Summary of Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons by Charlotte Gray
Terry led the Pageturners in an excellent discussion of her recommended book, “Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons” by Charlotte Gray at the March 13th meeting of the Book Club. Everyone present thoroughly enjoyed the book and Terry’s presentation.
This book offers a dual biography of Sara Delano Roosevelt and Jennie Jerome Churchill, the mothers of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, respectively. It shifts the historical lens to emphasize the significant roles that these women played in shaping their famous sons.
It argues that Sara and Jennie were not merely background figures, but influential individuals who actively contributed to their sons’ paths to power. It details how Sara Delano’s unwavering support and guidance were crucial to Franklin’s political success. Similarly, it portrays Jennie Jerome’s social and political acumen as a significant factor in Winston’s rise.
Born in the same year (1854), Sara and Jennie navigated the constraints of 19th-century upper-class womanhood while striving to exert their influence. The book situates their stories within the backdrop of the Gilded Age in America and the height of the British Empire. It gives insight into the social norms and constraints that these woman lived within, and how they worked within, and sometimes against those norms. The book explores the contrasting personalities and life choices of these two women.
In essence, “Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons” provides a fresh perspective on well-known historical figures by highlighting the often-overlooked contributions of their mothers.
To learn more about this book, watch the following YouTube video where Charlotte Gray reads from her book and then is interviewed by Judith Pereira from the Globe and Mail. To see this video:
Probus Club of Kingsway-Islington 