F.D.R.: His Personal Letters- Vol. III

The third and last volume of the personal letters is probably more important than either of the other volumes (published in 1947 and 1948), particularly in view of the way in which these letters somehow round out material that has appeared elsewhere. Inevitably, there is more official or semi-official matter in the correspondence, even the ""personal"" correspondence. The period covered is from 1929-45, so it embraces the years in Albany and the Presidency. One of the most interesting aspects of these letters is the sense one gets of the long-term continuity in his associations and friendships, in his ability to retain warmth of personal feeling even when political differences, even bitternesses, exist. One realizes very fully the amount of work and thought that goes into preparation for moves, --appointments, proposals, etc. The scope of his interests- lay and professional- comes out in many of the letters, and the contagion of his charm is recurrently there. The humor (example- his memo to Mrs. Roosevelt on chicken and sweetbreads on the menu) is a very vital part of his writing. Family letters are included chiefly as they contribute to the chronology of events. In the main, a skilful piece of editing. The introductions to each group of letters (arranged a year at a time) place the historical and immediate setting; the notes that follow individual letters place names, allusions, incidents needed to clarify the content....The market will be largely determined by the earlier volumes.