Counsel and Advise: A Political Biography of Samuel I. Rosenman
Description:... “Rosenman is one of the most significant figures in recent American political history because his active career ran from 1922 to 1973. He had legislative and judicial careers of importance, in addition to his remarkable White House years. He worked with or for Robert Moses, Alfred E. Smith, Felix Frankfurter and Harry S. Truman as well as F.D.R., but Rosenman became important in large part because he knew how to make the most of his roles... He maintained his close position with F.D.R. longer than anyone else — 1928-1945... Sam Hand tells all of this and much more — in clear, interesting prose. The book is thorough and surprisingly objective given the close and helpful concern for the project by the Rosenmans... the book is full of sound and personal insights and judgments... This book is an important contribution to our understanding of the Truman presidency, for Rosenman was Truman’s man as well as Roosevelt’s man. In the end, however, he was really Rosenman’s man... Professor Hand’s book is good history based on good oral history as well as enormous conventional research. It is also good reading.” — Alfred B. Rollins, Jr., The Oral History Review
“Samuel I. Rosenman was one of the best-known speech writers in recent American political history. Less publicized was his role as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s organizational ‘expert’ during World War II and as Harry S. Truman’s liberal conscience in the early months of his administration... Samuel B. Hand’s biography had a gestation period of twenty-two years. Based primarily on original sources, interviews, and the personal assistance of Rosenman and his wife, the study is straightforward, workmanlike, and well documented. It should serve as the definitive account of this key presidential aide.” — Alfred D. Sander, The Journal of American History
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