In his introduction, Allan Winkler states that this was a book that he had wanted to write for his entire academic career, a desire rooted both in his longtime interest in the era and his respect for other volumes in the Library of American Biography series. He goes on to cite two volumes in particular - Edmund Morgan's [b:The Puritan Dilemma: The Story of John Winthrop|43368|The Puritan Dilemma The Story of John Winthrop|Edmund S. Morgan|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327553867s/43368.jpg|756554] and John Morton Blum's [b:Woodrow Wilson and the Politics of Morality|367482|Woodrow Wilson and the Politics of Morality (Library of American Biography Series)|John Morton Blum|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1290829883s/367482.jpg|357478] - as ones that particularly impressed him.

Sadly, this book suffers by comparison to those earlier works. Part of the problem lies in Winkler's effort to grapple with the particulars of Franklin Roosevelt's life, one that included the longest presidency in American history, during which he lead the nation through the twin crises of the Great Depression and the Second World War. Such a career is filled with detail, and often Winkler seems overwhelmed by it all. All too often, the text degenerates into a litany of developments, with little overarching or explanatory analysis. Winkler's writing contributes to this, as he serves up standard prose containing no hint of the passion for his subject that he describes in his introduction.

As a result, Winkler's book doesn't measure up to the lofty standards of the series set by the volumes he cites as his inspiration. Though not a bad work, it fails to capture its legendary subject, losing him instead in the minutiae of his career. Readers seeking an introduction to Franklin Roosevelt would be better served by reading Patrick Renshaw's [b:Franklin D. Roosevelt|1298843|Franklin D. Roosevelt (Profiles in Power)|Patrick Renshaw|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1375671670s/1298843.jpg|1288011] which as a perceptive, analytical, and well-written account of FDR's life is everything that Winkler's book is not. ( )