TRIUMPHANT ADVENTURE The Story of Franklin D. Rooscvalt

This is a cordial introduction for young readers to one of the great figures of our times. The author has combined the vast Roosevelt correspondence, diaries and family memoirs and come up with documented, well-polished stories from which the legend grows. The Major theme is Roosevelt's long series of triumphs over circumstances. He triumphed over a thoroughly aristocratic heritage that might easily have ruled out compassion as part of his character. He triumphed over crippling illness, the monumental hazards of his first Presidential term and the slings and arrows of his political opponents. This is a well-balanced portrait in that it presents Roosevelt, during all the stages of his life in the context of his home, his political career and his national role with particularly good introductions to the members of his family. The literal-minded reader could easily assume that Roosevelt first ran against the Depression for the Presidency for Hoover is not mentioned, nor Willkie, nor Dewey. Roosevelt's opposition is kept anonymous and faceless, but the man himself comes to life in a book to begin on. The pen and ink illustrations of Jo Polseno, are quite true to the familiar photographs -- but available photographs would have been infinitely better.