Summary Of Fdr's Hundred Days And The Triumph Of Hope

“We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” This famous quote from Franklin D. Roosevelt, accurately describes FDR’s presidency and life. In Jonathan Alter’s book The Defining Moment: FDR’s Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope, Alter describes how FDR reinvigorated a country at a vital time. Alter tells how FDR overcame obstacle after obstacle, from being diagnosed with polio in 1921 to a near assassination attempt in 1933, to enliven and revitalize a nation that was in desperation. The Defining Moment: FDR’s Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope is a nonfiction book in which the author tells the reader specifically how FDR helped the United States to recover from the most devastating economic tragedy the nation has ever endured. Through unemployment reforms, public-works programs, and other labor reforms, FDR gave hope to the American people who greatly needed it. Alter does show some major bias in The Defining Moment: FDR’s Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope. Alter describes FDR as the perfect man for job. Alter shows that FDR may have not been the best political brain or leader of the time, but he was the leader the United States needed at the time. FDR did create programs and hope for the American people, led Americans …show more content…
From reading this book, the reader will learn more than he or she may have ever wanted to about FDR’s life and the beginning of his presidency. Alter makes the story of FDR’s upbringing, political beginnings, and the very crucial beginning of his first term very readable and enjoyable. However, Alter takes too long to get to the heart of the book. The title, The Defining Moment: FDR’s Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope, is misleading. This is not to say that the reader will not enjoy this book, but he or she may not fully be aware of what they are getting into when they pick up this