The Eleanor Roosevelt Encyclopedia - Hardcover

Maurine Hoffman Beasley; Holly Cowan Shulman; Henry R. Beasley

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0313301816 ISBN 13: 9780313301810

Publisher: Greenwood, 2000

Synopsis

Perhaps the most important woman in 20th century America, Eleanor Roosevelt fascinates scholar and layperson alike. This exciting encyclopedia brings together basic information illuminating her complex career and making the interaction between her private and public lives accessible to scholars, students, and the general public. Written by scholars―including the most eminent Eleanor Roosevelt and New Deal scholars―journalists, and those who knew her, the 200 plus entries in this book provide easy access to material showing how Eleanor Roosevelt changed the First Lady's role in politics, widened opportunities for women, became a liberal leader during the Cold War era, and served as a guiding spirit at the United Nations. A unique resource, the book provides an introduction to American history through the vantage point of a woman who both represented her times and moved beyond them.

Illuminating her multifaceted career, life, and relationships, The Eleanor Roosevelt Encyclopedia offers the reader an unparalleled opportunity to examine the complicated and fascinating life of Eleanor Roosevelt.

About this title

About the Author:

MAURINE H. BEASLEY is Professor of Journalism at the University of Maryland, where she specializes in women and media. She has published seven books, including Eleanor Roosevelt and the Media: A Public Quest for Self-Fulfillment (1987) and The White House Conferences of Eleanor Roosevelt (1983).

HOLLY C. SHULMAN is Research Associate Professor at the University of Virginia. She focused initially on media history and is the author of The Voice of America: Propaganda and Democracy, 1941-1945 (1990).

HENRY R. BEASLEY has been Director of International Affairs for the National Marine Fisheries Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

From Booklist:

Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century. Her involvement with social causes, her unconventional career as first lady, and her underappreciated work with the United Nations carved a place for her in history. The many roles of wife, mother, reformer, reporter, columnist, TV interviewer, radio commentator, diplomat, and political campaigner are all covered in this comprehensive encyclopedia.

Some 237 entries arranged in alphabetical order and interspersed with numerous black-and-white photographs bring together the people and the achievements centered on this one remarkable woman. Topics were selected based on the recommendations of scholars and the staff at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and range from the excellent essay on how biographers have studied Roosevelt to discussions of more mundane issues, such as her clothing. Difficult subjects such as the changes in the Roosevelts' marriage and speculation about the first lady's own sexual orientation are given due consideration. Her support for civil rights and her invaluable work on the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" receive serious attention. Even her voluminous FBI file and J. Edgar Hoover's deep dislike and distrust are covered in detail. Useful lists are found in the entries Awards (noting her many honorary degrees) and Internet resources.

The articles vary in length from a few paragraphs to multiple pages for entries such as Civil Rights; Roosevelt, Franklin D., Jr.; and Speeches. Most are signed and conclude with a selected bibliography that is generally a mix of primary and secondary source materials. Cross-references to related articles are noted with an asterisk. The index notes entry headings in bold type. The entries are preceded by a chronology and two pages of well-known Roosevelt quotations. One photograph showing Roosevelt on a trail ride in Yosemite National Park seems misplaced in the entry on her religious beliefs.

That Eleanor Roosevelt was a complex twentieth-century woman is illustrated throughout the volume, which brings together in a scholarly yet readable style the many facets of her life and career. This encyclopedia is recommended for high-school, public, and academic libraries. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Greenwood
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0313301816
• ISBN 13: 9780313301810
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 656