The First Lady of World War II

January 30, 2023
In this amiable history, freelance writer Schmidt (Novel Destinations) documents Eleanor Roosevelt’s 1943 mission to visit Allied troops in the Pacific theater of WWII. Concerned that after two years of war U.S. civilians were becoming “dangerously complacent,” Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt believed that a trip to the South Pacific, Australia, and New Zealand would help “revive the strong sense of national unity that existed in the dark, shocking days after Pearl Harbor.” Schmidt takes readers through Eleanor’s exhausting five-week itinerary visiting hospital wards, mess halls, Red Cross facilities, and factories staffed by women workers. Talking with “tongue-tied” soldiers eager for news from the home front, Eleanor soon won over senior military officers who had been averse to the “distraction” of a visit from the first lady; after witnessing “the meticulous way she toured a hospital,” Adm. William Halsey did an “about-face” and consented to Eleanor’s request to visit Guadalcanal, despite rumors that Japanese troops were “hiding out on the far side of the island.” Though the announcement of Eleanor’s trip “generated both support and scorn, much of it along political lines,” American newspapers covered the tour in detail, and Schmidt suggests that it helped galvanize support for the GI Bill of Rights and other programs to assist returning servicemen. Though somewhat baggy, this sepia-tinged portrait captures the appeal of a pathbreaking first lady. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House.

March 1, 2023
Schmidt offers a portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt's trip overseas to the Pacific theater during WWII. FDR implored Eleanor to visit sites such as Guadalcanal and the South Pacific Islands, as morale was low among troops, who felt estranged from the European front and were encountering jungle warfare. Schmidt demonstrates that Eleanor was not only a tireless advocate for the troops but was also physically intrepid, adhering to a rigorous schedule. It was not uncommon for her to ignore protocol and eat breakfast with the enlisted men, as her sons advised her to do. She initially traveled incognito, and military commanders were flummoxed by her presence. She spared the president none of the carnage she witnessed in hospitals and burn wards. Her visit abroad drew headlines, both supportive and scornful. Eleanor focused her energies on the troops and, as Schmidt reveals, continued to press for legislation to support servicemen when they came home. Schmidt also emphasizes Eleanor's support for women working on the home front, agitating for resources such as child care and equal pay. Eleanor Roosevelt's legacy of activism and mettle continue to inspire. Recommended.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2023

Journalist Schmidt (co-author, Novel Destinations) has written a succinct narrative of Eleanor Roosevelt's secret trip to the Pacific at the height of World War II in August of 1943. The author's ability to combine place with subject is unsurpassed here. Eleanor Roosevelt had carefully chronicled her trip to Australia, New Zealand, Guadalcanal, and other areas of the Pacific both through her own writing and in her "My Day" columns. Schmidt, however, draws on additional sources involved during that time to provide a complete view of her important contributions to morale and to improvements in the conditions in these areas. While the work centers on Eleanor's travels and contributions, it also serves as a mini-history of this theater of World War II. Roosevelt herself only devotes a small chapter of her 1958 autobiography to her travels in the Pacific. VERDICT This work provides numerous details and the context needed to understand the trials and difficulties of Eleanor Roosevelt's historic undertaking. Readers interested in World War II or women's roles in the war effort will likely appreciate this enjoyable read.--Maria Ashton-Stebbings

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.