Gerber, Robin. Eleanor Vs. Ike. Avon A. 352 p. ISBN: 9780061373213. (ISBN10: 0061373214) On Sale; 1/8/2008
The Iowa caucus takes place tomorrow, and the nation is a buzz with politics. In eleven short months we Americans will vote for the next President of the United States. With candidates like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, it could be a very historic event.
From George Washington to George Bush, forty-three citizens have had the awesome privilege of serving in the highest political office of our nation. Although you may not know all forty-three presidents by name, one thing is certain. They’re all men. Why?
Washington insider, Robin Gerber, tackles that very issue in her new historical ‘what if’ Eleanor Vs. Ike. An expert on politics and women’s leadership, Gerber crafts an ingenious novel about the presidential campaign of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
Eleanor Vs. Ike envisions a world in which the Democratic party actually nominates a female candidate for the President of the United States—in 1952. The election quickly becomes an iconic clash between Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt and the World War II General Dwight David Eisenhower, informally known as Ike.
In her run for president, Eleanor must navigate the tough foreign and domestic issues of her time: the unpopular war in Korea, the homeland security issues of communism, the demand for better health care, and growing racial tension. Then of course, there is the other issue: gender. Like any presidential campaign, Gerber’s historical fiction is laced with the scandal and innuendo that feeds political maneuvering.
In Eleanor Vs. Ike, Robin Gerber weaves a plot-twisting imagination with historically grounded facts to create a page turning novel and an entertaining civics lesson. Her premise is plausible and her characters feel authentic. This book is more than just a good read; it’s a catalyst for needed conversations. Why hasn’t a woman been nominated for the presidential candidacy? When will the country be ready to elect a woman for Commander in Chief? Do short term goals always trump long term goals in politics? As women, what is our political responsibility?
Gerber’s clear voice and bold vision makes Eleanor Vs. Ike a novel every registered voter should read.
