Becoming FDR

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This revealing biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt illustrates how one of America's most consequential leaders found his true self through his struggle with polio, emerging with strength and wisdom to inspire the world. Born in 1882 to a wealthy family, Roosevelt was initially seen as a political “natural,” but he lacked depth, empathy, and strategic thinking—qualities he developed during his seven-year battle with illness. After contracting polio in 1921 at age thirty-nine, he became paralyzed from the waist down and spent much of the next decade rehabilitating his body and adapting to his new reality. By the time he reentered politics in 1928 as the Democratic candidate for Governor of New York, he had transformed into a compassionate and shrewd leader, using radio to connect with the public and inspire them. His suffering deepened his bond with “the forgotten man” and taught him to find hope in despair—a belief he would later use to motivate Americans during the Great Depression and World War II. The polio years also reshaped his marriage with Eleanor, who became his surrogate at public events and emerged as a political and humanitarian force herself. This biography traces Roosevelt's physical, political, and personal evolution, demonstrating how adversity can lead to greatness and the power to remake the world.