ELEANOR

It may not have been until Hillary or Michelle that a first lady garnered nearly as much acclaim as Eleanor Roosevelt. Gabra Zackman narrates Michaelis's biography at just the right pitch. It is never overly dramatic, despite many tragic and heartbreaking events, and steers clear of hagiography. The audiobook engages by recalling life during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. Not surprisingly, the story gathers steam once FDR is elected president. Anyone who is not aware of the impact Eleanor had on Franklin will revel at hearing how the first lady moved her husband to take up the plight of the less fortunate. This listen may focus on events of more than a half century ago, but it remains timely to this day. J.P.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2021]