The First Lady of World War II Eleanor Roosevelt's Daring Journey to the Frontlines and Back by Shannon McKenna Schmidt

I was interested in this book because one of my relatives actually saw Eleanor speak when she visited Australia during the war. I enjoyed it very much, and highly recommend it to readers interested in the Roosevelts, or the Second World War.

Eleanor Roosevelt didn't want to be a First Lady who greeted guests, and presided over official dinners. She wanted to make a role for herself, and did just that by travelling the country giving speeches, and inspecting New Deal initiatives. Her husband found her work so impressive that he suggested that she travel to the Pacific to see the American armed forces there. She undertook a gruelling tour living in harsh conditions in the tropics, talking to the Americans there, seeing their circumstances for herself, and telling the people at home about her experiences. She even visited Guidalcanal in the middle of an especially dangerous time. At first, Admiral Halsey was against this, but he was extremely impressed by the way that she uncomplainingly lived in severe conditions,   tirelessly visited hospitals, and boosted morale.He said that she did more good than anyone else who visited his area.

Schmidt did a huge amount of research for this fascinating account.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.