Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 My mother, who was a queen in New York City society, was treated like a cherished but somewhat spoiled child. She was not expected to bring children into the world and seven children were born, but she was not expected to raise them. #2 My father, Elliott Roosevelt, was a charming, good-looking man who loved by all who came in contact with him. He had a physical weakness that he never quite understood. He adored my mother and she was devoted to him, but always in a more reserved and less spontaneous way. #3 My father, who was a lawyer, began to drink heavily. He and my mother went to Italy for the winter of 1890 to fight for his health and strength of character. I remember my father acting as a gondolier and taking me out on the Venice canals, singing with the other boatmen. #4 I was seven when we moved to New York. I slept in my mother's room, and every morning I had to repeat some verses to her. I was always afraid of my great-aunt, Mrs. Ludlow, who seemed much older and cleverer than me.