First Lady of Radio

"e;This anthology of 38 addresses . . . offer[s] a means for visiting anew the lifework of an extraordinary American woman"e; (HistoryNet). A tie-in to the American RadioWorks documentary with audio and video content. Eleanor Roosevelt's groundbreaking career as a professional radio broadcaster is almost entirely forgotten. As First Lady, she hosted a series of prime time programs that revolutionized how Americans related to their chief executive and his family. Now, The First Lady of Radio rescues these broadcasts from the archives, presenting a carefully curated sampling of transcripts of Roosevelt's most famous and influential radio shows, including addresses on the bombing of Pearl Harbor, D-Day, V-E Day, and women's issues of the times. Edited and set into context by award-winning author and radio producer Stephen Drury Smith and with a foreword by Roosevelt's famed biographer, historian Blanche Wiesen Cook The First Lady of Radio is both a historical treasure and a fascinating window onto the power and the influence of a pioneering First Lady. "e;An intriguing glimpse into the social and political changes of the period."e; Publishers Weekly "e;[Eleanor Roosevelt] was terrified of speaking in public at first, and her high-pitched voice could sail off uncontrollably. Yet she became one of the most effective speakers of her time."e; David McCullough