THE CONFIDANTE

An enthusiastic life of “the first person, man or woman, to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

An adviser to presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Lyndon Johnson, Anna Rosenberg (1899-1983) was a prominent national figure whose present obscurity is perplexing. Gorham, a lawyer and American history teacher, doesn’t fully explain why she is often forgotten, but he delivers a vivid account of her eventful life. The daughter of Jewish immigrants, Rosenberg thrived in cutthroat Tammany Hall and, as a sideline, established one of America’s first public relations agencies, quickly acquiring the reputation as a problem solver. Still in her 20s, she caught the attention of Roosevelt, who was beginning his rise in New York politics. FDR loved workaholic loyalists who were also entertaining companions during his off hours. Even history buffs may be surprised as Gorham recounts the next 20 years, during which Rosenberg, a member of FDR’s inner circle, became a leading “fixer,” exerting more influence than Cabinet members (whom FDR tended to ignore). Her name appeared regularly in newspaper articles, editorials, and national magazine profiles. According to one journalist, “Mrs. Rosenberg was regarded in Washington as possibly the closest person to President Roosevelt with the exception of Harry Hopkins.” Other than John F. Kennedy, Roosevelt’s predecessors respected her talents, and Gen. George Marshall asked her personally to become assistant secretary of defense, his chief aide. Rosenberg’s sense of justice took precedence over political expediency, and Gorham chronicles her leading role in the creation of the GI Bill and desegregation of wartime industries, the armed forces, and schools. An unabashed liberal with no national constituency, she became a lightning rod for extremists during the McCarthy era. Readers may prefer to skim long sections devoted to attacks by right-wing columnists and congressmen during the 1950s, but they may be pleasantly surprised to learn that today’s extremists are hardly unique in their often baseless attacks.

A well-deserved first biography.