India and the Awakening East.
Roosevelt, Eleanor. India and the Awakening East. New York: Harper and Brothers, (1953).
8vo.; brown cloth, black cloth spine; heavily worn dust-jacket.
First edition. A presentation copy, inscribed to her daughter: Anna darling with my love Eleanor Roosevelt Mother. In the seventeen years she lived after the death of FDR, Eleanor served as Chairman of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, earning high accolades for her high profile world touring. While travelling in India, forming the impressions that would eventually make up this book, Roosevelt wrote to Anna: “We’ve seen a good bit of village life & the level in the village & city slums is far below anything we know. The spirit, religious life & dignity of these people is also something astounding however...” (Letter, March 6, 1952).
The writing of the book was no easier and no less rewarding. Eleanor wrote to Joseph Lash about the publication of India and the Awakening East: “Harper’s still feels I’ve written too much of a travelogue & their suggestions will come thro’ in a few weeks so I hope to be thro’ with that before Sept. is out. It won’t be out until Jan.” (Letter, August 9 1952). Then, shortly after writing to Lash, Eleanor wrote to Anna: “I am on the delegation to the G.A. [United Nations General Assembly] & trying to do a little for [Adlai] Stevenson around here & so busy I hardly have time to breathe. The finishing touches on the book seem impossible to do!” (Letter, undated, probably late August 1952).
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