The Yankee Sphinx - by Mark Frost (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"A COMPASSIONATE story about one of the most consequential Americans of the 20th century." --Kirkus (STARRED review)

An extraordinary work of historical fiction by the co-creator of TWIN PEAKS--a novel about one of FDR's closest wartime advisers and the president's final days, INSPIRED BY THE AUTHOR'S OWN FAMILY

In 1934, Will Hassett is working as a journalist when he gets a call from an old friend who now works at the White House. He arrives expecting to catch up on old times but is instead brought right into the Oval Office to meet with Franklin D. Roosevelt. FDR needs help on his speeches; Will takes the job on the spot. For the next twelve years, Will is at FDR's side through the worst of the Depression, three reelection campaigns, and World War II.

The Yankee Sphinx, inspired by Will Hassett's real diaries, focuses on the last few years of FDR's life. The war is raging in Europe and FDR's good friend, Winston Churchill, begs for America's help. But Roosevelt knows he can't bring the country in until it's ready, an opportunity that won't arise until the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor in 1941.

From Will's empathetic perspective, we witness FDR managing the Allied military campaign abroad and parrying shots from isolationist politicians at home--all while reckoning with his rapidly deteriorating health. Will and Anna, Roosevelt's daughter, plot an intervention to get him a doctor more up to speed on a new discipline called "cardiology" so the president can maintain his strength and end the war.

Elegantly written, bursting with personality, and perfectly capturing life in wartime Washington, The Yankee Sphinx is a marvelous work by one of our most versatile writers.

Review Quotes

"The Yankee Sphinx is compelling, giving the reader an equal dose of history and drama. Frost's writing makes chapters about FDR's declining health and affair as tense as those about the attack on Pearl Harbor and D-Day.Though the Yankee Sphinx himself was not created in Frost's warped (complimentary) mind, like so many Twin Peaks characters, FDR makes for a strong though deeply flawed protagonist. And Frost's great-uncle, Hassett, is an exceptional narrator who reveals as much about himself to the reader as he does about the figures around him."
--Katie Campbell, KUOW

"Gripping...The Yankee Sphinx is an easy, enjoyable read that fans of WWII history and historical fiction should relish."
--Historical Novels Review

"What The Yankee Sphinx emphasizes is the hard work, long-term planning, short-term responsiveness and ultimate decency of the FDR White House. The causes that were fought for are under attack again. Being reminded of a time when dire consequences for failure were evident, and how people rose up to meet those challenges, is an inspiring read now. They did it. We can."
--Daily Kos

"Fascinating...Complex...This is closer to nonfiction wrapped in skilled storytelling...Readers won't be able to distinguish the diarist's remembrance from the author's fiction, save the dialogue. A compassionate story about one of the most consequential Americans of the 20th century."
--Kirkus (starred review)

"As a novelist, Frost's strengths have always been in his ability to bring historical characters vividly to life, and to create a setting so tactile that the reader feels as though they have visited an actual place and time. He excels himself here. A remarkable novel."
--Booklist

"A captivating, sweeping portrait of an American era! Mark Frost's Yankee Sphinx immediately draws you in with a compelling voice, like hearing from an old friend. This is a hell of a thing he's done--a masterful work of historical fiction, beginning with the end of the Roosevelt age, then transporting you to the tumultuous years of the Great Depression. You'll find yourself instantly immersed in a powerful narrative about a life entwined with the most critical moments of the 20th century. Prepare to stay up all night reading."
--Stuart Stevens, acclaimed author and Lincoln-Project co-founder

About the Author