Even in his own time, Franklin had the reputation of being a "cad," which is the description then accorded a guy who was a rat with women. As more and more years go by, and more and more material is made public, I expect more and more details of his caddishness to emerge. Things like that just do. Eleanor, whose reputation was that of a good person or an interfering do-gooder (depending on how you voted and how you lived), had "special friendships," which were gossiped about, but it seems that even her detractors didn't seriously object to her having "special friends." And good for her!
Everything sped up as we careened past the end of one century and started rocketing towards the middle of the age of unbounded media, so I fully expect to live to see a spate of books and articles in which young women with minor careers and smug smiles trumpet their sexual triumphs with any number of more recent politicians, heads of foundations and other public figures. I'm sad for their children and grandchildren. I read an interview with a woman who worked in the JFK White House in which she seemed to think that what she was doing was serving her country. Who would have expected some of these people to brag about their exploits and get them published?
Anyway, I have now watched all seven episodes, and have decided that History Lite has its place after all. It's a good way to introduce the History Began With Moi generation to the concept of The Past.
On a more cheerful note: Sagamore Hill is a great place - to go inside you need a reservation, and these can be difficult to arrange, especially during school field trip season. I went there on a school field trip, and again on a family trip, and I recommend it.
If you come to New York City and can't arrange to get out on Long Island to Sagamore Hill, the famous double Roosevelt House at 47-49 East 65th Street that Sara built for Franklin and Eleanor and her Own Royal Self is right around the corner from the J.Crew Collection Store on Madison Avenue at the corner of East 66th Street. The house still stands, although the inside has seen much modification.
I'm serious - when we travel, Himself makes a list of restaurant destinations and I make lists of the historic and cultural destinations on the way to or from, or in the same towns as, the restaurants. I see no reason why this approach should not be useful for shopping. Or, conversely, for choosing which historic sites to visit.
