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Rating: 
Summary: You can read a lot of books on or about FDR,
Review: but this book is the best of a small but special niche. Hugh Gallagher did a fine job & it is obvious from this book & television interviews he has given, that this is a subject he cares deeply about.
There was a conspiracy of silence among reporters & those close to FDR not to acknowledge his paralysis. This silence extended beyond his life to many books & even for a while, the memorial to him. He referred to his affliction maybe once in public late in his life.
The time he spent before & during his presidency rehabing in Warm Springs impacted on him in important ways. A strong bond developed between him, the people of Warm Springs & his fellow patients. That perhaps is the silver lining to his polio: the contact he had with ordinary folks he would never have meet, never would have had anything in common with except his disease.
I think Mr. Gallagher might agree that being stricken with polio was the defining event of FDR's life. Before he was a political lightweight. He was a handsome, charming politician who thought he might like to be president someday. After, he became wiser, more sober yet still charming, less arrogant, more compassionate & a traitor to his upper class breeding. He became stronger, much stronger as a man. The strength he gained from this ordeal contributed greatly to his becoming president & eventually leader of the free world. An important work to read to get the whole Roosevelt.
Rating: 
Summary: A Rare But Important Take on FDR
Review: Countless biographies have been written about the nation's 32nd President, but few devote more than a chapter or passing reference to FDR's battle with Polio. Mr. Gallagher's book is a rare and important one in illustrating what his day-to-day struggle was like. He details FDR's carefully-orchestrated public appearances which, for the country, maintained the illusion that their President could actually walk. While I found the book to be inspirational, perhaps the most fascinating realization was the respect of the media in maintaining this illusion. For instance, we learn that of the thousands of photos taken of Roosevelt, only a couple exist that show him in his wheelchair. In an age where every aspect of a President's health and private life are scrutinized, this book allows us to ask the uneasy question of whether one of our greatest Presidents could ever have been elected today. You don't have to be a history buff to appreciate the value of this book; I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A Rare But Important Take on FDR
Review: Countless biographies have been written about the nation's 32nd President, but few devote more than a chapter or passing reference to FDR's battle with Polio. Mr. Gallagher's book is a rare and important one in illustrating what his day-to-day struggle was like. He details FDR's carefully-orchestrated public appearances which, for the country, maintained the illusion that their President could actually walk. While I found the book to be inspirational, perhaps the most fascinating realization was the respect of the media in maintaining this illusion. For instance, we learn that of the thousands of photos taken of Roosevelt, only a couple exist that show him in his wheelchair. In an age where every aspect of a President's health and private life are scrutinized, this book allows us to ask the uneasy question of whether one of our greatest Presidents could ever have been elected today. You don't have to be a history buff to appreciate the value of this book; I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Don't miss this FDR Memorial Edition: terrific!
Review: I am pleased to see this book back in print. Mr. Gallagher's book is excellent, and a great read for history buffs and those who lived through the Polio epidemics, or want to see what it was like. I had Polio in 1953, and didn't realize FDR had Polio until much later. I never knew until I read this book that FDR wore braces on both legs (my brace was right leg only), and that FDR never walked unassisted (as I was able to do). We both had great upper arm strength, better for a guy than a girl! FDR deceived not only me, but everyone. And, it is good to know the whole story as presented by Mr. Gallagher in his great book. I am pleased to add it to my library.
Rating:
Summary: HGG's Splendid Book
Review: This unique book is essential even for small collections on FDR. Gallagher has spent decades researching a subject central to Roosevelt's career and personal life. As a fellow "polio," Warm Springs client and wheelchair user, his insider's view permits unmatched insights. Gallagher supports most scholars who see FDR's struggle with disability as the key to his character and political drive, but he pushes his inquiries further than any others, shedding new light on FDR and those close to him. The photos are truly startling in what they reveal about FDR's health, and the author excels at analyzing the careful poses which helped hide the infirmity. Both press and public aided their own self-deception in ways that are now unthinkable; any and all aspects of public lives are fair game these days. Gallagher's matter-of-fact style is both straightforward and sensitive on such matters as FDR's sex life and the challenges of mobility. Some flaws exist: his focus on physical and psychological factors is superb, but he's less careful about better-known parts of FDR's life, and minor factual errors do creep in. Also, much remains unknown about such a private public figure, so even the most acute conclusions are often guesswork. Still, this concise work is a riveting look at "a great American, a disabled American." It is highly suggestive about vital matters such as the infirmity of leaders and the electorate's right to know.
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