Eleanor Roosevelt

Tireless worker, skillful negotiator, bold spokesperson for the rights of all mankind: more than a century after her birth, Eleanor Roosevelt remains one of the most admired women the world has ever known. Her development from timid and uncertain young woman to confident, courageous adult capable of dealing with both personal tragedy and public notoriety makes an inspiring story—especially for female readers. Stepping in to keep her husband's political career alive while he battled the after effects of polio, she ultimately transformed the role of First Lady from figurehead to activist, and set a new standard by which all her successors have been judged.