Henry Morgenthau, Jr.

The Remarkable Life of FDR's Secretary of the Treasury

By: Herbert Levy

Narrated by: Fred Sanders

Length: 16 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

A fascinating exploration of early- to mid-20th-century political and social structure as seen through the eyes of a Roosevelt technocrat.

Henry Morgenthau, Jr. was a young man living in an interesting political and social atmosphere. Surrounded by people who viewed the world through a Social Darwinist lens, and grappling with his identity as an American Jew during the atrocities of WWII in Europe, Henry Morgenthau, Jr. played an integral role as Roosevelt’s secretary of the treasury during a tough economic and political time.

Henry Morgenthau, Jr. explores the life of this native New Yorker, growing up in a business-minded family, spending most of his teenage years at boarding school, and feeling isolated from his peers. Morgenthau found true passion in farming, and it served him well during the years that FDR was governor of New York and again after Morgenthau’s retirement from political life. Morgenthau established not only a working relationship with FDR during his presidency, but also a personal relationship; one that allowed him some freedom of expression in what he viewed as a sometimes intolerant era.

Herbert Levy has done extensive research at the archives in Hyde Park to include many of Morgenthau’s personal letters in this in-depth account of the man who crafted a controversial plan for the reconstitution of Germany. This book explores the complex and oftentimes frustrating world in which Morgenthau was forced to live and illuminates his odyssey as a Roosevelt technocrat.

©2010 Herbert Levy (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

a very strange mashup

the author has lots of relevant detail for the life, but has a master's thesis type idea constantly interrupting the flow. skip the intro and every sentence that mentions "social darwinism" and you will come away with a decent sense of the life of a key figure in the FDR administration

Social Darwinism, not much on Morgenthau

The whole introduction and first chapter are on social Darwinism, which is not what I expected or sought.

Insightful, but bounces through time

The author is clearly knowledgeable about a broad swath of history. Throughout the book, he makes connections and draws parallels to very different historical periods. I found the digressions insightful when I was paying close attention. But, if was distracted for even a moment, I found myself wondering why the book had jumped one hundred years in time.

Barely coherent

Long-winded digressions far afield, lack of a central narrative or thesis, overuse of the phrase “in a social Darwinist world” yet also inconsistent in how that motivates individuals in the story at different times. Overall a mediocre history.

Boring and useless

I only made it 5 hours in, about 1/3 of way. This was not interesting, I thought useless biographical information. I have no idea where it was headed. Talked mostly about Social Darwinism. Probably the worst I’ve listened to in over 100 bios.

Very interesting-

A detailed look at one of FDR’s key cabinet members as well as the history of the issues they worked on. The term ‘social Darwinism’ I had heard before until this.