Eleanor and Hick

The Love Affair That Shaped a First Lady

De: Susan Quinn

Narrado por: Kimberly Farr

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 30 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 13 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.

©2016 Susan Quinn (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“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)

“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)

Must listen

It wasn't quite what I expected. Overall excellent book. learned a lot about the Roosevelt's.

Loved it.

Loved it. History as it happened around two very important women of the 20 Century.

great read

loved it. book flowed along and was extremely easy to follow. I will read this book again and recommend it to friends also interested in history and a great president and the history surrounding his legacy

Outstanding writing

A well told, little known story of the relationship between Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickock, a pioneering American journalist and devoted friend to the First Lady. Told with delicacy and charm, this well researched book opens a door into the world little seen until a recent tranche of letters surfaced regarding this special relationship.

Great Story

Very poiniant & intimate. I enjoyed the historical aspect immensely. Was like being there. Excellent delivery

Eleanor and Hick

It is a great book . Narration was perfect and easy to listen to . I absolutely loved the story . Much History was a plus .
A friendship that will live on through eternity

good story

good story - about both the world of their time and these specific people - emotional hard to get through at times

Loved this...even if it went off topic

I have read a few books about the relationship between Hick and Eleanor, Empty Without You by Rodger Streitmatter is my favorite, as it has the letters, and allows you really to draw your own conclusion. That being said, I thought this book did just as good a job at portraying honestly the nature of their relationship. It gave excellent insight into each of their upbringings, and how different events in their lives contributed to how they handled relationships in their adult life. The Depression years are really the height of their most intense time together, and then their relationship cooled off, never completely, but it never again reached the intensity of the early years. All of this was portrayed very thoroughly, I thought the author did a nice job. My one complaint, is that the end of the book seemed clogged with fillers..we really did not need a recap of Eleanor Roosevelt's political activities (meeting with Khrushchev, working with the UN, how much money she was making writing My Day) as these topics have been covered in previous biographies. They were not relevant to the subject at hand, her relationship with Hick, and in fact every time we would get lost on Eleanor's political endeavors...I kept thinking, what does this have to do with Hick? The book would have been better, if it only spoke about how their relationship lessened, and where they were in each other's lives at their deaths. The rest, was information that was not relevant to the book. Overall very good, but again with that one complaint. If you are interested in the relationship between Hick and ER, you will not be disappointed, you just get a little bonus civics lesson along with the story.

A Fascinating Duo who affected the course of histo

A Fascinating Duo who affected the course of history during the Great Depression, WW ll and race relations into today.
As a lover of all things that influence the course of our past, present and future, I found this glimpse into Eleanor Roosevelt's make up significant. Especially in HS (a Catholic School by the way), we were taught of her influence in international relations. Never knew of her conflicts with Spellman or the Catholic Church, not surprisingly, the problem was the Church's.

Of course we never heard of Hick. For 12 years my work had me living in Hyde Park part time. I made many friends in the area and frequented a restaurant across the street from the FDR Historical Site. I knew of Valkill but unfortunately never visited it. ER's relations with women was a source of snickers but not historical fact. As a matter of fact it is not proven in this book.

What I did find significant was the affection and respect, as well as the input that these two heroines had on the course of the Depression and WW ll, as well as the other course changing events during FDR's Presidency and beyond.

I enjoyed the narrator's role in the book.

Of Love & Liberty

How does being truly loved and appreciated liberate one's true self? Look at Eleanor Roosevelt's interactions with the world before & after Hick's love & know that your town, your country, and indead global society would not be what it is today if that love hadn't risen & shone through the man-made storms of WW2 & the Great Depression. Know that your love, too, is powerful enough to change the whole world.