[inaudible conversations] and. Good evening can you hear me in the back . No . We will fix that. Thank you for your participation good evening thanks for joining us today. I am one of the booksellers and stats that the store and i am very happy to have you all here tonight with our talk. We have the busy schedule defense year round we depend on your enthusiasm and presence to keep these going if you bite to know more about them feel free to take the Events Calendar real also find susans book enjoy in the weekly email list ehrlichs up on east that comeback casebook look us up on face book. Tonight we welcome offseason and her new book eleanor and head. She was raised and educated in ohio a fellow midwesterners here. [applause] she meant road for a periodical mitt magazine in New York Times magazine and boston magazine. Reporting on the dangerous cargo that was award winning. Writing books about marie curie as those in special Theater Project which is about the process t11 tells the story of a reporter kent first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. With get into a relationship impossible romance make them a weird icon in history for decades. So guided by a buffet called relentlessly captivating. They did like giving out complement so this was dragged from them for what they could not put down. Were so lucky tonight please join me to welcome one susan quinn. [applause] i am pleased to be speaking here it is such an important place in my life i feel a lot of sorts i just will again and look at the staff recommendations and the new books get recharged up. When that out late of last the chain bookstore down the street. [applause] if felt like a personal triumph for . So ill tell you went into the riding of eleanor and hick but this had more than most 2008 i published a book about the federal Theater Project with the roosevelt administration. And thought i would like to continue. And then Harry Hopkins probably the most important person in the new deal. Just enormously important figure. And to write a lengthy link the proposal i spend one and year on it nicely packaged and photographed and wellwritten laugh laugh both agents thought it was a sure thing. I need to take a moment to introduce you to two important characters in the story. One of them is my agent, agent, joe. But much more than agent, ed jill is a friend a friend and a critic and support so with this very important to me in this process. We thought it was a sure thing than the other person is my husband. [laughter] he is right there probably the reason you are all here he really pushed me to send out save the date was. [laughter] he is my biggest cheerleader and critic. Ross also a whole lot of friends that are listed in the back of the book many of them have heard parts of the story. March 2011 the proposal goes out we could not sell its they were very flattering rejections and they were right. To big, too unfocused it is like when they talk about tennis players pushing it over the net debt wasnt actually engaged. One so i got very depressed for quite a while i thought my writing life was over i would never find another subject im not sure how it would come together but there was a story connected to hopkins that was more compact and compelling it had to do with the woman named Lorena Hickok who had a relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt there was even a book in 1980 about this. In the changing over 3,000 letters most teenage he gave to the library in hyde park when she died 1968. And Lorena Hickok had the nickname hick to everybody and said they could be opened 10 years after death. But doris first saw the letters and she was horrified. She tried to get them locked up again but then decided to write about the relationship. So when the book came out when she lamented turning those letters over was the crime to turning over poems to medieval christian theologians. [laughter] it was the opportunity to revisit to change time. And what you can connect to. And all lead books with one exception has been about strong in remarkable women with the psychoanalysts the tissue with for 08 and sexuality. And even a theater book look is on the strong woman. There was another reason even though it was floating around times had changed this was a story that could be embraced. They loved and empower each other. It helps that i have a daughter and nine who is clear i say gay she says clear. She actually prefers so because of her have a more tender subject of love between women. I knew it from the moment it came to me i realized it. So i set out to write another proposal 50 pages which took off several months after these ambitious proposals will they help you to solidify your ideas and they help you to sell up book. April 2012 it went out to 20 publishers the response was not all positive the editor large said it feels like a slice of the eleanor market but not sure how big not sure we can give significant attention to the lovely reusable modoc receive. [laughter] killing me with kindness. My heart would not be in this. And amazing thing to read this for a puzzle to know without any doubt, each more exceptional the book will be. July 2012 i was in contact with Penguin Press to and a half years later when the book was done after the bidding war. I was pleased so i had a date on december 8, 2014 i looked at my calendar is said lunch at eastern standard. So a triumphant lunch. So that did not turn out the way i expected. I thought was done but i wasnt she thought it was stephan will everytime i see quotation marks a feel you are pushing me away. I was calling her e. R. Like fdr is to inhibited it is not like the proposal not nearly as good as the proposal than that really hurt. [laughter] so i was devastated and it happened to be a snowstorm that day so i walked home in the snow it was coming down and the tears were coming down at the same time i felt annoyed and angry and all those things. By the time i got home was beginning to see what she meant. Er particularly i realized why was i using that . Because it had to much reverence for her i was talking about hick on one hand and er on the other with the relationship with two people if she was er she had to be eleanor. Even hick did not call her eleanor. Pdf everybody called her mrs. R even her husband called her babs. That had to be my story. She had to be eleanor. When i figure that out so there were months of free riding i was determined to finish it before we went on vacation spring of 2014 but was not finished and my husband was still suggesting ways to make it better. That was also knowing what negative and knowing. [laughter] and meanwhile thisll is happens to me and other writers it is called being orphaned and it is not a good. If it means the book is turned over to a young editor who is usually described as brilliant but usually is not. [laughter] so i became convinced the book was in trouble and was not going to get published at also limited desperate call to agent and then midnight spanish time. And that was in tears. What is happening with the book and she was taken aback. She had no idea. There is a reason to be concerned. September 2016 take advantage of the Hillary Clinton run for president. She gave me complete confidence in turn nomination. And a new young editor cunningham takeover. And appeared to night. You did well. [applause] she actually was brilliant. She brought quite a bit more rewrites but she was right to mushy suggested sometimes we needed to explain more clearly or to address the uncomfortable truth about one of my two heroines facing up to things. She did the best job anybody has ever done on a book of mine. That is my happy ending. So now i will read a short passage from the book i have to give a little bit of background. Briefly in 1932 Lorena Hickok was and, to cover all roosevelt for the first run of the presidency and she did after words. But then the relationship began to shift trusting her more and more and then she started to fall in love with eleanor and eleanor with her. By the time fdr was inaugurated hick knew so much in a cell in love with eleanor she could not continue as the ap reporter she was one of the few women at the top of the latter in that ap because it was a male dominated world the she went to the top and succeeded. She was under pressure from her boss about the roosevelt secrets and the roosevelts had a lot of secrets. More and more she felt loyal and could not do with the 94 the inauguration she was with eleanor and fdr was in the next room with his son polishing up the speech and she says the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Fastening passing into eleanor who read it to hick she realized at that moment she could drop a nickel and tough phone to give the story of her life she did not do with. Had him instead she slept with eleanor in the hotel room that night seven became increasingly clear she could not do the job anymore but she went to work pending went out on the road and also long letters to eleanor. Wonder about the the details and then the hick report. 1933 they went off on a vacation together in the summer and eleanors buick in managed not to be noticed very much a was a lovely time. They wanted to do the same the summer 1934 in california planning to meet out there to go on a private to work together. That is all you need to know except she did not know how to drive that first but she learned she was dekalb car bluette it was totaled in a very serious accident but hick was not injured. Now she had a cheaper plan if which figures in the story. Chapter nine. Getting away with that. Hickey one negative hick and eleanor exchanging letters for months over their trip the quiet in seclusion and beautiful places. But when hick walked into the lobby where they were to meet she encountered a swarm of reporters and photographers clamoring for story about eleanor. Thanks in part to hick eleanor was now the darling of the press celebrated for her energy and the ability to turn up here or there or everywhere. Because hick had a plan. Molestation would pick up that the sacramento airport explaining the first lady needed to freshen up before any interviews. En that sanders to the situation. And be announced to reporters hick had arranged for a state trooper to dry purred newly acquired convertible to the we are entrance to wait for the two of them to emerge. They took different elevator up then another elevator down. And then they jumped into startups with the trooper at the wheel. The secret service that eleanor usually treated as the enemy holdout by changing the hick license plates for the california once but it was no use. They did not even get out of the city before they realized they were followed. Another one swung around and hick was worried and bluette had not even then broken in and did they were going at higher speeds. Eleanor finally called a halt to the chase. What stop thinking the trooper to send him on his way. We will have to find another way out of this business quebec. The reporters have one main question eleanor would refuse to answer this is my vacation of would be treated as any in their tourist. She proper lifting from the back seat and said she would sit there all day before should tell the marshy was going. They all agreed to retreat to a restaurant mrs. Franklin roosevelt was trying to lose herself and get away from being the president s life. And then she lived very happily they remained friends but Something Like a marriage or Partnership Might 10 possible but hick relationship with eleanor could never be that. Even when eleanor dared to leave fdr to live openly with the woman she could not diver herself to just one other person should always be tied natalie to her husband but to the bonds of duty and friendship with many others. This was the realization and then fall into love with her. It made their time alone especially precious. And doing a lot of resting and feeding the also mentioned in passing on negative in passing to take a camping trip in the mountains now hick discovered there was an elaborate plan to explore yosemite on horseback to a camp in the high sierras above sea level. How could you do this to me hick protested . You will manager replied casually. Hick had no experience writing of course, or was not in shape for a trip she gained weight and she smoked too much. Lady i get hungry. She worried about hick smoking and eating and she even decided to cut down on cigarettes and wanted to lose weight because of diabetes. And once threw her into the water content to advocate and going for hardship to bitter toil. No doubt that would do hick good. As long as they could be together hick was content. She was only embarrass and amused. So when the two of them come upon the chipmunk then noticed to point their cameras at the we are end. Hick exploded and shouted profanities. The two women left in a hurry with eleanor trying to quiet her. The same pattern over the vacation. Said even like the cable car ride. But the peace was followed by the shock of their return to hotel lobby with flashing cameras and reporters. Over and over the private moments were interrupted. And with the Hotel Restaurant and then oregon with a spectacular view of the snowcapped mountains. Emerging another crowded lobby pact with curious townspeople eleanor silently handed hick the keys she knew by now should behave badly a underserved and circumstances. And then to deal with the crowd she arrived at half hour later skimming the door behind her. Franklin was right he said would never get away with it and can for now on i will travel as a president s wife and try to do what is expected of me. When they got back to portland or eleanor was scheduled to meet the ship of fdr the sitting room was filled with flowers were filled with the first ladys admirers. More than they had ever seen in one place. In represented the future of what they had hoped for was impossible. And looking at that extravagant display and then dictated berkeleys daily gazette and then to catch that gangster if i had the charge of the denver case i would call off the police to send reporters after him laugh laugh laugh. [applause] i especially love that because she rarely made a joke. [laughter] so no discussions . Did eleanor have a previous history of samesex relationships greg. Note issue was surrounded by a lesbian couples that were closest friends and she did develop that Little Cottage industry but in a lot of relationships of whom love women it is so interesting that so many that are involved in Democratic Politics are activists. And then to be all around her. And then sent to a school in the woman who ran that was lesbian and had a partner and there was that atmosphere there so there are things around. In some ways she had to marry with underclass and that was narrow for her this was freeing for her. I have one question i have not read your book so i cannot comment but if you think of their relationship to be similar to my fair lady, ironically Eleanor Roosevelt was the one that was developing hick but she influenced her to know that hick was Henry Higgins and eleanor was more wealthy was too little. That is a very interesting analogy. With that comparison to my fair lady of Henry Higgins and the protegee. As she helped eleanor at a very difficult time as eleanor did not want to be first lady and hick knew about the press with deal women press conferences from their letters and exchanges and then to realize before too long it could be a column that was my day and i introduced her to the white better world wider world the first lady of the world. So definitely hick was not a very good writer should never became a great writer of eleanor have to say. Bad joke i discover that online. I probably cannot come up with a specific one now been accounted how many times they traveled to the fbi library in hyde park it was 22 times each i may say about one week so i read all of the 3,000 letters. That is a totality of understanding of the relationship from doing that. And then to throw them into a the fire. And swayed to explicit. And then to have posthumous stay from revealing the letters that hick understood they were a treasure so what was the relationship between fdr and eleanor . Very complicated. As you know, she discovered he had an affair with secretary in 1918 that was lucy. After that the relationship was a partnership because the romance was gone. And she set about creating a separate life that was so hard for her to be a mom negative to leave new york to become first lady. Fdr had a number of flirtatious sexual relationships with women he like to have women around him who would adore him or laugh at his jokes and shared his cocktail hour or the childrens hour. Fishy was not that person. And that was interesting new book. As excepting hick and oliver relationships because they got him off the hook. And he liked some of her gay friends a lot. And then to call it to their love nest. You just have to make some leaps. And then to talk about this not publicly. In the United States . Did people no . Senate beloved eleanor and they loved hick as press conferences were her idea so with men got jobs. Said is protected hick sometimes she was described as a news hawk or to manage and that is as far as it goes. And the roosevelt had children obviously eleanor was a mother. How did the relationship to the relationship with hick how did they relate . Eleanor was a mother with five children how and then the main confidante may wear pretty much a heartache from when she was closest but among the five children there were 17 divorces. And this started to happen in the white house. One of the first secrets that hick knew that and of one t6 was having an affair on the side with a journalist. Her sun had just married with a newborn and laugh within six months. The mother and baby stayed at the white house berger everybody stayed at the white house including hick had their room theyre almost the entire 14 years of the roosevelt presidency. Could you Say Something about franklins mother . [laughter] if you Say Something about franklins mother, to spend her life in triangles. To the family of origin. She adored his father but he was absent after the mother died to say i was not sure if i was the mother or he was the father or the brother. And to be confused about that. But also the first allegiance to say i real mother she would set limits that whenever she did sarah would undermine them one way or another. Eleanor had a lot of rage toward her mother that came out a lot in the letters to hick. Hick was a safe person she could talk about these things. Cou