Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Roosevelt to Roosevelt:
It’s like high school only political.
Quick synopsis:
A look at the nominating conventions between the time of Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt.
Fact for Non-History People:
Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt were fifth cousins.
Fact for History Nerds:
Multiple western states allowed women to vote well before 1920.
My Take on Roosevelt to Roosevelt:
Have you ever read a book which featured a man yelling, “I am not a jellyfish!” No? Well, welcome to Roosevelt to Roosevelt by Stan Haynes. I knew politics could be wild, but it’s always different when you see it in print.
Haynes’ book covers all the presidential nominating conventions from 1904 to 1944. These years are bookended by two different Roosevelts, Teddy and FDR. While the book is well researched, I have to admit it felt almost wonderfully gossipy at times. Don’t believe me? I didn’t make up the jellyfish quote and it’s probably not even in the top 5 of the wild things in this book. Ok, maybe top 5, but it’s a real race unlike quite a few of them from 1904 to 1944.
Yes, this book is a bit niche, but it is also wonderful and reads quite quickly. Each convention and each side get a write-up and then a quick rundown of how the election went afterwards. This is not going to give you a full biography of anyone, but it also shines a light on some people who never became president. In many cases, for very good reasons.
(This book was provided as a review copy by the author.)
Verdict:
Way more fun than you think. Buy it here!
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