My Day

A Book Review by Molly McCary

If there were ever a doubt that Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the greatest American females to walk the Earth, this book could instantly extinguish that uncertainty. Roosevelt’s charm and kindness radiate off of each page as she divulges about the unseen life of one of the most looked up to women in American history—herself. The book’s title, My Day, matches that of her acclaimed newspaper articles that appeared in over 60 newspapers for more than 25 years. The readability of this book is wonderfully simple and is a book that I would suggest not rushing through. While sitting down and reading it from cover to cover might be inspiring and even tempting, it is also a book that can be picked up from time to time and read from any page. I recommend this book to any type of reader, because it encompasses a variety of genres. Eleanor gives the reader a look through her eyes during the war years, her personal and family struggles and successes, and her often hidden life in the White House as a First Lady.

In 1936, Eleanor Roosevelt was asked to turn her frequent magazine articles into a daily newspaper column. She was given total authorial freedom, which she quickly took advantage of. Eleanor was living in a distraught nation fresh out of the depression’s chokehold. But as difficult a time as this was, she always found something positive to say and while many of her articles addressed those messy situations, many times she just wrote to take her mind off of the horrific events occurring in the world, simultaneously helping America do the same.

While reading this book I found myself becoming jealous of this immaculate woman. It was less of envying her lifestyle, and more of admiring the vitality, determination, and love she put into everything that she encountered. One remarkable “My Day” accomplishment was that it brought the American people closer to a woman who had the strength to carry them. The Depression wasn’t the only factor causing Americans to become, well, depressed. The world outside of the US wasn’t looking too bright either. Hitler had just ignored the Versailles Peace Treaty, Ethiopia was on the verge of being invaded by Mussolini, and civil war had broken out in Spain. In short, it was not just America who was suffocating from a depression.

Another factor to “My Day’s” success was Eleanor Roosevelt’s remarkable ability to connect with the middle-class Americans. Prior to, and even during her stay in the White House, she co-owned a furniture business, hosted a radio show, wrote for many journals and books, and taught at a private school. But due to First Lady responsibilities, her involvement in each eventually had to lessen. What’s even more remarkable than her giving and busy schedule, is that she gave almost all of her earnings away to charity. Living in the White House, it could have been easy to seclude ones’ self from the larger part of society and ignore the smaller problems that encompass many Americans’ lives. But Eleanor was always very perceptive of her surroundings. In one of her articles, she addresses the issue of the increase in food prices and conveys her dismay over the fact that the average housewife will now have to spend 14% more money on groceries than the previous year. The fact that a woman as well taken care of as Eleanor would be aware of and even address such a topic shows just one facet of her compassionate lifestyle.

A final way in which she appealed to the masses, was the honestly open nature in which she would pen personal, and sometimes troubling stories about her own life. One such case she writes about deals with her daughter-in-law’s miscarriage. A brutally sensitive and private topic, Eleanor felt it was necessary to appeal to the struggles that Americans constantly faced explaining that all people are on the same level when it comes to suffering.

An attractive factor that draws many to her columns, and even to this book, is her easy sense of humor and lightheartedness. Some of the topics she wrote about were extremely deep, but it was the simpler columns that I found most appealing. From sharing family dinner table stories, to proving a disbelieving child that she does in fact know how to shoot a gun, it was the effortless things that kept Americans eyes focused on a brighter future.

Eleanor had a deep love and care not only for her children, but also strangers, and people of different races as well. It was refreshing to read stories from the pen of a woman who fought for equal rights and justice. In one such story, she recounts that she had resigned from the Daughters of the American Revolution organization because they refused to permit famed African American singer Marian Anderson to sing at a Howard University venue because of their “no Negro” policy. An appalled Roosevelt invited Anderson to sing at the White House as well as asked her to make recurring appearances. By using her fame, power, and the fact that much of America looked up to her, Eleanor Roosevelt wrote about many topics, such as this one, that she wanted to see changed. She used her reputation to mold America for the better.

“My Day’s” audience will quickly notice how easily Eleanor’s humbleness floats off of the page. She was a human whose deep love for her country was equivalent to her care for those she knew personally. She conveyed that working through tough times was the only way to get through them, and her hard work was no exception. While this book showed me how incredible this woman had become, it also displayed the natural American drive towards success, proving that true success can only be gained through peace with others.