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No Ordinary Time (Abridged): Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, The Home Front in World War II Audiobook
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(4.00) - 7,265 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for History, No Ordinary Time is a monumental work, a brilliantly conceived chronicle of one of the most vibrant and revolutionary periods in the history of the United States.
With an extraordinary collection of details, Goodwin masterfully weaves together a striking number of story lines—Eleanor and Franklin’s marriage and remarkable partnership, Eleanor’s life as First Lady, and FDR’s White House and its impact on America as well as on a world at war. Goodwin effectively melds these details and stories into an unforgettable and intimate portrait of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt and of the time during which a new, modern America was born.
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"It took me 16 months to finish this book so yes, I feel a sense of triumph. But please do not form any opinion over the quality of the book with my inability to stay focused while reading it. I adore Doris Kearns Goodwin. Her writing is interesting and accessible. It is also detailed and thick and at times I became distracted by something shinny (oh look! A new Jen Lancaster book!) or simply didn't feel up to the level of Doris and the Roosevelts. This book which explores relationships of all kinds between and around Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt during WWII reaches into every nook and cranny of that era from their marriage and personal relationships, to political relationships, to labor and big business, to civil rights and women's work. It deals with some nitty-gritty of the war effort, primarily on the home front (as per the books title) but also with some military description. While fascinating throughout, it is not until the end of the book where I started to fully grasp not only the individual drives of Franklin and Eleanor but of how their personality, their marriage and their relationships with other people profoundly impacted American society. Loved it. While not a history of World War II, I feel better versed in the war effort. More importantly for me, I could see my grandparents' story woven into parts of the book. It brought back the voice of my grandmother telling tales of working for Bell Aircraft and my grandfather's sparse words about his service overseas. As fascinating as Eleanor and Franklin were (and I still find them to be) the connection of their story to that of American society is what makes this a read that I relish and enjoy, not just plow through. Loved it."
— Amy (5 out of 5 stars)
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“Goodwin has pulled off the double trick of making Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt seem so monumental as to have come from a very distant past, and at the same time so vital as to have been alive only yesterday.”
— New York Times -
“With an uncanny feel for detail and a novelist’s grasp of drama and depth, Doris Kearns Goodwin brilliantly narrates the interrelationship between the inner workings of the Roosevelt White House and the destiny of the United States. Goodwin paints a comprehensive, intimate portrait that fills in a historical gap in the story of our nation under the Roosevelts.”
— Amazon.com, editorial review -
“Goodwin’s narrative, based upon interviews and other primary research and deeply informed by the scholarship of others, will keep company with the best works in the vast Roosevelt canon and will absorb and delight a wide readership.”
— Library Journal -
“People often say they don’t like to read history because it’s so dry. They apparently have not read history the way Goodwin writes it…By the time we finish this more than eight-hundred-page study, we feel as if we have been present during the events described, as if we have known the players.”
— Booklist
Awards
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Winner of the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for History
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A New York Times bestseller
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Winner of the 1995 Ambassador Book Award for Biography/Autobiography
No Ordinary Time Listener Reviews
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" I love history and thought this book was wonderful. I learned a ton about WWII. "
— Mellanee, 2/18/2014 -
" Doris Kearns Goodwin writes history with a novelist's sensibility. You come to know Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt as flesh and blood people, not just historical icons. "
— Paula, 2/7/2014 -
" A remarkably easy and engrossing read. Despite knowing what happened during WWII, there were parts of this book that had me on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen! Both FDR and Eleanor were far ahead of their time in their thinking, and this book illustrates that perfectly. They were truly extraordinary people. "
— Jason, 2/1/2014 -
" There is much to learn from this book which is written in a very personal tone. The Roosevelt family comes alive, so of up close and personal. The book gives a terrific feel for the pressures of the times and the wily nature of this President. It is almost like you become an insider in the past. "
— Billbob, 1/31/2014 -
" I'm breaking my non-non-fiction rule to review this one. Doris Kearns Goodwin tells the story of the home front in WWII with the sensibility of a novelist and the integrity of a historian. You want to cry when FDR dies at the end. Still, you get a sense of his strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of Eleanor and his cabinet. Good read if you're into history, or want to know more about how the U.S. helped win WWII through crazy mobilization. "
— Ben, 1/16/2014 -
" If you want to know what the US was like during WWII and what President Roosevelt had to deal with, this is the book to read. I learned a lot about how this country's belief in itself got us through an extraordinary time. Great history lessons here. I may actually read this book again... "
— Kathy, 1/15/2014 -
" I am going to finish this book someday. I think I read a chapter of it like every two weeks or something. It's good, like roasted Brussels sprouts, but not good like pizza or cupcakes. "
— Jvlee624, 1/11/2014 -
" Goodwin in a skillful writer, making history come alive in a very readable fashion. It was interesting to discover the "behind the scenes" activities that occurred during that time in history. "
— Mabel, 12/31/2013 -
" Taught me a lot about the Roosevelts and WW11 "
— Emily, 12/25/2013 -
" Goodwin is one of my favorite authors and she does an excellent job of letting the reader into the minds of both Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt. Great great read. "
— Lucy, 12/24/2013 -
" Super details "
— Eunys, 12/4/2013 -
" Fabulous story, read like a novel. Kearns has jam-packed this book with details about the time and about Eleanor and Franklin. "
— Jean, 11/20/2013 -
" An excellent read, it takes you back to a time I knew little about and individuals who shaped our world. My new heroine, Eleanor...what a first lady!! When I was done, I missed Eleanor and Franklin. "
— Lbball27, 11/10/2013 -
" Eleanor R. was the most amazing woman of her time. What an inspirational leader. "
— Wendy, 11/6/2013 -
" One of the best historical nonfiction books I've ever read. "
— Christopher, 9/7/2013 -
" Best book I've read in a long, long time. Bring the Roosevelt era to life. "
— Joseph, 4/15/2013 -
" This is a good book but very hard to read and very confusing with all of the people popping in and out. You almost need a program of characters to keep up with everyone. "
— Cyndee, 2/8/2013 -
" Doris Kearns Goodwin has a phenomenal writing technique that turns historical facts into fast paced prose. Her books are exceptionally well researched and a joy to read. Can not recommend them enough. "
— Sean, 10/1/2012 -
" Great writing, but this is more of a very interesting and very detailed, well-written college textbook for a course on America during WWII. I would LOVE to read it, but I'm already reading a pretty dense history book and I am more interested in books on weaving at the moment. "
— Cayenne, 8/14/2012 -
" Another long and detailed book that makes history come alive! "
— Patti, 7/10/2012 -
" Read this one a long time ago. Love Eleanor Roosevelt. "
— Robin, 4/2/2012 -
" fascinating insight into the lives of FDR and Eleanor. I'm naming my daughter Eleanor after reading this book "
— Katie, 3/11/2012 -
" History, yes. But what brilliant minds. Core strength. "
— Benjamin, 11/24/2011 -
" I'm obsessed with Eleanor Roosevelt now. "
— Sarah, 10/17/2011 -
" Oh, I just loved reading this but I just couldn't stick with it... "
— Flannery, 7/27/2011 -
" This is an interesting book and I learned many new things about this period of history that I did not previously know. It is a little slower than Team of Rivals. "
— Christi, 5/29/2011 -
" My favorite history writer! A fascinating look at life and politics at the beginning of World War II. I learned so much about 20th century American history by reading this one book. It puts the war in perspective without reading about battles. A must read. "
— Stephanie, 5/25/2011 -
" Interesting as a dual biography of the Roosevelts as well as an idea of life in the US during WWII. Kearns is an excellent writer. This is the second of her books I've read and I intend to read them all. "
— Jenny, 5/9/2011 -
" A very long and fascinating review of history during the time of Franklin Roosevelt's presidency and his and Eleanor's personal lives. A good read for history's sake. "
— Gail, 4/26/2011 -
" an interesting account of the war years. no much new info from other books i read. interesting to read about the depression and contrast to this recession. <br/>i thoought her last chapter was very well written ..eleanor was a wonderful woman and she did a lot for all of us . "
— Jeanne, 4/25/2011 -
" 4.5 stars, really excellent and very readable. "
— Cheryl, 4/14/2011 -
" Excellent in every way. I learned so much history! "
— Marge, 2/1/2011 -
" Good read for Franklin-philes but the author extrapolated a lot of conclusions from hearsay and innuendo. There was no real new information but both Franklin and Eleanor came across as real people (warts and all) with understandable personality quirks. "
— Deanie, 1/29/2011
About Doris Kearns Goodwin
Doris Kearns Goodwin is a #1 New York Times bestselling and award–winning author of acclaimed works of nonfiction. Her work for President Johnson launched her career as a presidential historian. Her first book was Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream. She followed up with the Pulitzer Prize–winning No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Homefront in World War II. She earned the Lincoln Prize for Team of Rivals, in part the basis for Steven Spielberg’s film Lincoln. She won the Carnegie Medal for The Bully Pulpit, about the friendship between Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. Leadership: In Turbulent Times was the inspiration for the History Channel docuseries on Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin Roosevelt, for which she was executive producer.
About Edward Herrmann
Edward Herrmann (1943–2014) was one of America’s top audiobook narrators. He won multiple Audie Awards and twenty-two Earphones Awards, and his narration of the King James version of the Bible remains a benchmark in the industry.