FDR's blueprint for a fearless America

Not all of it worked, but much of it did – and lasts to this day. The first Roosevelt Congressional session embodied the president's political philosophy. "Take a method and try it," he once said. "If it fails, admit it and try another. But above all, try something." His willingness to alter the traditional landscape bears a reminder in the current political era, particularly among politicians who seem stuck on never adapting Roosevelt-era programs such as Social Security. Smith makes clear that Roosevelt sought solutions on a constant basis – and considered few of his programs sacred to the point of never being altered. Smith breaks little new ground in his portrait of FDR, but he deftly synthesizes the reams of existing material and weaves a clear, compelling account of Roosevelt's lengthy political career.

Here is Eleanor Roosevelt, prone to flirtations of her own as FDR carries on a poorly concealed lifelong love affair with Lucy Mercer Rutherford. Despite a marriage that devolved into a political partnership (the Clintons' forerunners?) at the expense of romantic love, Eleanor and Franklin respected one another in touching ways even as they lived largely separate lives.

Brilliance, but not without blunders

Other familiar figures come in for inspection under Smith's steady, penetrating gaze. From Winston Churchill to right-hand political operatives such as Louis Howe and Harry Hopkins, the book touches on every aspect of FDR's life without bogging down. Smith admires FDR, but avoids fawning. He also provides blunt critiques of Roosevelt's political blunders. FDR's much-maligned, ill-conceived attempt to expand the Supreme Court, as well as a premature decision to balance the budget at the expense of the economic gains forged by the early years of the New Deal, receives deserved scrutiny and repudiation.

"When Roosevelt sought to pack the Supreme Court, he shot himself in the foot," Smith writes. "When he prematurely curtailed federal spending in 1937, he shot the country in the foot."

FDR did little in the area of race relations. Despite his unprecedented tenure, Roosevelt failed to pass a single piece of significant legislation related to civil rights. Smith chides that shortcoming, although he leavens the critique by noting that Southern dominance in Congress required FDR to ignore racial disputes in favor of passing broader legislation. The merits of the argument remain debatable.

Still, as Smith's narrative unfolds and the inevitable entry into war descends with the tragic bombing at Pearl Harbor, it is impossible to overlook the heroic, inspirational leadership Roosevelt provided. On many more occasions than not, FDR stood as a reminder of America's vast potential. For Smith, Roosevelt remains a beacon of presidential leadership, a man who led his country during the darkest of days and found a way to restore hope in a time when there was none to be found. Telling FDR's familiar story with aplomb may not be a new deal, but it is a worthy one.

• Erik Spanberg is a freelance writer in Charlotte, N.C.

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