Those Angry Days

Lynne Olson's "Those Angry Days" meticulously chronicles the tumultuous period in American history between 1939 and 1941, as the nation grappled with the decision of entering World War II. At the heart of this bitter and often violent debate were two iconic figures: President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a staunch advocate for intervention and aiding Britain against Nazi Germany, and aviator Charles Lindbergh, the unofficial leader and eloquent spokesman for America's powerful isolationist movement. Olson masterfully uses their dramatic personal and political clash to illuminate the profound divisions within the country. The book vividly re-creates the rancorous squabbles, political chicanery, and intrigue, including FBI wiretaps and covert British operations, as Roosevelt struggled to rally public support while Lindbergh faced accusations of Nazi sympathies. "Those Angry Days" is a gripping narrative that brings to life a fraught era when the future of democracy and America's role on the global stage hung precariously in the balance, culminating in the events leading up to Pearl Harbor.