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Conrad Black

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Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom Paperback – International Edition, March 16, 2005

by Conrad Black (Author)

4.6 173 ratings

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Franklin Delano Roosevelt stands astride American history like a colossus, having pulled the nation out of the Great Depression and led it to victory in the Second World War. Elected to four terms as president, he transformed an inward-looking country into the greatest superpower the world had ever known. Only Abraham Lincoln did more to save America from destruction. But FDR is such a large figure that historians tend to take him as part of the landscape, focusing on smaller aspects of his achievements or carping about where he ought to have done things differently. Few have tried to assess the totality of FDR's life and career.

Conrad Black rises to the challenge. In this magisterial biography, Black makes the case that FDR was the most important person of the twentieth century, transforming his nation and the world through his unparalleled skill as a domestic politician, war leader, strategist, and global visionary--all of which he accomplished despite a physical infirmity that could easily have ended his public life at age thirty-nine. Black also takes on the great critics of FDR, especially those who accuse him of betraying the West at Yalta. Black opens a new chapter in our understanding of this great man, whose example is even more inspiring as a new generation embarks on its own rendezvous with destiny.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A sweeping, occasionally sprawling biography...and an engrossing one, thanks to the storytelling and pungency of its judgments." -- Daniel Yergin, Wall Street Journal

"Black... [shows] that FDR is at the origin of our most important political controversies." -- Claremont Review of Books

"Not only the best one-volume life of the 32nd President but the best at any length." -- Publishers Weekly

"One of the best one-volume biographies of Roosevelt yet." -- Historian Alan Brinkley, The New York Times

About the Author

Conrad Black was the chairman and chief executive officer of Hollinger International Inc., among whose newspaper holdings are the Daily and Sunday Telegraph and The Spectator in London, the Chicago Sun-Times, and the Jerusalem Post. He is the author of two previous books published in Canada and became a member of the British House of Lords as Lord Black of Crossharbour in 2001. He divides his time between London, Toronto, and New York.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ PublicAffairs; First Edition (March 16, 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 1328 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1586482823
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1586482824
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 2.25 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,433,661 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #5,034 in US Presidents
- #6,154 in WWII Biographies
- #29,309 in World War II History (Books)

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4.6 173 ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the biography insightful and comprehensive. They describe it as an excellent, well-written book that is worth their time. Readers praise the author's straightforward prose and historical judgments. They consider FDR a great leader and a masterful war leader. The book is described as rewarding and intrigue-inspiring. However, some readers feel the length is excessive and the content unscholarly.

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Biography quality Readability Readable Longevity Enjoyment Fairness Length Scholarly content

21 customers mention "Biography quality"21 positive0 negative

Customers find the biography insightful, well-researched, and comprehensive. They describe it as the best single-volume biography of FDR. The bibliography is varied, and the prose is informative, authoritative, and stylish. Readers appreciate the well-argued and fact-packed historical content.

"...well written; shows obvious, painstakingly detailed, and rigorous scholarly research; is eminently fair and balanced toward its subject; it..." Read more

"...This is the best single-volume biography of FDR. FDR masterfully pulled America from isolationims to destroy Hitler...." Read more

"...this biography, Conrad Black proves himself not only a fair and detailed biographer, but also an exceptionally eloquent writer." Read more

"...Champion of Freedom is thorough without being ponderous, opinionated without losing objectivity, and eminently readable..." Read more

18 customers mention "Readability"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They say it's comprehensive and balanced, describing it as the best book on FDR. The narrative is described as entertaining, with good narrative despite its size.

"...(FDR) that purports to "incorporate the latest scholarship in the best, most comprehensive one-volume biography of Roosevelt ever written."..." Read more

"...of America's enterprise system, and geopolitical realist, is a delight to read."..." Read more

"...single-volume biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and deserves to be read by everyone." Read more

"This book is well worth reading for anyone seriously interested in mid-century America and the allies in World War II...." Read more

11 customers mention "Readable"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and well-written. They appreciate its simplicity, thoroughness, and conciseness. The prose is refreshing in its simplicity, and the historical judgments and analyses are both convincing. The book is presented in an unbiased manner and is well researched.

"...is eminently fair and balanced toward its subject; it successfully draws the historical era in which FDR lived into the story of his life; and it..." Read more

"...Henry Kissinger: "No Biography of Roosevelt is more thoughtful and readable. None is as comprehensive."..." Read more

"...While full of detail, the book moves very quickly. By page 137 he is stricken with polio, by page 249 he is president...." Read more

"...being ponderous, opinionated without losing objectivity, and eminently readable (though the book itself is a bit heavy)...." Read more

6 customers mention "Longevity"6 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book for its longevity. They mention that Lincoln, Roosevelt, and FDR were great leaders.

"...Roosevelt was a great president for everyone, and his ideas today seem very pragmatic and sensible...." Read more

"...but with the country restored and greatly enhanced, with a military second to none, ready to take leadership of the world...." Read more

"...even more, Conrad Black proves that FDR was an truly exceptional man in exceptional times." Read more

"...He was certainly the greatest American president of the twentieth century, if not of all time." Read more

4 customers mention "Enjoyment"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it engaging and a genuine pleasure to read. The writing is praised as impressive and intriguing, and a great piece of scholarship.

"...There is a fascinating passage dealing with FDR's election as Governor of New York in 1928...." Read more

"...A seminal work. My congratulations to Lord Black on a great piece of scholarship." Read more

"Massive...and massively rewarding...." Read more

"Not easy, but a genuine pleasure...." Read more

4 customers mention "Fairness"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the author's fair and balanced biography of FDR.

"...painstakingly detailed, and rigorous scholarly research; is eminently fair and balanced toward its subject; it successfully draws the historical..." Read more

"...Throughout this biography, Conrad Black proves himself not only a fair and detailed biographer, but also an exceptionally eloquent writer." Read more

"Conrad Black offers us a truly fair and balanced biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt...." Read more

"Best book on FDR, Most comprehensive and balanced. It covers his career thoroughly and fairly...." Read more

4 customers mention "Length"1 positive3 negative

Customers find the book too long, with over 1100 pages. However, they say it's worth their time.

"I defer to others on the quality of scholarship. My concern is the length...." Read more

"A very lengthy but very concise book about our longest serving President. Alot of information here by Conrad Black...." Read more

"When I first saw this book at Waldenbooks, I was struck by the sheer size of the tome...." Read more

"...A big book over 1100 pages but it is well worth the readers time. A great big BRAVO to you Mr. Conrad Black." Read more

3 customers mention "Scholarly content"0 positive3 negative

Customers find the scholarly content unsatisfactory. They find the text unscholarly and tedious, making it difficult to read.

"...I found this section of the book rather tedious...." Read more

"...I tried twice to read this massive tome but became discouraged by the minutiae...." Read more

"...with such suspicion on nearly every sentence, that it's not really worth reading the book in the first place...." Read more

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Mike Powers
"Action... and action NOW."
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2004
Verified Purchase
"Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom", by Conrad Black, is study of the life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) that purports to "incorporate the latest scholarship in the best, most comprehensive one-volume biography of Roosevelt ever written."

I bought this hardcover heavyweight more out of curiosity than anything else. I had never heard of Conrad Black, so I immediately questioned his credentials as a Presidential historian. My Internet search revealed him to be none other than Lord Black of Crossharbour, a Canadian-born multi-billionaire media mogul and proponent of conservative political causes both in Canada and his adopted homeland, Great Britain. And, oh yes, by the way... degrees in history and law from some of Canada's most prestigious universities. Obviously, eminently qualified to write a scholarly biography of the 32nd President of the United States...

The proof, they say, is in the pudding, so I settled back and began reading "Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion Of Freedom" -- with, I must admit, a certain amount of skepticism. It didn't take me long to realize that this is a winner of a book in many ways. It's extremely well written; shows obvious, painstakingly detailed, and rigorous scholarly research; is eminently fair and balanced toward its subject; it successfully draws the historical era in which FDR lived into the story of his life; and it provides well argued, sharply reasoned historical analyses all along the way.

Black narrates the now familiar story of FDR's life with an obvious affection for his subject, all the while providing a tremendous amount of detail. Black's portrait shows FDR as a supercilious, facile young man who stretches the truth often to the breaking point; a courageous quadriplegic, struck down by poliomyelitis at age 39, just as he was about to step onto the national political scene, but undaunted by his affliction; a reforming governor of New York (1928-1932); and the 32nd President of the United States (1933-1945), by Black's standards one of the three greatest Chief Executives in American history (the others being Lincoln and Washington), and "the most important person of the twentieth century."

"Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion Of Freedom" is a huge volume; despite its heft, however, it remains immensely readable. It lacks the last ounce of stylistic polish found in the books written by "professional" FDR biographers James MacGregor Burns, Kenneth S. Davis, and Frank Freidel. However, that's not to say "Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom" isn't well written; it most decidedly is. Black's research is prodigious and his many sources are impeccable. His prose is refreshing in its simplicity, and his historical judgments and analyses are both incisive and well argued.

Black's book has clear advantages over other, older, more "scholarly" biographies. Black is younger, and therefore is not a child of the Great Depression. He is not American, so he never experienced FDR's New Deal. This allows him to be more objective in his approach than other, older biographers whose works are tinted by their Depression/New Deal experiences.

Black, certainly no apologist for liberal political causes, could have interjected his own conservative political agenda into this work, thereby creating a scathing biography of one of the most liberal of all American Presidents. Instead, he did his research, and arrived at the conclusion that FDR was, along with Lincoln and Washington, one of America's greatest Presidents. That is a tribute to Black's integrity as an historian and biographer, and gives his work tremendous credibility.

Despite its great length, "Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion Of Freedom" is an excellent read, and therefore highly recommended

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Todd Carlsen
Praised Book on the Champion of Freedom - FDR
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2004
Verified Purchase
The Economist Magazine called this book "a masterpiece" and that it should become the standard one-volume biography of Franklin Roosevelt. It received praise from Bill Clinton on the left and several from the right.

Henry Kissinger: "No Biography of Roosevelt is more thoughtful and readable. None is as comprehensive."

George F. Will: "Conrad Black skillfully assembles powerful arguments to support strong and sometimes surprising judgements. This spirited defense of Roosevelt as a savior of America's enterprise system, and geopolitical realist, is a delight to read."

John Lukacs: "Conrad Black's FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT is extraordinary. It is something different from the dim and flickering lamp of academic retrospect. A new - and generous - light is poured on its subject: an illumination directed by a conviction of Roosevelt's place in the history of an entire century."

William F. Buckley Jr.: "An enormous accomplishment, a learned volume on FDR by a vital critical mind, which will absorb critics and the reading public."

I really enjoyed Conrad Black's writing style, which adds life to the biography. Time and time again I chickled at his gossip he sprinkled in, his opinions (sometimes obviously conservative but usually unbiased and well-reasoned), and his brilliant revelation of FDR the real person: moderately liberal (though moderately conservative compared to liberals today), a capitalist, pragmatic, well-healed, quite charming, and brilliantly cunning.

This is the best single-volume biography of FDR.

FDR masterfully pulled America from isolationims to destroy Hitler. Then he pushed for the D-Day invasion to liberate Europe in a timely fashion, overruling Churchill's staunch desire to toy endlessly in the Mediterranean and avoid a D-Day landing. His post-war planning was pragmatic and excellent. (The Iraq War post-war planning was a total disaster in comparison).

My only minor criticism of the book is that it does not cover the suffering of the Great Depression in much detail. The Great Depression was devestating. But black does summarize the problems and the "New Deal" measures to deal with it.

Read this book and you will get to know and appreciate President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. You may not agree with some things, but you will at least understand FDR in the context of the times.

In "The Time 100 - the Most Important People of the Century," Franklin Delano Roosevelt is ranked the runner-up most important person of the century - second only to Albert Einstein. Roosevelt is a giant of world history.

The world was in depression. America was in the Great Depression and heading to what would have been, without Roosevelt's intervention, a complete collapse of America's economic system. Capitalism and democracy fell out of favor around the world. Hitler and other dictators came to power around the world, and radicals gained followers in America. This climaxed in the clash of World War II.

Roosevelt's leadership was masterful.

The world we live today in is not a world of Hitler's Third Reich and fascism. It is not a world of Stalinism. It is not a world of colonial empires. It is not a world of radical laissez-faire capitalism. It is a world of Roosevelt's pragmatic ideas for a more stable economy and international security.

Roosevelt was a great president for everyone, and his ideas today seem very pragmatic and sensible. It is refreshing that several notable conservatives have had the guts to praise this book for what it is - a very good book about a great president.

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Client d'Amazon
Très bonne biographie
Reviewed in Canada on December 17, 2021
Verified Purchase
Pour les amoureux de biographie!

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Chris Newman
An astonishing book about an astonishing man
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 26, 2004
Verified Purchase
Conrad Black concludes his 1130 page text setting out seven reasons to support his claim that F.D. Roosevelt was the most important man of the 20th century. His case is convincing and I would neither care nor dare to put forward another name to compete for that position.
Roosevelt was an extraordinary man and Black's biography is an extraordinarily profound work that does full justice to his subject. It is not possible to read this book without being overwhelmed by its depth and breadth. In terms of depth, Black's characterisation of his subject leaves the reader with a feeling of having personally known him or at least of having experienced his years of presidency. In its breadth it provides a detailed analysis of the political and strategic influences that evolved during Roosevelt's 12-year presidency and the astonishing political and strategic influences Roosevelt himself generated. Even Black's characterisations of the (dozens of) other players in the drama - not least Churchill, Stalin, and De Gaulle - are brilliant and incisive. No other book that I have ever read has ever set out so clearly and concisely either the background to WW2 (such as FDR's deliberate provocation of the Japanese attack on the USA) or the sequence of the events that defined the war. Surprisingly (since the book doesn't dwell on Hitler's or Nazi Germany's venality), it presents a clearer picture of their actions and motivations than many other books that are dedicated to the subject.
It would be presumptuous of me to attempt to summarize Black's work or the life described therein. Suffice to say that Black convincingly demonstrates that Roosevelt largely prophesied the world as it evolved during and after the War, and in doing so laid the foundations for the world that we know today wherein the likelihood of another World War is almost inconceivable. All good people of the world owe Franklin Roosevelt a huge debt of gratitude and Black's magnificent tome is worthy reminder of that fact.
It is a reminder too in this less certain age that the world also owes a debt of gratitude to America for creating such a man and placing its trust in him to lead it out of the Depression and then to lead the rest of humanity out of the clutches of barbarism. I am not an American, nor have I been a great admirer of America in recent years, but this book reminds me how great that country was, and how great it can (and must) be again.
Conrad Black is to be congratulated on a most inspired and inspiring book.

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Alexandra
Good.
Reviewed in Canada on December 3, 2020
Verified Purchase
Really a thick one. Cannot wait to read.

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Robert Craven
A tour-de-force
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2014
Verified Purchase
FDRCF, is a wonderful read; at times inspiring in the eloquence of Roosevelt’s overcoming the many problems that beset him in life, but also unafraid in portraying his human weaknesses. Where Black excels is his gradual, but clear development of the twelve years where Roosevelt, ably assisted by astute appointments takes America from the brink of collapse to the world’s superpower.

Where I think Black is let down is by his unbridled admiration of Churchill, no doubt the man of the hour in the face of Nazism in Europe, but glosses over at times, the old imperialist agenda he tried to impose along with the poor tactical decisions he insisted on.

That aside, this is an incredible read, incisive, at times witty in the footnotes (notably Mountbatten’s demonstration of an aircraft carrier made of ice being indestructable using his side arm in Quebec) and in control of the many threads from so big a character who lived his life to the full.

The morass of the 1930’s, appeasement, war and invasion, notably the treatment of Czechoslovakia by her neighbours, who in turn fell under the panzers, reads like a thriller and even weighing in at a hefty 1193 pages, FDRCF is a compelling read.

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Ono.Matopoeia
An in-depth, well written and fascinating biography.
Reviewed in Canada on February 2, 2017
Verified Purchase
The amount of research that was carried for this book was incredible. I was impressed with the depth of detail. A long book, over a thousand pages, but well written and maintained my interest throughout.

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