ONE ORDINARY MAN - A NOVEL BASED ON THE TRUE STORY OF HARRY HOPKINS

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's largely unheralded adviser, Harry Hopkins, is the subject of Vesce’s historical novel.

Harry Hopkins was an Iowan with an unpretentious background who raised himself to impressive political heights on FDR’s coattails. After graduating in 1912 from Iowa’s Grinnell College he moves to New York, runs a couple of social programs where his talents as an administrator come to the attention of the new Roosevelt administration, which needs to get things done, pronto. And in Vesce’s novel, we learn exactly how efficient Hopkins was: first at the Works Progress Administration, doling out dollars in fulfilling an agenda that earns him lavish praise and deep enmity (many forget how deeply unpopular FDR’s initiatives were in some quarters). Moving into World War II, Roosevelt puts Hopkins in charge of the Lend Lease program and, more important, relies on Harry’s help in almost every decision. (Hopkins and his family actually lived in the White House for several crucial years, with Harry and FDR often hashing out policy in their pajamas.) There’s a memorable scene here where Churchill is insulted when this “nobody” shows up in FDR’s stead but quickly realizes that Hopkins is immensely capable. Hopkins, as we learn, is also one of the few politicians that Stalin trusts (for what that’s worth). In the author’s hands, Hopkins comes off a fixer in the best sense (“Leave it with me,” he says whenever the next crisis arises). But Vesce’s novel also deftly describes how Hopkins’ body betrays him at the prime of life in the form of stomach cancer: The doctors at Mayo remove three quarters of his stomach, saving his life but leaving him technically starving for the last 10 years of his life. The end comes in January of 1946, as Hopkins is totally worn out at 55 after a life well lived in service of his country.

This first question one might ask is: Why a novel about Hopkins? There are plenty of factual accounts, biographies, written about this historically underrated figure. Vesce is not a great writer but he is obviously inspired by Hopkins’ life story and in turn manages to pique reader interest through his passionate dedication to historical detail. We get the nitty-gritty details of high-level talks involving big egos, bitter disappointments, and giddy hopes. There are some dramatic scenes where political bigwigs clash and Harry has to intervene like a den mother—or perhaps like a Dutch uncle. On the other hand, Vesce admits to taking liberties—after all this is historical fiction—but this novel is rife with unexpected historical cameos and obscure events that make one wonder how much of this is based on fact. A straight history would clarify such uncertainty, but at what cost? What stories cry out for fictional treatment and what others should safely hug the shores of history? Shakespeare, after all, routinely turned historical fact into deathless drama. Vesce is obviously no Shakespeare, but he knows how to spin a good historical yarn.

 Vesce’s larger-than-life portrait of Hopkins reminds that there really is some truth to the whole “Greatest Generation” mythos.