally drove us in the ditch.

[WilliamPitt]

11. "FDR" by Ted Morgan

[fascisthunter]

16. Vielen Dank an meine Freundin aus Boston!

[Catherina]

15. good question and answers. Rec'd n/t

[fascisthunter]

17. thank you all.... any more suggestions would be appreciated

I think this may be a good thread for others looking for resources on this issue.

[stray cat]

18. World war II