Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Becoming FDR summary
Jonathan Darman
The Personal Crisis That Made a President
18 mins
Brief summary
Becoming FDR delves into the life of Franklin D. Roosevelt, detailing the transformational journey that shaped him into one of America's most influential presidents. Jonathan Darman provides a fascinating exploration of FDR's character, leadership style, and lasting impact on the nation.
Table of Contents
Becoming FDR
Summary of 5 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 5
A stillpoint
One August morning in 1921, Franklin Delano Roosevelt woke with a raging fever. He was just a day into a long-awaited family vacation. Normally energetic and manically driven, his wife Eleanor became concerned the evening before when he retired to bed early complaining of fatigue and chills. By morning it was clear her concern was justified.
When Franklin tried to stand, his legs wouldn’t bear his weight. Collapsing back into bed, he spent weeks trapped there between raging fevers and hallucination-filled sleep. With only Eleanor and his devoted political strategist, Louis Howe, as caretakers, the family vacation quickly changed into a test of endurance. The once public Roosevelt family closed ranks and saw to Franklin’s care around-the-clock. He couldn’t even use the toilet without assistance.
Their remote location, a longtime summer retreat for Franklin’s family, meant that getting a doctor was a considerable undertaking. The one they did finally manage to summon to the island, from the mainland at Lubec, Maine, was a long-time family acquaintance of the Roosevelts. Unfortunately, he misdiagnosed Franklin’s condition as paralysis from a blood clot with extreme exhaustion from overwork. Had this physician known of the recent outbreaks of polio in communities surrounding New York, he might have considered another diagnosis.
Sadly for Franklin, the correct diagnosis offered far less hope than the local physician’s incorrect one. Muscles and nerves that had been damaged by a clot could be rehabilitated and function. Paralysis from polio infection, also known as infantile paralysis, wasn’t like that at all. When polio causes a severe infection, it can evade the body’s defenses and invade multiple systems – literally destroying muscles, nerves, and even organs. In such cases, functionality is likely never to return.
For a man whose political career had thus far been built on his imposing height, pleasant demeanor, and physical prowess at the Democratic National Conventions, this diagnosis was devastating. Always the golden boy and pampered son, whose grace and athleticism won him admiration if not loyalty, his days as a shallow political aspirant were over. His time of struggle, determination, and optimism to the brink of self-delusion had begun.
Once an appropriate diagnosis was made, through the intervention of outside doctors, one thing was clear. The lack of early intervention and appropriate treatment during his infection with the polio virus had set him back greatly. Now incapable of controlling his movements below the waist, he had no clear path back to health.
Want to see all full key ideas from Becoming FDR?
Key ideas in Becoming FDR
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Becoming FDR about?
Becoming FDR (2022) tells the remarkable story of the personal health crisis and recovery that transformed Franklin D. Roosevelt from a self-centered, pampered golden boy to the mature, empathetic President who would go on to lead a nation through the darkest days of The Great Depression and the second World War.
Who should read Becoming FDR?
- History buffs looking for the inside story on one of America’s defining presidents
- Political minds curious about the personalities that shaped the twentieth century
- Anyone curious about how crisis and adversity can shape character
Categories with Becoming FDR
Book summaries like Becoming FDR
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
29 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth