Awakening the Spirit of America Book Reviews

Awakening the Spirit of America by Paul M. Sparrow Book Summary

A dramatic narrative that brings President Roosevelt, his allies, and his adversaries to life during his fight 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. For years the president had warned 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. Newly elected Prime Minister Winston Churchill pleaded with Roosevelt to send arms and supplies to Britain as they fought for their very survival.

The situation was dire. Drawing on his popularity after leading the country out of the Great Depression and his skill as an inspiring speaker, FDR advocated unwavering support for England to a war-weary nation.

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 his 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 saving England—and the world.

Awakening the Spirit of America reveals how Roosevelt overcame the forces aligned against him in a war against fascism. As Paul Sparrow, former director of the FDR Presidential Library, brilliantly shows, FDR's triumph of leadership was by no means a foregone conclusion. Ultimately, 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 a global superpower. Awakening the Spirit of America provides a riveting, inside account of FDR’s ultimate victory over American isolationists and provides vital insight into American history and an iconic president.

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