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FDR's War of Words With Charles Lindbergh and the Battle to Save Democracy
by Paul M. Sparrow
A powerful new work of history that brings President Roosevelt, his allies, and his adversaries to life as he fought to transform America from an isolationist bystander into the world's first superpower.
Franklin Roosevelt awoke at 2:50 a.m. on September 1, 1939 to the news that Germany had invaded Poland, signaling the start of World War II. The president had warned for years that Hitler's fascist regime posed an existential threat to democracy, but the American public remained stubbornly isolationist as fascist sympathizing groups, egged on by right wing media stars promoting anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, plotted to overthrow the president.
The situation was dire, and Roosevelt quickly found himself facing an unexpected adversary: Charles Lindbergh. Wildly popular, the famed aviator's youthful charm, plainspoken rhetoric, and media magnetism earned him a massive following as he led an aggressive attack on FDR's policies. Millions listened to Linberg's radio broadcasts and attended his rallies. Powerful individuals including William Randolph Hearst, Henry Ford, and members of Congress supported him. The German government provided secret funds to Lindbergh's Nazi followers as he led the radical America First Committee in an effort to prevent Roosevelt from aiding England's survival—and the world's.
Awakening the Spirit of America brilliantly shows how Roosevelt overcame the forces aligned against him in a war against fascism. Paul Sparrow, former director of the FDR Presidential Library, reveals how FDR's triumph of leadership was by no means a foregone conclusion. Roosevelt's astute political maneuvers and persuasive use of language to preserve what he termed "the spirit of America" changed history and can still inspire today.
Sparrow brings readers into the rooms where key decisions were made, focusing on the crucial role words, media, and propaganda played in the transformation of America into the protector of the free world. Awakening the Spirit of America provides a riveting, inside account of FDR's ultimate victory over pro-Nazi isolationists and provides vital insight into American history and an iconic president.
"Sparrow, former director of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, brings his storytelling talents and familiarity with the 32nd president to bear in this engaging book. The narrative centers on Roosevelt's desire to make the U.S. the world's foremost opponent of tyranny. A wonderfully written and researched study of a crucial period in 20th-century America." ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"This deeply researched, engaging work demonstrates what was at stake in the war of words between Roosevelt and isolationists in the immediate years prior to the U.S.'s entry into WWII. There's much to enjoy in this title." —Library Journal (starred review)
"Sparrow puts his knowledge of the president's archives to excellent use in this riveting debut history. His storytelling captivates, and he makes an invigorating case that the president's calls to fight for democracy resonate today. A gripping snapshot of America at a crossroads." ―Publishers Weekly
"Paul Sparrow's Awakening the Spirit of America brilliantly highlights FDR's desperate struggle to prepare Americans for the fight with fascism. Sparrow makes superb use of FDR's own words to tell this important story. The blend of scholarship and readability places Sparrow with Robert Caro and Doris Kearns Goodwin in the top ranks of popular historians." ―Dr. Elliot Sumers, author of Operation Storm King
"An impeccably researched and intimate narrative of the events leading up to America's participation in World War II, especially the highly consequential rivalry between nativism and democracy that still echoes in today's harrowing political climate. Awakening the Spirit of America adds new and important information in the highly traveled road of FDR biography." ―Dr. Steven Lomazow, author FDR's Deadly Secrets and FDR Unmasked
This information about Awakening the Spirit of America was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Paul M. Sparrow is a writer, historical consultant, and the former Director of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Before moving to the FDR Library he was the Deputy Director and Senior Vice President at the Newseum in Washington, DC. He was an Emmy Award-winning documentary and television producer for twenty years. He began his broadcasting career at KPIX, the CBS affiliate in San Francisco. A graduate of UC Santa Cruz, Sparrow also has an MFA from the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College.
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