The Confidante: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America

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Christopher C. Gorham

The Confidante

The Untold Story of the Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America

Christopher C. Gorham

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Hardback

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English

Citadel Press Inc.,U.S.
18 April 2023

Biography; History

Perfect for readers of A Woman of No Importance, Three Ordinary Girls, and Eleanor- A Life comes the first-ever biography of Anna Marie Rosenberg, the Hungarian Jewish immigrant who became FDR's closest advisor during World War II and, according to Life, ""the most important official woman in the world"" -a woman of many firsts, whose story, forgotten for too long, is extraordinary, inspiring, and uniquely American.

Her life ran parallel to the front lines of history yet her influence on 20th century America, from the New Deal to the Cold War and beyond, has never before been told.

A Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee

Perfect for readers of A Woman of No Importance, Three Ordinary Girls, and Eleanor- A Life comes the first-ever biography of Anna Marie Rosenberg, the Hungarian Jewish immigrant who became FDR's closest advisor during World War II and, according to Life, ""the most important official woman in the world"" -a woman of many firsts, whose story, forgotten for too long, is extraordinary, inspiring, and uniquely American.

Her life ran parallel to the front lines of history yet her influence on 20th century America, from the New Deal to the Cold War and beyond, has never before been told.

A Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee

As Franklin Delano Roosevelt's special envoy to Europe in World War II she went where the president couldn't go. She was among the first Allied women to enter a liberated concentration camp, and stood in the Eagle's Nest, Hitler's mountain retreat, days after its capture. She guided the direction of the G.I. Bill of Rights and the Manhattan Project. Though Anna Rosenberg emerged from modest immigrant beginnings, equipped with only a high school education, she was the real power behind national policies critical to America winning the war and prospering afterward. Astonishingly, her story remains largely forgotten.

With a disarming mix of charm and Tammany-hewn toughness, Rosenberg began her career in public relations in 1920s Manhattan. She became friends with Eleanor Roosevelt, who recommended Anna to her husband, who was then running for Governor of New York. As FDR's unofficial adviser, Rosenberg soon wielded enormous influence-no less potent for being subtle. Roosevelt dubbed her ""my Mrs. Fix-It."" Her extraordinary career continued after his death.

By 1950, she was tapped to become the assistant secretary of defense-the highest position ever held by a woman in the US military-prompting Senator Joe McCarthy to wage an unsuccessful smear campaign against her. In 1962, she organized John F. Kennedy's infamous birthday gala, sitting beside him while Marilyn Monroe sang. Until the end of her life, Rosenberg fought tirelessly for causes from racial integration to women's equality to national health care.

More than the story of one remarkable woman, The Confidante explores who gets to be at the forefront of history, and why. Though she was not quite a hidden figure, Rosenberg's position as ""the power behind,"" combined with her status as an immigrant and a Jewish woman, served to diminish her importance. In this inspiring, impeccably researched, and revelatory book, Christopher C. Gorham at last affords Anna Rosenberg the recognition she so richly deserves.

""Far and away the most important woman in the American government, and perhaps the most important official female in the world."" -LIFE magazine, 1952

By: Christopher C. Gorham
Imprint: Citadel Press Inc.,U.S.
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 237mm, Width: 159mm,
Weight: 567g
ISBN: 9780806542003
ISBN 10: 0806542004
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 18 April 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Christopher C. Gorham is a lawyer and teacher of modern American history at Westford Academy, outside Boston. He has degrees in history from Tufts University and the University of Michigan, where he studied under legendary labor historian Sidney Fine. He has a J.D., summa cum laude, from Syracuse University College of Law, where he served on the editorial staff of the Syracuse Law Review. His writing has appeared in the Washington Post and in online journals. He and his wife Elizabeth live in Watertown and Chatham, Massachusetts. Learn more at ChristopherCGorham.com.

Reviews for The Confidante: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America

Advance Praise for The Confidante Anna Rosenberg was a dynamo of a woman who ably navigated the rough-and-tumble world of American politics, all the way to the male-dominated Department of Defense, wearing her trademark flowered hats like a helmet. Christopher C. Gorham's engaging and deeply researched biography The Confidante will leave you with two thoughts: 'Why did I never hear of this woman before?' and 'Thank goodness she's been rescued from obscurity!' -Kathryn Smith, author of The Gatekeeper: Missy LeHand, FDR and the Untold Story of the Partnershp that Defined a Presidency and Gertie: The Fabulous Life of Gertrude Sanford Legendre: Heiress, Explorer, Socialite, Spy Compelling history requires strong real-life characters, a broad sweep of action, and a dramatic story arc to grab the attention of busy readers-Christopher Gorham has accomplished all of this with The Confidante, an outstanding narrative-driven debut that exemplifies why we read history in the first place. Anna Rosenberg's gripping saga should be read by anyone who enjoys a story of achieving success by overcoming long odds. -Stephen Puleo, author of Dark Tide, The Caning, American Treasures, and Voyage of Mercy Until I read this book all I knew about Anna Rosenberg was that she was a favored target of Joe McCarthy's feckless witch hunts. Now I know what scared the Wisconsin senator: Rosenberg was a woman who rose to postings that were supposed to be the preserve of men, and she was a patriot who helped us win World War II and protect the home front. Heroine, indeed. -Larry Tye, author of Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy In Christopher Gorham's engrossing new biography of Anna Rosenberg, The Confidante, we witness through a unique lens pivotal moments when democracy was in crisis in the United States and around the world and when a group of dedicated women and men strove to make tomorrow better. Gorham masterfully details the ways in which Rosenberg assumed key roles in shaping the New Deal as well as the postwar world. Gorham's biography is a must read for anyone interested in the FDR years and anyone concerned about current crises. The Confidante deserves a wide audience. -Andrew Kersten, author of Labor's Home Front