No Ordinary Time

Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II

By: Doris Kearns Goodwin

Narrated by: Nelson Runger

Length: 39 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

Pulitzer Prize Winner, History, 1995

No Ordinary Time describes how the isolationist and divided United States of 1940 was unified under the extraordinary leadership of Franklin Roosevelt to become the preeminent economic and military power in the world.

Using diaries, interviews, and White House records of the president's and first lady's comings and goings, Goodwin paints an intimate portrait of the daily conduct of the presidency during wartime and the Roosevelts' extraordinary constellation of friends, advisers, and family.

Bringing to bear the tools of both history and biography, No Ordinary Time relates the unique story of how Franklin Roosevelt led the nation to victory against seemingly insurmountable odds and, with Eleanor's essential help, forever changed the fabric of American society.

©1995 Doris Kearns Goodwin, All Rights Reserved. (P)2011 Simon & Schuster

amazing Doris again

Doris Kearns Goodwin is the person I'd like to have dinner with or invite her with friends. I love her books- well written, interesting analysis, great stories. Even topics that I've read several books, I still learn and am entertained.

Interesting Look Into a Presidency

What did you love best about No Ordinary Time?

I chose this one because I enjoyed Team of Rivals so much. The story is told with the intricate historical facts you expect from Doris Goodwin and really tells the story of what made FDR and Mrs. Roosevelt the icons they were. However do not expect it to be quite as fast paced as Team of Rivals. Its a good listen - just slow and steady.

What aspect of Nelson Runger’s performance would you have changed?

His pronunciation of certain words was a bit off-putting. For example - he says "live" (as in Saturday Night Live) when it should be live (as In "The President lived in Hyde Park growing up").

Second Time

I bought this book and eagerly read it when it came out in print. I've always enjoyed Goodwin's works and this didn't disappoint. So little has been written about this subject. I purchased it here on audio to remind me of the book since it had been many years since I'd read it. I was quite disappoint with the reader; he seemed unable to decide whether to read it 'straight' or try to dramatize. There's a reason that readers like Scott Brick are in such demand. Still, worth listening to if one hasn't read the print book.

Loved this! An amazing time —-an amazing partnership!

Doris Kearns Goodwin really brought each subject in this monumental time to life—- with all their human fallibilities, their frailties, their visionary insight and their courage.

Incredibly detailed account of FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt’s life.

The narrator had an irritatingly shrill imitation of any woman speaking, especially Eleanor. He did a very good impression of Winston Churchill, however.

History you should know

I liked the reality of a strong family in the White House .Recommended reading for all politicians . Not enough information about building the war economy in America. Liked reading s as our the humanity of Franklin Roosevelt .

Exceptional

Just finished this book. It had been on my list for a while and I kept skipping over it because I wasn't sure how interesting it would be. Gosh, was I wrong. It is an amazing in-depth historical record and written in a very compelling way. It's not a hagiography, it's warts and all.

And like all good works of this kind, it's not just about the people, but about the times (and in this case what ordinary citizens were going through). It's a book I can highly recommend to others.

Solid historical reporting made personal.

Would you consider the audio edition of No Ordinary Time to be better than the print version?

I can't say as I haven't read the print version.

What other book might you compare No Ordinary Time to and why?

This is an intimate look inside the lives of FDR and the First Lady. In that regard, it reminds me somewhat of Caro's works on LBJ but with a more focused time frame.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Nelson Runger?

Yes. Good solid, workmanlike narration. Ringer brings the listener the book without getting in the way.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

They're all very interesting.

Any additional comments?

Very good book. Appropriate narration that was error-free. Recommend.

Great book - questionable narration

I enjoyed the narrative, the research and the insight tremendously, but the narration left me... annoyed. I'm all for acting out the voices, but his intonation, uptalking and tone for Mrs. Roosevelt made every direct quote sound vapid and silly. If you watch interviews of her, she frankly doesn't sound like that. It doesn't fit with the author's characterization and it loses a lot of the nuance in the way she delivers very hard messages while smiling. His impression of the President was spot on, but a lot of the other characters sounded much goofier and befuddled than I am sure those men were.

Best Read of 2012

I found this book enlightening from the standpoint of the different standards applied to our elected officials in the past compared to the standards of today! If the President and First Lady had extramartial affairs as discussed or alleged in this book, in the White House the press and television networks would make it impossible to keep from the public. Notwithstanding their private affairs, this book shows that the actions of Mrs. Roosevelt were significantly underrated and that failure to recognize her as one of the individuals responsible for major social improvements in the 20th century was an justice to the Women.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the time following the depression of the early 20th century and the actions taken by the government leading up to and during the 2nd world war.