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Eleanor and Hick: The Love Affair That Shaped a First Lady Kindle Edition

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,442 ratings
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A warm, intimate account of the love between Eleanor Roosevelt and reporter Lorena Hickok—a relationship that, over more than three decades, transformed both women's lives and empowered them to play significant roles in one of the most tumultuous periods in American history

In 1932, as her husband assumed the presidency, Eleanor Roosevelt entered the claustrophobic, duty-bound existence of the First Lady with dread. By that time, she had put her deep disappointment in her marriage behind her and developed an independent life—now threatened by the public role she would be forced to play. A lifeline came to her in the form of a feisty campaign reporter for the Associated Press: Lorena Hickok. Over the next thirty years, until Eleanor’s death, the two women carried on an extraordinary relationship: They were, at different points, lovers, confidantes, professional advisors, and caring friends. 
 
They couldn't have been more different. Eleanor had been raised in one of the nation’s most powerful political families and was introduced to society as a debutante before marrying her distant cousin, Franklin. Hick, as she was known, had grown up poor in rural South Dakota and worked as a servant girl after she escaped an abusive home, eventually becoming one of the most respected reporters at the AP. Her admiration drew the buttoned-up Eleanor out of her shell, and the two quickly fell in love. For the next thirteen years, Hick had her own room at the White House, next door to the First Lady. 
 
These fiercely compassionate women inspired each other to right the wrongs of the turbulent era in which they lived. During the Depression, Hick reported from the nation’s poorest areas for the WPA, and Eleanor used these reports to lobby her husband for New Deal programs. Hick encouraged Eleanor to turn their frequent letters into her popular and long-lasting syndicated column "My Day," and to befriend the female journalists who became her champions. When Eleanor’s tenure as First Lady ended with FDR's death, Hick pushed her to continue to use her popularity for good—advice Eleanor took by leading the UN’s postwar Human Rights Commission. At every turn, the bond these women shared was grounded in their determination to better their troubled world.
 
Deeply researched and told with great warmth, 
Eleanor and Hick is a vivid portrait of love and a revealing look at how an unlikely romance influenced some of the most consequential years in American history.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“The love affair between first lady Eleanor Roosevelt and journalist Lorena “Hick” Hickok has never been treated with as much care or attention as in Susan Quinn’s Eleanor and Hick. Here, Quinn deftly traces the dissimilar but converging paths of these two complex women and gives new life to their intimate, dynamic relationship, against a backdrop of tremendous social upheaval.”— NPR.org, Best Books of 2016

“Splendid. . . . Written with style and verve, and vigorously researched . . . filled with delightful details and provocative musings.”—Blanche Wiesen Cook,
Women’s Review of Books


“Fascinating.”—Susan Dunn,
The New York Review of Books

“Making sense of this famous relationship has been complicated for historians, and Quinn concedes the impossibility of knowing what, exactly, happened between the two women physically. But, drawing extensively on their letters, she makes a strong case that the bond they shared was indeed romantic. . . .The abiding impression of this book is the intricacy of Roosevelt’s intimate life.”—
The New Yorker

“A poignant account of a love affair doomed by circumstance and conflicting needs. Combining exhaustive research with emotional nuance, Quinn dives deep to convey the differing characters of president and first lady.”—Richard Norton Smith,
The Wall Street Journal

“Captivating…In prose that reads as fluidly and mesmerizingly as fiction, Quinn tells the story of the First Lady's marital discontent and determination to live an independent life despite her prominent position in the public eye, and of the 30-year-long partnership and love that unfolded between Roosevelt and Hickok…Beyond just a compelling love story,
Eleanor and Hick brings to light a different side of the early-20th century White House, revealing the significant impact of this unconventional relationship on American political and cultural history.” —Harper’s Bazaar, Best Books of 2016

“An engrossing double biography. . . . Quinn brings new depth to their epic, three-decade-long love story.”—
New York Post

“Quinn writes about both women with great sensitivity, from the childhood wounds they both bore to their influence on one another as writers and social activists. Meticulously researched, engagingly written, and emotionally resonant, this is a welcome addition to the Roosevelt book shelf.”—
The Boston Globe

“A brisk, readable account of the intersection between these two women.”—
New York Times Book Review 

“Quinn sorts through the over three thousand letters the two sent to each other — honest, passionate and principled correspondence — to create a fascinating picture of the power and joy of the women’s “subversive act” and its beneficial impact on the country at large.”—
Brit & Co.

“Quinn has produced an intimate book, tender and wise.”—Stacy Schiff,
The Washington Post
“Fascinating.”—
People

“A delightful account.”—
1843 (The Economist)

“Apart from chronicling a beautiful and complex friendship, Quinn also makes a strong case here that Eleanor Roosevelt was the most politically significant first lady America has ever had.”—
Bookpage

“Eleanor and Hick marvelously weaves the lives of these two women together, showing their fierce independence and yet continual dependence on each other. The book also reflects a refreshing change in cultural opinion, most likely one that will usher in books on other historical homosexual relationships just as well-researched and kind.”—
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Quinn tells Eleanor’s always astonishing story from a freshly illuminating perspective and brings forward to resounding effect intrepid, eloquent, compassionate, and tough Hick. With episodes hilarious, stunning and heartbreaking, Quinn’s compellingly intimate chronicle tells the long-camouflaged story of a morally and intellectually spirited, taboo-transcending, and world-bettering love.”—
Booklist 

“A well-researched dual biography. . . . Fast paced and engaging, this work will enthrall readers of presidential biographies and LGBTQ studies.” —
Library Journal

“Quinn deftly explores how the unlikely relationship evolved, relying on correspondence between the women, oral histories in archives, various government documents, and numerous other sources that allow readers to learn a great deal about normally private affairs…. A relentlessly captivating study of two remarkable individuals who helped extend the roles of American women in the public policy realm.”—
Kirkus Reviews (starred) 

“Susan Quinn’s tender book of love and loyalty—set during the most tumultuous time of the twentieth century—reads like a whispered confidence. The forbidden relationship between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and hardscrabble journalist Lorena Hickok is one of the great love affairs in history, and yet it has remained largely untold. Thanks to Quinn, their beautiful and courageous story is a secret no longer.”—Mary Gabriel, author of
Love and Capital: Karl and Jenny Marx and the Birth of a Revolution, finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award

“In telling with vivid detail the story of a remarkable relationship between two strong women, Susan Quinn has provided a new way to look at some of the most momentous events of the twentieth century.
Eleanor and Hick is delightful, moving, penetrating history.”—David Maraniss, author of Barack Obama: The Story

“Eleanor Roosevelt’s love affair with ace AP reporter Lorena Hickok, carried on just outside public view during the most public years of their lives, fascinates and inspires in Susan Quinn’s irresistible telling. 
Eleanor and Hick is a powerfully moving and vital story that could not have been told in its day, and alters radically what we thought we knew about America’s most influential and best-loved First Lady.”Megan Marshall, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Margaret Fuller: A New American Life

“This is an important and probably unique biography in the history of the U.S. presidency. The special virtue of 
Eleanor and Hick is that Susan Quinn permits us to see how Eleanor Roosevelt’s long, intimate relationship with Lorena Hickok helped her become not just a First Lady but a great one: courageous, committed, compassionate—and complicated. A triumph.” —Nigel Hamilton, author of The Mantle of Command

About the Author

“The love affair between first lady Eleanor Roosevelt and journalist Lorena “Hick” Hickok has never been treated with as much care or attention as in Susan Quinn’s Eleanor and Hick. Here, Quinn deftly traces the dissimilar but converging paths of these two complex women and gives new life to their intimate, dynamic relationship, against a backdrop of tremendous social upheaval.”— NPR.org, Best Books of 2016

“Splendid. . . . Written with style and verve, and vigorously researched . . . filled with delightful details and provocative musings.”—Blanche Wiesen Cook,
Women’s Review of Books


“Fascinating.”—Susan Dunn,
The New York Review of Books

“Making sense of this famous relationship has been complicated for historians, and Quinn concedes the impossibility of knowing what, exactly, happened between the two women physically. But, drawing extensively on their letters, she makes a strong case that the bond they shared was indeed romantic. . . .The abiding impression of this book is the intricacy of Roosevelt’s intimate life.”—
The New Yorker

“A poignant account of a love affair doomed by circumstance and conflicting needs. Combining exhaustive research with emotional nuance, Quinn dives deep to convey the differing characters of president and first lady.”—Richard Norton Smith,
The Wall Street Journal

“Captivating…In prose that reads as fluidly and mesmerizingly as fiction, Quinn tells the story of the First Lady's marital discontent and determination to live an independent life despite her prominent position in the public eye, and of the 30-year-long partnership and love that unfolded between Roosevelt and Hickok…Beyond just a compelling love story,
Eleanor and Hick brings to light a different side of the early-20th century White House, revealing the significant impact of this unconventional relationship on American political and cultural history.” —Harper’s Bazaar, Best Books of 2016

“An engrossing double biography. . . . Quinn brings new depth to their epic, three-decade-long love story.”—
New York Post

“Quinn writes about both women with great sensitivity, from the childhood wounds they both bore to their influence on one another as writers and social activists. Meticulously researched, engagingly written, and emotionally resonant, this is a welcome addition to the Roosevelt book shelf.”—
The Boston Globe

“A brisk, readable account of the intersection between these two women.”—
New York Times Book Review 

“Quinn sorts through the over three thousand letters the two sent to each other — honest, passionate and principled correspondence — to create a fascinating picture of the power and joy of the women’s “subversive act” and its beneficial impact on the country at large.”—
Brit & Co.

“Quinn has produced an intimate book, tender and wise.”—Stacy Schiff,
The Washington Post
“Fascinating.”—
People

“A delightful account.”—
1843 (The Economist)

“Apart from chronicling a beautiful and complex friendship, Quinn also makes a strong case here that Eleanor Roosevelt was the most politically significant first lady America has ever had.”—
Bookpage

“Eleanor and Hick marvelously weaves the lives of these two women together, showing their fierce independence and yet continual dependence on each other. The book also reflects a refreshing change in cultural opinion, most likely one that will usher in books on other historical homosexual relationships just as well-researched and kind.”—
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Quinn tells Eleanor’s always astonishing story from a freshly illuminating perspective and brings forward to resounding effect intrepid, eloquent, compassionate, and tough Hick. With episodes hilarious, stunning and heartbreaking, Quinn’s compellingly intimate chronicle tells the long-camouflaged story of a morally and intellectually spirited, taboo-transcending, and world-bettering love.”—
Booklist 

“A well-researched dual biography. . . . Fast paced and engaging, this work will enthrall readers of presidential biographies and LGBTQ studies.” —
Library Journal

“Quinn deftly explores how the unlikely relationship evolved, relying on correspondence between the women, oral histories in archives, various government documents, and numerous other sources that allow readers to learn a great deal about normally private affairs…. A relentlessly captivating study of two remarkable individuals who helped extend the roles of American women in the public policy realm.”—
Kirkus Reviews (starred) 

“Susan Quinn’s tender book of love and loyalty—set during the most tumultuous time of the twentieth century—reads like a whispered confidence. The forbidden relationship between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and hardscrabble journalist Lorena Hickok is one of the great love affairs in history, and yet it has remained largely untold. Thanks to Quinn, their beautiful and courageous story is a secret no longer.”—Mary Gabriel, author of
Love and Capital: Karl and Jenny Marx and the Birth of a Revolution, finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award

“In telling with vivid detail the story of a remarkable relationship between two strong women, Susan Quinn has provided a new way to look at some of the most momentous events of the twentieth century.
Eleanor and Hick is delightful, moving, penetrating history.”—David Maraniss, author of Barack Obama: The Story

“Eleanor Roosevelt’s love affair with ace AP reporter Lorena Hickok, carried on just outside public view during the most public years of their lives, fascinates and inspires in Susan Quinn’s irresistible telling. 
Eleanor and Hick is a powerfully moving and vital story that could not have been told in its day, and alters radically what we thought we knew about America’s most influential and best-loved First Lady.”Megan Marshall, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Margaret Fuller: A New American Life

“This is an important and probably unique biography in the history of the U.S. presidency. The special virtue of 
Eleanor and Hick is that Susan Quinn permits us to see how Eleanor Roosevelt’s long, intimate relationship with Lorena Hickok helped her become not just a First Lady but a great one: courageous, committed, compassionate—and complicated. A triumph.” —Nigel Hamilton, author of The Mantle of Command

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01CFBJZLQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Books; Reprint edition (September 27, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 27, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 14017 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 413 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,442 ratings

About the author

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Susan Quinn
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I spent most of my childhood in a southern Ohio mill town called Chillicothe, where my father was an ophthalmologist. My mother was a writer herself: although self-effacing in real life she had a devil-may-care style on the page that still emboldens me. I was an English major at Oberlin, but I learned most in college from my work on the newspaper, in the theater and living slightly outside the rules at the Coop.

While working in the professional theater in Cleveland, I met a medical student who told me that the most important thing in life is to be happy. This idea so astounded me that I went on to marry Daniel Jacobs, who became a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst.

Like Lorena Hickok, whose story I tell in Eleanor and Hick, I started my writing career as a newspaper reporter—going out to do whatever absurd assignment my editor thought up, first in Cleveland and later in Boston. Sometimes—as when I followed a regular customer around the ‘combat zone’ for an alternative weekly called the Real Paper—it meant taking risks to get the story. I later won magazine awards for a story in which I posed as a homebuyer to compare home inspectors and another about a secret rendez-vous in Moscow with the sister of a Russian émigré.

My several women’s groups, where others were struggling as I was to find a voice, helped me to make the leap from magazine journalism to my first book: the biography of a strong and original woman, a psychoanalyst named Karen Horney. A Mind of Her Own: The Life of Karen Horney won the Boston Globe Winship award and led to support for my next project. Grants from the Rockefeller and Guggenheim Foundations allowed me to do research in Poland and France for a biography of Marie Curie, which has now been translated into many languages. A subsequent book, Furious Improvisation: How the WPA and a Cast of Thousands Made High Art Out of Desperate Times, focused on government-sponsored theater during the Great Depression. But it too celebrated a strong woman, Hallie Flanagan, the embattled director of the Federal Theatre Project.

My current book, Eleanor and Hick: The Love Affair That Shaped A First Lady, presented a new kind of writing challenge. For the first time, I had to tell the story of two intertwining lives. Because my daughter is gay, I felt a special connection to this story of love between women. Also, I felt immediate sympathy for Lorena Hickok, the AP journalist universally known as “Hick.” She was a reporter, as I had been. She came from the Midwest, as I did. I was moved by the story of Hick’s triumph over an unspeakably cruel childhood, and impressed by her remarkable success in what was then an oppressively male world of journalism.

In one of her thousands of letters to Eleanor Roosevelt, Hick wrote of her attempt to distinguish between her feelings about the “person” she knew and loved and the “personage” known and admired by the public. I too struggled with this. I had long idealized Eleanor Roosevelt from afar, and my treatment of her in early drafts of the book reflected this awe. I referred to her not simply as “Eleanor” but rather as Eleanor Roosevelt or ER. Even though Eleanor had begged close friends to call her by her first name, almost no one did. And I, writing over 50 years after her death, couldn’t do it either at first. But during my many days of absorption in the intimate letters she exchanged with Hick, I realized that a book about their love for each other would be asymmetrical unless I used both their first names. As soon as I began to call Eleanor Roosevelt “Eleanor,” the personage receded and the person took center stage. Through her relationship with Hick, I saw her up close, and gained a new understanding of her courage and of the vulnerability she worked so hard to hide from the world.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
1,442 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book interesting, enjoyable, and informative. They praise the writing quality as well-written and captivating. Readers appreciate the historical content and accurate account of the era. They describe Eleanor Roosevelt as a great woman and Hick as brilliant. The romance between these two women is described as honest and realistic. However, some customers found the book repetitive and tedious at times.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

103 customers mention "Readability"103 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it interesting and enjoyable from start to finish. The first half is intriguing, while the second half becomes predictable. However, some readers feel the book provides a deeper understanding of Eleanor's motivations.

"...is a great story, much of it shaped by Lorena Hickok. Lorena played several roles, lover, confidante and editor...." Read more

"This was an interesting book, and while it gives some insightful evidence regarding the relationship between Eleanor and Hick, it is much more a..." Read more

"...Truthful & a view from someone who knew the story behind the story. Well written & well researched. The truth can be told at last." Read more

"I was intrigued by news of the affair but this was far more interesting than I was expecting...." Read more

50 customers mention "Insight"40 positive10 negative

Customers find the book insightful and informative about Eleanor Roosevelt's life. It provides an important perspective into her relationships with Hicks and FDR. The book illuminates the significant roles that both women played in history. While some readers found the writing engaging, others felt it dragged at times.

""Eleanor and Hick" is a great book of learning about Eleanor Roosevelt and history! Great price! Thank you!" Read more

"This was an interesting book, and while it gives some insightful evidence regarding the relationship between Eleanor and Hick, it is much more a..." Read more

"...Well written & well researched. The truth can be told at last." Read more

"...It is well researched, but does not verify the extent of their relationship...." Read more

44 customers mention "Writing quality"40 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the book's writing quality. They find it well-written and engaging, weaving in history in a light and captivating style. The book has a good flow and is filled with detail from historical letters.

"This was a well written book that told the story of the relationship of two outstanding women...." Read more

"...Truthful & a view from someone who knew the story behind the story. Well written & well researched. The truth can be told at last." Read more

"...is not an exciting page-turner, but it's well-written, filled with a wealth of detail and material gleaned from personal letters and journals of the..." Read more

"...I couldn’t care less. This book is written in current day, but it felt like she was writing it for a homophobic audience...." Read more

34 customers mention "History content"34 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's history content accurate and interesting. They appreciate the well-researched background on Eleanor Roosevelt's life and the people of the time. The narrative is described as terrific for those interested in Eleanor Roosevelt and her significant impact on American life during the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.

"...The author makes you feel present in a fascinating period of history, and at the same time gives an intimate view of some of the players on our..." Read more

"...details about their relationship, but there’s lots of background to help understand the people and the times, especially Eleanor through the years...." Read more

"...and people mentioned in the narrative, so the descriptions are infused with emotional warmth and detailed descriptions...." Read more

"...I'm so glad I know more about them both now. Great biography of both and the world they cherished and were chained to." Read more

24 customers mention "Insight into women"24 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's insights into women. They find Eleanor Roosevelt and Hickok powerful, strong, and effective. The book provides a biographical account of two interesting people and their dynamic relationships during that time.

"...Eleanor came across as very human. Although she remained married to FDR, she remained estranged and went on to build her own life apart from him...." Read more

"HICK is a look at the real version of Eleanor Roosevelt I always expected but knew was always there...." Read more

"...This is an excellent biographical account of two very interesting people." Read more

"A first rate book...the compelling character here , in the book, is ms Hickok....I know I would have the concurrence of one person....mrs Roosevelt...." Read more

8 customers mention "Romance"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romance in the book. They find the relationship honest and realistic, with a great love story. The story of how they found and loved each other is unique. Readers appreciate that Eleanor was able to develop other relationships while still maintaining her loving relationship with her.

"...HOWEVER HE DID ALLOW HER TO BE "HER". A GREAT LOVE STORY IN A REALISTIC WAY." Read more

"...The story of how they found and loved each other is unique; more understandable now than it would have been when it was happening...." Read more

"...Her loving relationship with Eleanor of course was the main theme, even though that changed over the years...." Read more

"...It is heartwarming to see that she was able to develop other relationships which allowed her to be more of herself." Read more

10 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive6 negative

Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it easy to read with good primary and secondary sources, while others feel it drags along and is too long.

"The story is fascinating but the author's pace seems exceptionally slow...." Read more

"...Roosevelt's approach to the presidency. In addition, it's an easy, straight forward read that does not overwhelm the reader...." Read more

"This book is so slow. It reads like an itinerary with very little conversation between people...." Read more

"Well written story of love, complications and a different world." Read more

11 customers mention "Repetition"0 positive11 negative

Customers find the book repetitive and boring at times. They find it hard to stay interested and lose interest. The ending is predictable and disappointing for some readers.

"...I was unbelievably happy to finally finish this book. I did find it tedious and boring at times." Read more

"Boring....this book was so repetitive and self indulgent. I wanted to like it, but it was drudgery to get through it...." Read more

"...of the book was intriguing - the second half was rather boring and predictable." Read more

"...However, I read about 1/2 of it and then found it somewhat repetitive. It just didn't hold my interest." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2024
    "Eleanor and Hick" is a great book of learning about Eleanor Roosevelt and history! Great price! Thank you!
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2017
    This was a well written book that told the story of the relationship of two outstanding women. The author placed the relationship in the context of the history of the time. Eleanor came across as very human. Although she remained married to FDR, she remained estranged and went on to build her own life apart from him. This included a supportive emotional life with Hick, her dear friend. Eleanor was indefatigable in her service to the American people. I appreciate the authors insights into the lives of these two remarkable women.
    25 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2016
    Once I started this book, I could not put it down. The author makes you feel present in a fascinating period of history, and at the same time gives an intimate view of some of the players on our national stage. The Roosevelt years are so illuminated by this slant-wise view! We come to understand what mattered to a renowned first lady, both publicly and privately.
    The saga of Eleanor’s life, work and friends, and her apartment in Greenwich Village (while she was living in the White House!) is a great story, much of it shaped by Lorena Hickok. Lorena played several roles, lover, confidante and editor. It was in letters to her that Eleanor began the daily column which brought her thoughts to Americans and the rest of the world for so many years. There are thousands of these letters, and I believe Susan Quinn read all of them, then distilling years of research into this delightful book.
    9 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2019
    This was an interesting book, and while it gives some insightful evidence regarding the relationship between Eleanor and Hick, it is much more a book about Eleanor. That's not to say this is not an interesting read and I would absolutely recommend it, but the premise the title suggests is a weak one. There is no solid smoking gun that Hick "shaped a First Lady", but the book certainly exposes the multi-faceted and complex person of Eleanor Roosevelt. Hick, while the author attempts to show her influence and personhood, falls rather short. Hick is but an afterthought for much of the book, thrown in here and there to try to convince the reader that the story is really about true love. It is easy do deduce (for me) that there WAS love held between the two women, but that love was not the sole focus of either women. I did resent the title at times, as it seemed to be created so that people would buy the book. However, to be fair, this was a very interesting read and exposed me to many aspects of Eleanor as well as FDR that I had never known before.
    45 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2020
    HICK is a look at the real version of Eleanor Roosevelt I always expected but knew was always there. Truthful & a view from someone who knew the story behind the story. Well written & well researched. The truth can be told at last.
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2017
    I've always enjoyed presidential history, both men and the women who were behind the president. If you have read FDR or FDR and Eleanor, the Roosevelt years, you may already know a lot of the material covered in this book. However, this time the emphasis is on the incredible women, Eleanor and Hick, who as First Lady and a news journalist, really shaped a lot of policy changes and made women see different choices were possible.
    It is well researched, but does not verify the extent of their relationship. It made no difference to me, I didn't need to know any extent of any physical intimacy for the period of time they were in each other's lives before events separated them. The bond of intimacy was very much one of supportive women, social causes, probably more intellectual than deeply physical. People used to be journal and letter writers. Eleanor needed people; Hicks seemed to need Eleanor more than anything besides her career.

    They were both misfits in their world with a great deal of emotional baggage from childhood of being unloved and not the social debutante. Eleanor came from a wealthy class; Hicks did not. Eleanor had difficulty feeling worthy and giving love (not that she didn't love) but FDR's polio and the strong influence of her mother-in-law, his need for the spotlight and mistress, often pushed Eleanor aside, except for being a worthy political helpmate. There is no doubt that polio and a political career deeply affected their marriage.
    46 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2016
    I WAS A CHILD WHEN FDR WAS PRESIDENT. I HAVE READ MANY BOOKS ABOUT HIS AND ELINOR'S LIFE, MARRIAGE, ETC. AS A CHILD HER VOICE WAS A "DETERENT TO ME". LOVE BETWEEN TWO WOMEN IN THE 1940'S-50'S WAS A SCANDAL; HOWEVER AS I AGED I LOOKED AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY. ACTUALLY LATER SOCIETY LOOKED AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
    I ALWAYS ADMIRED THE THINGS SHE DID AND THAT STUCK IN MY MIND AS I MATURED. WHAT A WOMAN!! WAY AHEAD OF THE TIMES AND ALWAYS DOING SOMEONE SOME GOOD - NEVER ABOUT HER. I REALIZE NOW, AT MY AGE, THAT SHE WAS A WOMAN THAT WOULD PUT THE WOMEN THAT "STOOD UP FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS" IN LATER YEARS TO SHAME. I THINK FRANKLIN LOVED HER AND REALIZED THAT ABOUT HER AND CERTAINLY ALLOWED HER TO BE WHO SHE WAS. HOWEVER, HE DID BREAK HER HEART BECAUSE OF HER "OLD FASHIONED" VIEW OF LIFE. HOWEVER HE DID ALLOW HER TO BE "HER". A GREAT LOVE STORY IN A REALISTIC WAY.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2020
    I was intrigued by news of the affair but this was far more interesting than I was expecting. There weren’t a lot of juicy details about their relationship, but there’s lots of background to help understand the people and the times, especially Eleanor through the years. It felt very current. I’m impressed that they were able to keep their relationship going for so many decades. This is an excellent biographical account of two very interesting people.
    4 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • The Reading Room
    4.0 out of 5 stars Eleanor and Hick – A Formidable Partnership.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 25, 2019
    Susan Quinn’s extensive research and writing style makes ‘Eleanor and Hick’ informative and enjoyable reading – 4 Stars

    Eleanor Roosevelt met Lorena Hickok (Hick) in 1932, just as FDR was elected for his first term as President. Using a variety of sources, this book explores the nature of their long relationship. Although non-fiction, Susan Quinn writes in a style that makes for very easy reading, the structure presenting each chapter is a snapshot of a particular time or place. Among the books written on this subject, ‘Eleanor and Hick’ is, in my opinion, the most readable.

    It’s always difficult when there is no absolute proof to support a hypothesis, but Quinn makes an eloquent case for the relationship between Eleanor and Hick being one that ran much deeper than a close friendship. While Quinn certainly doesn’t make light of the difficulties that both women faced during their relationship, she offers supporting evidence to make the case that this was indeed a love affair, but whether that love was ever expressed in a sexual way is still open to interpretation. What becomes clearly evident though is that the relationship played a critical role in making Eleanor Roosevelt one of the century’s most revered and inspirational women.

    My only real gripe with the book is the system of referencing used, and I would have liked to learn more of the influence Eleanor’s lesbian friends had on the Eleanor/Hick relationship. That apart, ‘Eleanor and Hick’ was interesting, informative, and very easy reading.
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    The Reading Room
    4.0 out of 5 stars Eleanor and Hick – A Formidable Partnership.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 25, 2019
    Susan Quinn’s extensive research and writing style makes ‘Eleanor and Hick’ informative and enjoyable reading – 4 Stars

    Eleanor Roosevelt met Lorena Hickok (Hick) in 1932, just as FDR was elected for his first term as President. Using a variety of sources, this book explores the nature of their long relationship. Although non-fiction, Susan Quinn writes in a style that makes for very easy reading, the structure presenting each chapter is a snapshot of a particular time or place. Among the books written on this subject, ‘Eleanor and Hick’ is, in my opinion, the most readable.

    It’s always difficult when there is no absolute proof to support a hypothesis, but Quinn makes an eloquent case for the relationship between Eleanor and Hick being one that ran much deeper than a close friendship. While Quinn certainly doesn’t make light of the difficulties that both women faced during their relationship, she offers supporting evidence to make the case that this was indeed a love affair, but whether that love was ever expressed in a sexual way is still open to interpretation. What becomes clearly evident though is that the relationship played a critical role in making Eleanor Roosevelt one of the century’s most revered and inspirational women.

    My only real gripe with the book is the system of referencing used, and I would have liked to learn more of the influence Eleanor’s lesbian friends had on the Eleanor/Hick relationship. That apart, ‘Eleanor and Hick’ was interesting, informative, and very easy reading.
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  • Rose
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great historical read
    Reviewed in Canada on October 25, 2016
    Interesting Reading!! Gave me a whole new perspective on their relationship and also on the state of the world.
  • Dorothy Doyle
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Life of Inspiration
    Reviewed in Canada on November 4, 2016
    Excellent reading. A wonderful tribute to a wonderful women. History and personal details were intertwined in such a way that the subject became alive. It was particularly interesting reading this at this time of Election 2016 in the U.S.A.
  • Susan Jane
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sympathetic, well-researched book on Eleanor Roosevelt's love affair with Lorena Hickok
    Reviewed in Australia on November 30, 2017
    Susan Quinn has written an intriguing book on Eleanor Roosevelt and her love affair with journalist Lorena Hickok which lasted over thirty years.

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