The Definitive FDR

Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox (1882-1940) and Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom (1940-1945)

By: James MacGregor Burns

Narrated by: David Stifel

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the longest serving president in US history, reshaping the country during the crises of the Great Depression and World War II. James MacGregor Burns's magisterial two-volume biography tells the complete life story of the fascinating political figure who instituted the New Deal.

Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox (1882-1940): Before his ascension to the presidency, FDR laid the groundwork for his unprecedented run with decades of canny political maneuvering and steady consolidation of power. Hailed by the New York Times as "a sensitive, shrewd, and challenging book" and by Newsweek as "a case study unmatched in American political writings," The Lion and the Fox details Roosevelt's youth and education, his rise to national prominence, all the way through his first two terms as president.

Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom (1940-1945): The Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning history of FDR's final years examines the president's skillful wartime leadership as well as his vision for postwar peace. Acclaimed by William Shirer as "the definitive book on Roosevelt in the war years," and by bestselling author Barbara Tuchman as "engrossing, informative, endlessly readable," The Soldier of Freedom is a moving profile of a leader gifted with rare political talent in an era of extraordinary challenges.

©1956, 1970 James MacGregor Burns (P)2022 Tantor

Very good

I have read quite a few books about FDR this is certainly one of the most interesting and informative ones very well done

Superb and comprehensive

The Burns volumes themselves were, in my view, superb. Though perhaps not as compelling a storyteller as somebody like Robert Cato, Burns was a careful, thorough, and capable biographer, who prepared a deliberate and comprehensive review of a giant’s life. I listened in parallel with my reading a biography of Churchill and John Meacham’s “Franklin and Winston” and the effect was a stereoscopic view of the war years.

The reading was decidedly a mixed bag. On the plus side, the reader does a remarkable imitation of FDR that captures his accent, timbre, and rhythm. (He also, it should be noted, does a passable limitation of Churchill,) Initially, I found the impersonations distracting, but eventually warmed to his FDR. (His imitations – or whatever they are – of figures like Stalin and Hitler and others, however, are just silly.) On the other hand, the reader’s pace is slow, his voice gelatinous, and his butchery of foreign language words – which he insists on rendering with an heroic enunciation that would make Twain faint – is a labor. (If I had to listen to even one more reference to “ray-al-pol-i-TEEK, I might well have expired.)

Dedicated Author

This authors dedication to the study of history is absolutely amazing. The depth of all the supporting characters makes this book so rich.

A man and how he changed world history

Of all the books I have read on FDR and the history of FDR this is by far the best and deserves several readings. It is complete factual and entertaining. 10 / 10

Excellent scholarship

This richly informed biography of FDR offers cogent analysis, alongside an extravagant description of an incredible life.

A Review of "The Definitive FDR"

James MacGregor Burn again did a wonderful job. I very much enjoyed this presentation and representation of FDR's life and times.

Awesome!

Listening to this book has been an awesome experience! It’s quite lengthy but there is no fluff in it. I have read a fair number of books about FDR but I still learned much about the man and his life and times. It kept my interest throughout as well. The narrator was good .. pleasant to listen to and didn’t distract from the content. I will listen to this again even with the time commitment!

Excellent narration

If you like long audiobooks like I do and you like nonfiction then you should purchase this book. The guy who did the voice work is quite outstanding. Beyond this being a fairly comprehensive work about FDR, his narration is almost movie star quality. I would’ve liked to hear his best Russian accent though since he seemed incredibly talented yet was unable to pull that off.

Hagiography, not Biography

This is not a biography. This is a hagiography written in adulatory, reverential language that gets so worshipful in places that it becomes almost embarrassing to read. It’s more like reading a latter Ken Follett novel than a work of nonfiction. FDR is presented as the undisputed and indisputable hero, and everyone who disagrees with him is a nefarious villain. Everything is utterly one-sided with nothing within hailing distance of criticism or reflection presented.

If you are looking for an exceptionally long love letter to FDR, this book is for you. If you’re looking for a biography, it is not.