The Confidante: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America Hardcover – February 21, 2023

This is the best book I’ve read in some time! True story about the most influential woman you’ve never heard of.Anna M. Rosenberg was a teenage Jewish Hungarian immigrant who rose to be The Assistant Secretary of Defense for the U.S. Her rise began as a 17 year old student who settled a labor dispute. This tiny, feminine woman with a “get ‘er done” attitude could go toe to toe with the most powerful Union bosses, Military men, Presidents including Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower among others.The history of the Labor movements, Military logistics, Creation of the draft, desegregation, women’s rights, WWII, the Korean War, presidential politics and more. Anna had her fingers in all of it. Of course McCarthy came gunning for her, but was shot down in a very amusing way.It’s an elegant, concise spin through history and one woman’s extraordinary influence.

And there are a million details that make Anna Rosenberg come alive! As a depression era kid I lived through these times and was aware of many of the programs and initiatives Anna promoted although I was unaware of her as a person and power in government. Roosevelt was the only President I experienced until his death. I was a teenager at the time and felt devasted along with the nation. For most of his working life my father was an auditor for the IRS. During Truman’s administration he traveled to businesses suspected of gouging the government during the war to audit their books to collect the Excess Profits Tax if one was due. At times he was asked, under oath, in court to explain what he has found. I believe in some instances he was offered dollars to change his audit, and at others was threatened. I recommend this book for the unbelievable work that went into it but also for the graceful language and writing skill that make it read like a true “page turner.”

Anna Rosenberg made the most of her opportunities. Hard work and charm meant she was trusted by politicians and adored by FDR. She knew her skills and carved out a niche as a practitioner of labor relations. The book is well a documented. It has well I structured chapters. The prose tends to get a bit boring and repetitive. There are keen insights and observations about WWIi and the Korean War which gave color and interest to the subject.It's a great book for understanding how labor relocated to support war efforts. I recommend this book to anyone interested in history or biography. If you find it boring at the start, keep with it. There's something for each person to learn.

I am so glad I found this book and now know the story of this amazing American Heroine. It really makes me mad that I had never heard of Anna M. Rosenberg before finding this book and it makes me wonder about all of the other incredible women who go unrecognized and uncelebrated in this world. The author did such a great job meticulously and sensitively telling Anna's story. Must reading for everyone who cares about true history; especially important in these awful times of erasing the contributions of anyone who's not a white man.

This book was a great read and one that I highly recommend to others. Her story is fascinating and should be known by others.

Item delivered on time and in good condition.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, Christopher C. Gorham. This is a story everyone, especially women and girls should read. I am in my seventies and have asked people from their eighties to their twenties whether they ever heard of Anna M. Rosenberg, No one had! How is this possible! You did a remarkable job bringing her story to life.This is a woman who was the first Person to receive the Medal of Freedom, the highest award given to a citizen. Anna was an immigrant who believed that she would do anything for her adopted country. She left high school to begin her life as an activist for social justice including labor, women’s and civil rights for all. She was a smart negotiator and both industry leaders and labor leaders trusted her to negotiate and mediate labor disputes. She became the confidante of many presidents, FDR the first. She counseled him on labor issues and was perceived as the de facto Secretary of Labor. FDR sent her into Europe where she embedded with Payton’s army to find out what the GI’s needed then and after to war. She was instrumental in crafting the GI bill. She also got labor and employees to work for the war effort. She became the Assistant Secretary of Defense, helped bring down Joseph McCarthy, and worked with clients including the Rockefellers and the Whitney’s.There is so much more that she has done. Again, why did we never learn about this crusader for human rights? Please read this book; buy it for your daughters and granddaughters. Spread the word. This is too important a person to be lost to history.

The fascinating story of Anna Rosenberg who advised US presidents from FDR to LBJ. She was the first woman to receive the Medal of Freedom.