THE WOMAN BEHIND THE NEW DEAL - THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF FRANCES PERKINS, SOCIAL SECURITY, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE By KIRSTIN DOWNEY

One of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s closest friends and the first female secretary of labor, Perkins capitalized on the president’s political savvy and popularity to enact most of the Depression-era programs that are today considered essential parts of the country’s social safety network. Paperback; 496 pages.