Hissing Cousins
The Untold Story of Eleanor Roosevelt and Alice Roosevelt Longworth
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Narrated by:
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Suzanne Toren
About this listen
A lively and provocative double biography of first cousins Eleanor Roosevelt and Alice Roosevelt Longworth, two extraordinary women whose tangled lives provide a sweeping look at the 20th century.
When Theodore Roosevelt became president in 1901, his beautiful and flamboyant daughter was transformed into "Princess Alice", arguably the century's first global celebrity. Thirty-two years later, her first cousin Eleanor moved into the White House as First Lady. Born eight months and 20 blocks apart from each other in New York City, Eleanor and Alice spent a large part of their childhoods together and were far more alike than most historians acknowledge.
But their politics and temperaments couldn't have been more distinct. Do-gooder Eleanor was committed to social justice but hated the limelight; acid-tongued Alice, who became the wife of philandering Republican congressman Nicholas Longworth, was an opponent of big government who gained notoriety for her cutting remarks (she famously quipped that dour President Coolidge "looked like he was weaned on a pickle"). While Eleanor revolutionized the role of First Lady with her outspoken passion for human rights, Alice made the most of her insider connections to influence politics, including doing as much to defeat the League of Nations as anyone in elective office.
The cousins themselves liked to play up their oil-and-water relationship. "When I think of Frank and Eleanor in the White House I could grind my teeth to powder and blow them out my nose," Alice once said. In the 1930s they even wrote opposing syndicated newspaper columns and embarked on competing nationwide speaking tours. Blood may be thicker than water, but when the family business is politics, winning trumps everything.
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When Lions Roar begins in the mid-1930s at Chartwell, Winston Churchill's country estate, with new revelations surrounding a secret business deal orchestrated by Joseph P. Kennedy, the father of future American president John F. Kennedy. From London to America, these two powerful families shared an ever-widening circle of friends, lovers, and political associates - soon shattered by World War II, spying, sexual infidelity, and the tragic deaths of JFK's sister Kathleen and his older brother Joe Jr.
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Study of influence of Winston Churchill on JFK
- By Pierke Bosschieter on 08-10-16
By: Thomas Maier
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Grace and Power
- The Private World of the Kennedy White House
- By: Sally Bedell Smith
- Narrated by: Lee Adams
- Length: 20 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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In Grace and Power, New York Times best-selling author Sally Bedell Smith takes us inside the Kennedy White House with unparalleled access and insight. Having interviewed scores of Kennedy intimates, including many who have never spoken before, and drawing on letters and personal papers made available for the first time, Smith paints a richly detailed picture of the personal relationships behind the high purpose and poiltical drama of the 20th century's most storied presidency.
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More detail than I wanted
- By R. Jones on 12-24-05
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Jackie, Ethel, Joan
- Women of Camelot
- By: J. Randy Taraborrelli
- Narrated by: Beth Fowler
- Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins
- Abridged
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What does it mean to be a Kennedy? If ever three women would be challenged and changed by marriage into a family, it would be Jacqueline Bouvier, Ethel Skakel, and Joan Bennett. None of these radiant brides could have ever been prepared for the fame, the family, and tragedies that would spring from their lives. As they struggled to cope with their husbands' infidelities, the harsh glare of the media, and the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy, these women would learn what it meant to be sisters, reaching out to one another with comfort and consolation.
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my first Kennedy book
- By colleen on 06-15-12
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The Sisters
- The Saga of the Mitford Family
- By: Mary S. Lovell
- Narrated by: Annie Wauters
- Length: 18 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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This is the story of a close, loving family splintered by the violent ideologies of Europe between the wars. Jessica was a Communist; Debo became the Duchess of Devonshire; Nancy was one of the best-selling novelists of her day; the ethereally beautiful Diana was the most hated woman in England; and Unity Valkyrie, born in Swastika, Alaska, would become obsessed with Adolf Hitler.
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Great story, terrible reader
- By Victoria on 02-27-14
By: Mary S. Lovell
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A Secret Life
- The Lies and Scandals of President Grover Cleveland
- By: Charles Lachman
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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The child was born on September 14, 1874, at the only hospital in Buffalo, New York, that offered maternity services for unwed mothers. It was a boy, and though he entered the world in a state of illegitimacy, a distinguished name was given to this newborn: Oscar Folsom Cleveland. The son of the future president of the United States - Grover Cleveland. The story of how the man who held the nation’s highest office eventually came to take responsibility for his son is a thrilling one that unfolds like a sordid romance novel....
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Are the charges true?
- By Jean on 02-16-13
By: Charles Lachman
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Secret Lives of the First Ladies
- What Your Teachers Never Told you About the Women of The White House
- By: Cormac O'Brien
- Narrated by: Teresa DeBerry
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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With chapters on every woman who’s ever made it to the White House, Secret Lives of the First Ladies tackles all of the tough questions that other history books are afraid to ask: How many of these women owned slaves? Which ones were cheating on their husbands? And why was Eleanor Roosevelt serving hot dogs to the King and Queen of England? American history was never this much fun in school
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Trivia delight
- By Jean on 01-11-15
By: Cormac O'Brien
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First Women
- The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies
- By: Kate Andersen Brower
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 12 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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In one of the most underestimated - and challenging - positions in the world, the first lady of the United States must be many things: an inspiring leader with a forward-thinking agenda of her own; a savvy politician, skilled at navigating the treacherous rapids of Washington; a wife and mother operating under constant scrutiny; and an able CEO responsible for the smooth operation of countless services and special events at the White House.
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Who is missing?
- By Southern belle on 05-07-16
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The Royals
- By: Kitty Kelley
- Narrated by: Jennifer Van Dyck
- Length: 20 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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They are the most chronicled family on the face of the globe. Their every move attracts headlines. Scores of books have tried and failed to penetrate the royal facade. Now Kitty Kelley has gone behind palace walls to provide the first three-dimensional, comprehensive, and evenhanded portrait of the men and women who make up the British Royal family.
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A titillating and delightful insight....
- By SIGHLE on 02-12-16
By: Kitty Kelley
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Those Wild Wyndhams
- Three Sisters at the Heart of Power
- By: Claudia Renton
- Narrated by: Claudia Renton
- Length: 15 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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They were confidantes to British prime ministers, poets, writers, and artists, their lives entwined with the most celebrated and scandalous figures of the day, from Oscar Wilde to Henry James. They were the lovers of great men - or men of great prominence... They lived in a world of luxurious excess, a world of splendor at 44 Belgrave Square and later at the even more vast Clouds, the exquisite Wiltshire house on 4,000 acres, the "house of the age", designed in 1876 by the visionary architect Philip Webb - the model for Henry James' The Spoils of Poynton.
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SLOW START BUT STICK WITH THIS ONE
- By The Louligan on 01-22-19
By: Claudia Renton
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Clementine
- The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill
- By: Sonia Purnell
- Narrated by: Susan Lyons
- Length: 17 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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By Winston Churchill's own admission, victory in the Second World War would have been "impossible without her". Until now, however, the only existing biography of Churchill's wife, Clementine, was written by her daughter. Sonia Purnell finally gives Clementine her due with a deeply researched account that tells her life story, revealing how she was instrumental in softening FDR's initial dislike of her husband and paving the way for Britain's close relationship with America.
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Exasperating At Times But Very Good--
- By Gillian on 04-09-18
By: Sonia Purnell
What listeners say about Hissing Cousins
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- USM mom and fan
- 06-26-24
Fascinating
I couldn’t put this book down. I’d read on my own, Re-listen to it again with the narrator. The history is amazing. These ladies are truly fascinating.
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- Carol and David
- 11-24-20
Hissing indeed!
There were a few tender moments between Alice and Eleanor...few and far between! This was a wonderful way to brush up on American history.
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- Kay
- 08-17-15
Interesting
I enjoy biographies and this was another well written one. The authors did a good job of organizing the abundant information about two very interesting women. Both Eleanor and Alice had their good traits and bad. I will say I still admire Eleanor much more than Alice. Despite Alice's intelligence and opportunities she still seemed to live her life as a "spoiled brat".
Suzanne Toren does a mediocre job as narrator. I don't really care for her interpretations (I have listened to several books read by her) but not enough to NOT listen to this book. I think I would have enjoyed it a bit more if it had been read by a different person.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Patricia
- 08-06-18
So Much I Didn’t Know
I was amazed at how much I learned listening to this book. It was fascinating hearing all of the behind the scenes machinations that took place. I particularly enjoyed the excerpts from letters so that you heard events in each woman’s “voice”.
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- Kelly
- 01-07-16
Eleanor vs. Alice. An exploration of the family.
A few months ago I watched the documentary "The Roosevelts" and once again was awed by all that Teddy and Franklin did for our country. I also remembered why I have always admired Eleanor. I didn't know anything about Alice and was surprised by the things that I learned about the "feud" she had with Eleanor. It seemed so trivial and silly. So, I picked up this book. It too, reminded me of my love of Eleanor. And although at times I feel the portrayal of Alice may be a bit biased (against her and for Eleanor), I did not change my mind about whose side I would take. Alice still seems to me to be silly, spoiled and judgmental. But the fact that she had so many friends allows me to realize that there must be more depth to her than this book illustrates.
I will continue to love Eleanor. And maybe one day I will grow to like Alice. For now, at least, I feel as though my mind is open to the possibility that she is a better person than she was in my preconceptions. Maybe even a better person than she seems to be in this book.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Janis Spath
- 06-25-15
Engrossing; couldn't put it down
Although I have read other biographies of the Roosevelts, I had not heard many of these stories.
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6 people found this helpful
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- italoromano
- 12-18-20
Thoroughly enjoyable!
I very much enjoyed listening to “ Hissing Cousins”. The narrator is terrific.
The book further confirmed to me that Eleanor Roosevelt was/and remain the country’s greatest First Lady , as well as the most influential woman of the 20th Century
It also confirmed for me that Alice Roosevelt was an odious human being.
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-07-23
Thoroughly loved this book
I can’t wait to learn more about these two women because of this book. Insight into how they dominated the inner workings of the White House and decades of the political scene in D.C. is fascinating.
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- Jean
- 06-28-15
A fascinating title
I have read a great deal about these two women. I have read more about Eleanor as she is one of my Heroes. The authors point out that as cousins both women were friendly but in their politics they were enemies. Alice was a republican and Eleanor a democrat. Alice was famous as the key Washington hostess and Eleanor first as the spokesperson for FDR and then as a humanitarian. Both women wrote a newspaper column, My Day and What Alice Thinks. Both women had philandering husbands; both offered a divorce; both men refused. Unusual for their era both women had more money, and influence than their husbands.
There is no new information in this book; other authors over the years have covered this information and more. What the authors did was present it in a unique way, in fact a most inventive delightful way. The writing is often oddly anachronistic and there are a surprising number of mistakes, for example, the authors confused FDR’S youngest son, John, with his oldest son James. The authors claim that they pronounced their names differently but they both said “Rose-vult.”
The book presents itself in a gossipy style; overall it is an easy interesting read about two great women of the 20th century. I wish the authors had stayed focus on the dual biography of the two women and stop wandering so much into the lives of TR and FDR. For people like me who are knowledgeable about these two women the book is an easy read to refresh the facts, but for someone that has no knowledge of the two it makes a great introduction into the lives of these two women. Suzanne Toren narrated the book.
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9 people found this helpful
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- Gotta Tellya
- 09-11-16
Family Feud!
What did you love best about Hissing Cousins?
I didn't know much about Alice, so I appreciated this chance to learn more. Now that I have these facts on hand, I find myself loving Eleanor even more than I used to. Compared to Alice, or just about anyone else, Eleanor was a saint.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Hissing Cousins?
Too many from which to choose.
Which scene was your favorite?
Same answer as above.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
The Roosevelt women, warts and all.
Any additional comments?
Well written and good narration.
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2 people found this helpful