Customer Reviews

Too Close to the Sun: Growing Up in the Shadow of my Grandparents, Franklin and Eleanor

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Curtis Roosevelt was a child star. The oldest grandson of FDR, he and his sister became media celebrities before the term existed. In the case of Curtis (Buzzie) his childhood was swallowed by it.

His family insisted on propriety and tradition. Children apparently were accepted and graded according to a cultural template emphasizing the outcome as an adult rather than the process of becoming one. In a world where the governess or the nanny or the hired person became the substitute parent, childhood seemed to be tolerated by the family more than enjoyed by the child.

This lovely yet discomfiting book turns out to be about bewilderment and disappointment in a seductive world sadly short on adults warm enough, open enough or patient enough to make a child feel truly loved and secure. The author explains rather than complains while recounting childhood with a grandmother (Eleanor) with problems of her own and a mother (Anna) who appears more interested in satisfying her parents than understanding her children. Glitter and privilege rub hard on the boy. He notes that among his mother and four uncles (the FDR children) there were 16 divorces. His biological father was slowly walled off from him. His step father committed suicide not long after he joined the list of Roosevelt marriages gone wrong.

What fascinates most in this book is that these are the words of one of the very last who were actually there to witness the Roosevelt years first hand from inside the family. The boy was barely more than a toddler when his grandfather was elected president. The author's recollections are bolstered by a huge list in the acknowledgement section, people who evidently provided added perspective, and letters, and reminders. You get the sense that this is something of a reconstruction, difficult to write, likely a product of many painful revisions. The result is a book of memoirs, a man trying very hard to record what it was like to be a boy in a world of Depression and War that baffled even the most experienced adults.

I'd be hard pressed to find a book about Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt that I didn't adore, but unfortunately, Too Close to the Sun: Growing Up in the Shadow of My Grandparents, Franklin and Eleanor by Curtis Roosevelt is just average. Curtis Roosevelt (formerly Curtis Roosevelt Dall) is the second grandchild and oldest grandson of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.

The author was three years old when FDR became president. His mother Anna, (the president's only daughter) was going through a divorce at the time, and so moved into the White House with her two children. Anna Eleanor Dall (Sistie) and Curtis (Buzzie) became immediate media darlings. Although his mother remarried and they moved to the West Coast, the White House and the Big House at Hyde Park were always "home" to Curtis. The author's family recognized early on that Curtis enjoyed the attentions that were directed at FDR a little too much. "The idea that I might be suffering from growing up in the orbits of my grandfather and grandmother, whose powerful auras were doubled-edged, was untenable." Being that Curtis was the second oldest grandchild, he did get to witness many events and meet many important people during his grandfather's presidency.

I enjoyed the parts about FDR, Eleanor and the White House. For instance, FDR insisted on having a live Christmas tree in the White House, lit by actual candles. The White House staff was aghast. One can only imagine real candles on a 20 foot tree in the East Room! However, I was almost embarrassed reading some facts about the author's childhood. For instance, this poor, little rich boy never slept alone, unbuttoned a button, went to the bathroom by himself, or flushed a toilet until he was 5 years old and ready for kindergarten. The Sun in this story is definitely Franklin. Curtis adored his Papa. But I got the feeling that while Curtis admired Eleanor, his love was reserved for Sara Delano Roosevelt (Franklin's mother, called Granny). He writes that his Granny was not a villain. "The characterization, coupled with decades of my grandmother's polite but obviously shaded remarks about her mother-in-law, set in motion her ogress's reputation, a mantle that continues to hang around Sara Delano Roosevelt's shoulders." From the hundreds of books that I have read about the Roosevelt family, I believe this reputation is well-founded. Curtis also ends the book with FDR's death, thus reinforcing my feeling that for the author, Eleanor did not receive equal billing. While Too Close to the Sun did provide some amazing photographs, it is lacking an index that I would have found helpful.

I will add Too Close to the Sun to my Roosevelt collection. Although I feel it's just average, at least it's better than any of the books written by his uncles.

Public glimpses inside the White House (especially from family members) are rare, so when Curtis Roosevelt produced this fine volume, "Too Close to the Sun", it allowed readers not to get just a few snippets of casual observations but a dozen years of day-to-day remembrances. Unusual as it is for a grandchild of a president to inhabit the White House, Roosevelt did just that as he lived on and off with his famous grandparents from the time of FDR's first inauguration until the death of our thirty-second president twelve years later. In "Too Close to the Sun", the author reveals not only his memories of that time but also the often internecine relationships that went with all of the Roosevelts. It's a book worth every page.

Curtis Roosevelt, the oldest grandson of FDR, was just three years old when his famous grandfather became president. It was a privileged upbringing, to say the least. This sheltering led to a fearful childhood as the elder Roosevelts made sure their children "knew their place" and behaved in a manner becoming of their family. Without much social contact with other children, Roosevelt developed a fantasy world for himself, all the while maintaining an average student's comportment while not partaking in activities in which most children grow and thrive. How could he? FDR's and Eleanor's children, themselves, hardly led a routine life. All were married more than once and some four times...including (a generation later) Curtis, himself. His parents' divorce, his mother's remarriage (she, Anna, was the president's only daughter) and his moves in and out of a succession of schools left the author with a weak footing, as he freely admits. Home was the White House or Hyde Park, period.

What's fascinating about this book is that it strikes a nice balance between the personalities of the Roosevelts and the author's own challenged upbringing. It is his views on the president, First Lady and Franklin's mother that are the best as he tells us of his abiding love for "Granny" (FDR's mother, Sara) his gradual understanding of his "grandmére" (Eleanor) and his adoration of "Papa" (the president).
The book serves as a tour of the Roosevelt White House, complete with nannies, secret service agents, secretaries, and of course, those rambunctious Roosevelt uncles, who all did pretty much as they wanted.

One can understand the childhood that Curtis Roosevelt led and empathize with him, but his charm is never making the reader sympathize for him. That's a pretty good trick, and Roosevelt succeeds. "Too Close to the Sun" is full of rich detail and given the perspective that the author has, a much welcome addition to the lore of the FDR years. I highly recommend it.

Written by the grandson of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, this memoir is a unique perspective of what it was like to grow up in the bright spotlight (the sun) of the White House. Born Curtis Dall, then Curtis Boettinger after his stepfather, and finally Curtis Roosevelt, he is the son of Franklin and Eleanor's oldest child (and only daughter), Anna. Anna divorced her husband Curtis Dall and moved to the White House when her two children were only six and three years old. Known as "Sistie and Buzzie," the First Grandchildren immediately became the darlings of the press.

Curtis writes that his life in the White House offered "immense and wonderful privilege," yet admits it had a double edge. "Life outside the protection and isolated White House cocoon became hugely distorted, especially for an impressionable youngster like me . . . Intoxicated by the exhilarating environments . . . I created a dream world that protected me and it became a form of addiction."

This is an interesting take on what it was like to grow up in front of the press and in the White House, and it's especially interesting on the verge of the new administration, when once again, young children will be involved. Will the impact be overwhelming as it was for this author? Or will it be like more recent children of Presidents (carefully shielded from the press) and merely be a unique phase of childhood? One can't help but be fascinated by the offspring of our Presidents.

Bottom line: A fascinating inside look at the Roosevelt family with an impressive collection of photos. A great holiday gift idea for those interested in American and Presidential history.

Michele Cozzens is the author of It's Not Your Mother's Bridge Club.

First of all this is a beautifully made book. Nice quality paper printed on, special unseen before pictures of the Roosevelt family. This nonfiction selection is very enjoyable, told by one of Franklin Roosevelt's grandsons. He describes a special life for him and his sister who were lucky enough to spend time with their grandparents at the
White House. Interesting perspective of a 6 year old boy's memories and feelings of how they were expected to behave around their grandparents which they adored. The grandchildren enjoyed being around the White House more than living with their own parents. I feel we get to see some very personal family events which gives good insight to what Franklin and Eleanor were really like. I'm really enjoying this book!

From the other reviews, you know the story: the three year old grandson of FDR finds himself living in the White House, ignored by all but his nurse, and generally coming in third in a two man race so to speak. But what is charming and fascinating about this tale is that it is so beautifully told in almost a period style with lovedly sepia toned photographs throughout. Hardly a page turner, Too Close to the Sun is almost a stream of consciousness redition of a youngster's early life. Ignored and passed over, moved from pillar to post with no thought for his wishes, this child lets us into his world and that of pre World War II upper class life. It is amazing that given his childhood that he grew up to be such a productive adult.

There is a sense that the author needed to write this memoir as therapy in his waning years to explain how he was affected by living in the FDR-ER world, and yet the book is hardly about them at all, but it makes us feel how the youngster felt about it all as he was mostly ignored by his family. One feels sorry for Buzzie, but then one thinks of other children and wonders what they are experiencing as they are dragged along by parents little interested in their children.

A quiet little book in a peculiar shape, not quite square, not quite a coffee table book with a soft yellow cover with a photo of beautiful people in the open car..... A good bedtime read.

The cover design of the print edition, featuring a photo of the author and his sister riding along with their President grandfather, pretty much signals the focus of this book: the view of the FDR White House from the perspectives of a child. As such, there's not a lot of detail about the FDR Presidency itself. Yet, that seemed apt here, as the author dishes one second-guessed-childhood-memory-through-hindsight after another, primarily with a focus on, well, the struggle of being a child. Okay, an overly-protected, generally-ignored, sort of famous/upper-crust child.

What's interesting is how the struggles of that one child - our author - pretty much reflects the entire Roosevelt clan's struggle to reconcile fortune and station with its various notions of noblesse oblige. At times, it reads like a P.G. Wodehouse piece. Except, instead of wannabe British aristocrats running hither and thither often to hilarious effect, Mr. Roosevelt's characters follow scripts that are simultaneously selfless and self-centered, often to more embarrassing or tragic effect (depending, for example, on your views of the extraordinary number of failed marriages amongst this clan). Still, he treats his memories and these family-member characters with a fair amount of deference, seemingly hesitant to lay too much criticism at any one person's feet. Not a bad balance to strike while writing what comes off, at times, as a life-long therapy-in-progress project.

Moreover, that cover photo is the first of quite a number of interesting pictures that illustrate the author's remembrances. The Kindle edition (nicely formatted, by the way) renders these photos quite well.

The great new world that my new Kindle has provided is that I am choosing genres and topics I wouldn't ordinarily buy. Not a great reader of historical books, I am becoming more interested as time goes by. As such, I wanted a glimpse into the larger-than-life FDR and those around him. I found this book interesting, but have to admit that I was totally captivated by the photos. Just lovely pieces of history! I appreciate the author sharing his life; it's not easy to provide it as an open book.

Right off the bat I'll admit I'm not sure why he states this book is about his grandparents. First, neither the front cover nor the back photographs include Eleanor. I thought she was a grandparent.

Second, this book is a bit of a condemnation of his mother. Much of it seems justified by this source and others. Asbell's book really pulled its punches.

It's best when he sticks to writing a memoir. I had real sympathy to the problems of adjustment to moving to the west coast and getting adjusted to a new 'father' all at the same time. And the frequent moving. It had to be a little unsettling. His feeling like a third wheel is also mentioned in his half brother's memoir "A Love in Shadow." All the kids felt boxed out of their parents' relationship.

When he steers from memoir to analysis, or even history, he gets on thin ice. He attributes his great grandmother's - SDR - bad reputation solely to his grandmother - ER. But the Roosevelts were a high-profile family early on and a great many people saw the same thing. Advisers - Rex Tugwell stands out here - friends, the White House staff, were all appalled at the way SDR talked to and talked about ER. Having seen SDR in action and having learned by the mid-60s more about the Roosevelt marriage, Tugwell noted that ER "should rightly be sainted." Curtis R's own mother noted, by Norman Littell: Many times, when they were little, Mrs. Roosevelt left the dinner table in tears because Granny had observed that Franklin could have married so many pretty girls. Her mother endured it patiently, through the yeras, and Anna said Eleanor, "did not even have support from us kids because we, naturally, looked up to Granny and thought she was right. When we grew old enough to realize the truth and to see how far Granny's malice went and how patient mother had been, we all realized that Granny was just an old bitch." Through it all she felt that her father had failed in that he should have long ago have risen to her mother's defense. [page 74.]

CR also attributes the depiction of SDR in "Sunrise at Campobello" to ER, even though ER said the play had as much in common with the reality as "the man in the moon."

It was the Roosevelt children - not ER - who quoted SDR as saying "I'm your real mother, your mother only bore you." Or manipulating them with gifts promises and threats relating to their individual status in her will.

I also marvel at how few people suspect that Sara Delano's unreserved love and generosity could also be attempts to gain control and favor over her grandchildren and great grandchildren at the cost of undermining both Franklin and Eleanor. Read Francis Perkins' memoir for her relating an FDR rant about this. SDR undermined the rare occasions when FDR actually tried to discipline the kids. Usually, he left it to Eleanor to be the bad guy. Even in the White House, he had her fire WH staff that needed to be fired, even when it was at his instigation. And he had her do it when he was out of town. He only wanted to be the bearer of good news, not bad. That was Eleanor's job.

But, like so many other books, FDR's complete insensitivity goes without comment. FDR NEVER should have placed his daughter in the awkward situations he did. The White House has never had a greater president, but so selfish one either. Indeed, FDR's selfishness, lack of sentiment toward the people around him [LeHand's "he's incapable of a true friendship with anyone" is as stinging an indictment of the man as exists] are exactly what made him a great president.

Curtis Roosevelt is an interesting figure. He drops Dahl to have the last name 'Roosevelt' then complains about the burden of being a Roosevelt? I'm trying to feel sorry for him and just can't reach it.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a man of men. He was perhaps the most charismatic President ever, he was the most powerful speaker, he was the best leader of all time.

Being in his influence would have been extremely addictive and this is where this book comes in.

Curtis Roosevelt was the grandson of FDR's only daughter and the first boy born in the family. As such, he was a special little boy who was seen by millions of people.

This is the story of his White House years. He tells a very understandable and revealing history of his time there and how he was so addicted to the power of FDR that he would live u\in a fantasy world when not in the closeness of the power.

It is quite a good book, told in a easy to read manner by someone who had the issues and tried to overcome them.

A very worthwhile read about a time that has passed so quickly.