Rating: 
Summary: Two lions roaring at the same time....
Review: Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill are two of the most influential men of the 20th Century, and Jon Meacham's Franklin and Winston is a commendable effort. How the friendship between these two men evolved is a fascinating read. Theirs was a friendship forged from the war, and Churchill cultivated the relationship knowing that help from the US was the only way to defeat Nazi Germany. All relationships have their ups and downs, and Churchill and Roosevelt were no exception. Franklin's treatment toward Winston was downright shabby when they started dealing with Joseph Stalin. Still, in their many fact-to-face meetings, they were able to do much together including tracking the progress of the war, coordinating allied activities and especially, cutting through red tape when it came to equipment and supplies.There have been other books written about these two giants, but Meacham had the advantage of some newly discovered letters in the FDR library, as well as personal interviews with Mary Soames (Churchill's daughter), Pamela Harriman (Churchill's ex-daughter-in-law), and Robert Hopkins (son of FDR aide and cabinet member, Harry Hopkins). Churchill was a man who wore his emotions for all to see. It was obvious that he loved and revered FDR and was crushed by his sudden death. On the other hand, FDR could be a very cold and unemotional man. He was also a man who used people, and then wrote them off when they were no longer of use to him. We are left to wonder how their friendship would have survived after the end of the war if FDR had lived--especially after Churchill's defeat as Prime Minister only months after the war ended. The changing world scene may have also served to shift the balance of their friendship. Before WWII, the United States and England were two dominant world powers. After the war, China and the Soviet Union replaced the British Empire as a major force. I wonder if FDR would have treated Churchill in a diminished capacity as the fortunes of the British Empire waned. I especially enjoyed the many stories and anecdotes about these two men. Churchill, especially, can best be described as a character! He was a heavy handed drinker and a demanding guest. He loved to stay up late and seemed to do his best work after midnight. Winston didn't like American whiskey or Roosevelt's nightly cocktails. Both men had strong, intelligent wives, although Eleanor and Clementine didn't particularly like each other. While Clementine couldn't keep up with Eleanor, Franklin had a difficult time matching Winston's energy and stamina. All in all, Meacham has provided us with a very good sketch about two great men.
Rating: 
Summary: History is about people as well as tidal forces
Review: History is not impersonal - it all too often hinges on whether two leaders actually hit it off as people, as two men unalike as Reagan and Gorbachev were able to do, or even Bush and Blair in our own time. This book looks in a fascinating and accessible way at the two men who saved us from death and destruction and the then seemingly invincible forces of tyranny. If it thanks to these two amazing, larger than life politicians, who forged the victorious alliance for freedom that we all enjoy today , it behoves us to read a fascinating and well-written book like this to see how it all happened in practice. An excellent Christmas present for your favourite Uncle - and be sure to buy yourself a copy first! Christopher Catherwood, author of CHRISTIANS MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE (Zondervan, 2003) and on Churchill's epic pre-1941 struggles in THE BALKANS IN WORLD WAR TWO (Palgrave, 2003)
Rating: 
Summary: Pandering Propaganda hiding the disaster of FDR rule.
Review: I have a library of about 400 books covering the WWII era. This is one of the worst, and having been recently published, it is unforgivable that this tripe should ever have found print. Nothing on FDR's coniving to get the Japanese to "fire the first shot" and nothing on recognizing the USSR and honoring Walter Duranty in the oval office. Nothing on the disaster of demanding unconditional surrender thus dooming tens of thousands more to die. Not a word on opening the doors of the OWI, State, OSS and CIA to infiltration by Communists. FDR's constant pandering and caving in to Stalin brought Winston Spencer Churchill to a near state of despair. Not a word about his bringing on the great depression as clearly proven by Thomas J Flynn in "The Roosevelt Myth."
A sad sad day for our youth in schools to have this foisted off as history at this late date. Cordially and with all best wishes, Richard F. Tompkins CDP
15081 Sevilla Circle
Huntington Beach, CA
92647-2723 dericker@earthlink.net
714-891-0190
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Study of an Outstanding Friendship
Review: I have read a number of biographies of FDR and Churchill as well as history books on WW II. I thought that I knew everything about both men. Well, I didn't. It's not that Jon Meacham provides that much new material in this book--though there are some new letters and previously unreleased documents-it's that he molds what has been out there into a fascinating study of the personalities of the two men. I may not have learned new facts about these men but I gained greater insight into not only their friendship but also their marriages, their characters, and their lives from this study. Both men became more fully realized, more human, more alive in this book. "Franklin and Winston" follows a simple, chronological structure. It begins with a phone call from Roosevelt to Churchill (who was not yet Prime Minister) at the onset of WW II in Europe; it ends for the most part with the death of Roosevelt and Churchill's inability to attend his funeral. In between, yes, you see all the major events of WW II on the European front. But you also see a Churchill trying to woo Roosevelt-and through his efforts, the neediness in his personality, the boy trying to please. You also realize the tremendous feeling that Churchill had for his American forebearers (his mother was American) and the sincere emotion that he was capable of even at the most difficult of times. With Roosevelt, you see the caginess of his personality, the boy who was the center of his parents' universe and now really was the center of the world. You see in greater depth the feeling that he did have for his wife Eleanor, even though he was spending time in his last days with his former love Lucy Rutherford. You see his ability to charm Churchill--and then turn off the charm. You're never quite sure if he really loved Churchill or not-and then you realize he may not have been sure either. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy history books and biographies, particularly of the WW II vintage. It is not the best place to begin a study of WW II or either man--the book presupposes a certain amount of knowledge. However, it is an excellent place to continue your studies.
Rating:
Summary: What a book!
Review: I saw several news people mention this book as one of the best books of the year so I picked it up at the local library and they were right! Franklin and Winston is simply a fascinating look at two of the giant leaders of the 20th century. Easy to read, filled with great quotes and stories, this is how history is supposed to be written. I guess since Jon Meacham is a magazine writer and a journalist he is a better writer than say some plain old historians, but whatever the case the man can write and what a story he told. As a teacher, I am thinking about making this book mandatory reading. It should be. More young people need to know about these two men, and this book does it. Also this book is timely when one looks at the remarkable relationship between George W. Bush and Tony Blair. I am not saying Bush is Roosevelt and Blair is Winston, but what I am saying is I get the impression both leaders read an advanced copy of this book or at least know their history. What impressed me the most is how FDR even though Winston was a more trusted leader and a better friend, knew in the post-WWII world that the USSR would be the other big player and for better or for worse using realpolitik FDR knew Stalin and the USSR would ultimately be the bigger players in the upcoming cold war. Again, of course England and Winston were better allies, but the reality was the USSR was the real power and FDR knew that. My only negative comment would be that i would have liked more information about FDR's condition at Yalta and the effects of any deals or non-deals he made with Stalin. This is a great book and should be bought and read.
Rating:
Summary: Half history, half biography, all good!
Review: Jon Meacham has tried to go where others have really not gone before - to explore the friendship between President Franklin Roosevelt and his counterpart, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in his new book Franklin and Winston. Meacham has done a great job of describing, in intimate detail, the relationship between these two men. I consider the book to be a true hybrid between a biography and a history because of the style of writing - intermixing details about the individual (the biography part) with situations in which the person played a role (the historical part). Meacham intertwines these two in remarkable fashion. This is an important book that truly displays how Roosevelt and Churchill were not only political compadres, but were indeed friends. I greatly enjoyed how Meacham discussed, with such attention to details, those situations in which both men were involved and played a critical role. I also appreciated the way in which Meacham explained how those encounters bolstered the friendship between the men - and why. Although the friendship was rocky at times, with Roosevelt bowing to political necessity in lieu of being true friends, there is no doubt in my mind, based on Meacham's book, that these two men were so much more than just political heavyweights - they were indeed friends.
Rating:
Summary: Great Leaders
Review: Jon Meacham's book "Franklin and Winston" does something that I have seen no other book about the World War II era attempt. Meacham tells the story not of a person, or of an historical event, but instead he tells the story of one of the most important relationships that ever existed between two men. Few relationships have ever had the importance that this particular one did. It is difficult to imagine a more critical relationship than the one between the two heads of state of countries fighting Nazi Germany in World War II. Because FDR and Churchill trusted one another and communicated well with one another America and Britain were able to avoid many pitfalls that nations which join together in temporary alliances often encounter. Churchill and Roosevelt had many similarities and some major differences. However, both realized at the outset of World War II--after Churchill became Prime Minister of Britain--that for the good of both their nations they must work closely together to defeat Nazi Germany. This was easier said than done at times. Churchill had a number of personal habits which irritated Roosevelt. For example, Churchill was often long and rambling in his conversations. Churchill, the ultimate Anglophile, refused to see certain larger implications of World War II, such as the end of British Colonialism. Churchill sometimes would barge into Roosevelt's bedroom in the Whitehouse in the middle of the night--when he visited the President--simply to talk about some idea that had suddenly crossed his mind. On the other hand, Roosevelt sometimes annoyed Churchill. Roosevelt insisted at both the Teheran and Yalta conferences upon meeting first with Joseph Stalin, the Soviet dictator, before talking to Churchill. This lead Churchill to feel both annoyed and less important than the other two men. Roosevelt was sometimes both secretive and non-committal, a trait Churchill found to be extremely frustrating at times. What was impressive was the willingness of both men had to set aside differences, ignore personality quirks, reject stereotypes, and work together for the common good of both their nations. In a day when public discourse between political figures is often marked by rancor and unwillingness to compromise, it is refreshing to know that some great men can put aside personal differences to reach a larger goal.
Rating:
Summary: An Epic Friendship
Review: Jon Meacham's Franklin and Winston is a thouroughly executed book on the nature of the friendship between the two great leaders of the twentieth century. Their friendship is chronicled through their voluminous correspondence and their meetings on both a professional and personal level. Franklin and Winston is a book that will further one's appreciation of these two indivuiduals and their contributions through their leadership in one of the world's gravest and darkest moments. It was a relationship that deepened their like and affection towards the other. Churchill and his island nation were the last major obstacles in Hitler's desire to conquer all of Europe. While beseeching Roosevelt for help, though Roosevelt was sympathetic and aware of the German menace, he could not go against the tide of American public opinion. Lend-Lease was a marked shift in how the U.S. aided a country that was at war, even though we were not. The disaster at Pearl Harbor would change the course of the war with the U.S.'s involvement. The cable Roosevelt sent to Churchill saying that we were now in the same boat is just one example found in this book where the reader senses the bond that had grown between these remarkable men. This book is truly fascinating and intriguing in that it shows us how Chuchill was ever trying to court Roosevelt and win his attention and favor. Roosevelt was always the cool, mysterious person who would never let you completely understand him. Roosevelt was a complex man in many ways, who was never really completely understood on a personal level by even his own family. But the affection was mutual. The private moments really displayed a pure friendship, even though Roosevelt could seemingly turn against Churchill at a moment, such as at the Big Three conferences. But it wasn't really personal. Both were actors in a sense in that they loved the positions of power they were in and they understand and mastered the art of communication. Both had a strong sense of history and understood the significance of the events that were playing out. Roosevelt especially had perhaps a greater visionary approach to understanding the future and what was changing. For the sake of brevity, this is a truly enjoyable look at an epic friendship that has impacted the relations between our country and Great Britain to this day. Just look at the war against terror. We can also be thankful that despite some of their personal failings, as are inherent in any human being, their leadership and their friendship during a great world crisis made the world safer for representative governments and the rights and liberties we and now many others can enjoy, though much work will always remain.
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: Meacham has created a very informative, enjoyable and easy book to read. In the book the central figures, Winston and Roosevelt are like characters in a novel; this truely is an 'intimate' portrait, by the end of the book we feel that we understand both of the characters. I do not feel I have to tell you what the book is all about because you can read that from other reviews, I will simply tell you the things that I did not like about the book:
For one thing, this book is very flowery in some parts. Meacham goes out of his way to try and convince the reader that the relationship between the two men was extremely personal by including very silly anecdotes. He makes Churchill look very childish in some scenes; for example in the Yalta conference with Stalin Churchill is 'offended' because Roosevelt is giving all of his attention to Stalin. He feels like he has lost a friend. When I read this, I almost laughed. Churchill was a grown man and I'm sure he could handle Roosevelt not paying attention to him. He justifies Churchill's childishness by saying that he was not accepted by his father and therefore seeks acceptance in other people. For some reason I do not feel that the man who saved Britain (and the world) from the evil of Adolf Hitler would be so insecure and childish. I believe Meacham is exaggerating the personal part of their relationship. I will admit, I have never read a biography on Winston Churchill, perhaps I am wrong and he was a very insecure and childish man; reading this book makes me curious, but for some reason I doubt it. Having read two biographies on FDR, I believe this book really captures his mysterious role. In conclusion, not only is this a great book explaining the relationship of the two men, but also the relationship of the two nations. While this book has a lot of history in it, it is by no means a history of WW2, please do not intend to read it as such. It covers perhaps 5% of what person needs to know about WW2 (if that), nevertheless it is essential for a person who studies WW2 or either of the men to read this book because I have not read any book that explores their relationship so enjoyably and elaborately. Despite its flaws this is definitely a book that will remain in print for many years and become an American History classic.
Rating:
Summary: An Epic Book To Shatter WWII Myths!!!
Review: Most students of history have seen photos of FDR, Churchill, and Stalin at the Yalta Conference, near the end of WWII, smiling, hopeful, as they wait for the photographer to finish before deciding the Fate Of The World. In most accounts of that meeting, one wonders what Churchill is doing there; surely, his presence is a concession to history, a glorious thank-you from Roosevelt and Stalin for having the courage to be the first to face Hitler. After all, Roosevelt and Stalin determined Cold War politics for the next 40+ years; the British PM was just along for the ride, right? Wrong, Wrong, oh how wrong can you be!!! For as Meacham makes abundently clear in this wonderful book, Sir Winston Churchill was in fact the primary architect of most of the Allies military and political strategy during WWII, and his primary genius was in using his considerable skills of personal rhetoric to persuade President Roosevelt to back his positions with the full force of American military might. For his part, FDR is seen as a master manipulator, ever ready to sell out WSC (Churchill) when it works to his advantage. Yet, Roosevelt proves a true friend when it counts most: In the aftermath of a stunning defeat at Tobruk, the President of the United States comes to Britain's aid by posing the simple question, "What can we do to help?," and shows, through military and moral support, that "a friend in need is a friend indeed." Throughout the war, these two titans prove that a shared love of military history, politics, and the cocktail hour (i.e., the one time of day when these harried CEOs can truly be themselves) can help sustain their affections through the most overwhelming trials and tribulations. Meacham also shows the parts played by Significant Others during the conflict, including Lucy Rutherfurd, the Great Love of FDR's life, shown here as much more supportive than wife Eleanor (a true bleeding-heart whose heart doesn't bleed quite so much for her husband); Churchill's wife Clementine comes across as much more sympathetic. Also chief among the supporting players is FDR aide Harry Hopkins, who lends invaluable assistance in arranging the first (real) meeting between his boss and WSC after Churchill wins his affections with true charm and humility. In short, a fabulous, fascinating read, and one which will increase the Churchill legend for generations to come. Truly, one wonders if the USA and other Allies would be free today if not for the seminal work of these two great men, particularly the work of one Winston Spencer Churchill. For indeed, we Americans and most of the free world owe him and the British a debt which can never be repaid.
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