Product Description

Customer Reviews (19)

Good Book
I knew a few things about Theodore Roosevelt, but this book really gave me a lot of insight into the man and his politics.Well written and a quick read for those who don't want to read a huge biography.

Better books exist
I found the book to be rather drab and dry, in my personal opinion.That's not to say that the book is unfactual or anything of the like, but the material presented is just rather straight forward and lacks much of a storytelling perspective.Also, as one reviewer noted, there are no citations or bibliography - at least in my book there wasn't.That's a pretty big no-no in the world of history.

Superficial (2.5 stars)
From the title, I mistakenly assumed this was a book focused mainly on Roosevelt's time in the Presidency.Instead it's a much more full biography, detailing out in the rosiest terms his public and personal life.And unfortunately, that's the main weakness of the book.

Aida Donald presents Theodore Roosevelt as the most honest politician (yes, I know that's an oxymoron) since Abraham Lincoln, and repeatedly refers to him as bearing the "mantle of Lincoln."He rooted out crime everywhere, from his days as police commissioner in New York to busting up railroad cartels while president.He was a brave leader in battle, a friend to people all colors, and a most loving husband and father.He built a stronger nation, preserved wilderness, and feared nothing (not even the beasts of the African plains, where he personally shot and killed nearly 300 animals: giraffes and zebras in addition to lions and rhinos).In fact, the man could do no wrong... which, of course, sounds like so much campaign flag-waving.Even when Donald admits to some controversy it's usually glossed over without recognizing any fault - the political maneuvering for the Panama Canal, his dismissal of an entire black battalion without a trial, etc.

I only know enough about Theodore Roosevelt to know that he wasn't *that* perfect.I imagine that he was a fine president and accomplished much that was admirable, but also that the reality isn't always so stellar.Still, even the events that we'd look upon today with a scornful eye must have been more palatable during his time, and that's the other story this book is missing: not only do we not get anything negative but nothing is put into the context of the time.Donald spends so much time explaining how Roosevelt took on big business that when she mentions the strong support they gave him for his second term election it seems to come out of nowhere.

Others have hit it right on the head when they say it sounds like it's written for high schoolers.It rings of an era when it wasn't acceptable to admit anything that might tarnish the image of a leader.My other complaint is that frequently the information is poorly organized.Some stories are repeated multiple times and often feel ill-placed in the narrative and could have been grouped for better effect.I recommend looking for a better biography.

What's the point?
The book reads like a seventh-grade text from the 1950s, complete with broad praise at the end of paragraphs, patronizingly simple prose, and summary treatment of complex happenings. I suppose its intended audience is the very mass public that TR tried to embody through his progressive policies, but he had a higher opinion of them than the author seems to have had when she wrote this book.

Donald adds nothing to the Roosevelt literature. Her book breaks no new research ground, gives us no new insight into the man's character or activities, and does not reinterpret any existing theories. Since none of those seem to have been intended by the author, I can't figure out the purpose of the book, except perhaps to give 12-year-olds something to read.

It is also not well written even for a younger audience. It has what seem like second references to things that haven't yet been introduced or explained, and makes generalizations about the man's character based on a single example. And for almost every example, there's a generalization.

Finally, the title is misleading since he doesn't enter the White House until almost half way into the book. In short, if you just want to know the bare minimum about TR, you're almost better off reading an encyclopedia.

How Did Roosevelt Die?
Man, writing a biography must be hard.I just finished an over-detailed biography on A.A. Milne, and now I find myself finishing this biography on Roosevelt that's a bit under-detailed.I shouldn't say it's under-detailed so much as I should say that it's under-detailed in the areas I would find more interesting.It reads like a history book or a school book report in many places, dropping in names without giving much of a character description, and doing the same with places and years and so on.In many areas the book just flat out tells you what happens without making an attempt to do anything other than report events.It seldom gives a real feeling of emotions.You may know a guy is mad or happy, but you don't know HOW mad or HOW happy.So it's useful for political history I'd imagine, but it's not the most enthralling biography.I would have preferred less historical trivia and more in-depth mental analysis.

The last chapter is clearly the best and most exciting, giving the reader a good idea of what Roosevelt's safari adventures were like.But even this chapter has a major flaw, and that's its description of Roosevelt's death.In the lives of most people, you probably want to know about their birth, their death, and their achievements more than anything else.But the events surrounding Roosevelt's death don't even take up half a page.I didn't even see a cause of death mentioned other than "an illness," which seems strange since Roosevelt wasn't very old, and he was known for having so much energy.I would think anyone reading about this man's life would be very interested in what could bring down such a strong lion of a fellow like him.And for someone like me who works in the mortuary business, I was really let down by the lack of an answer.

I really appreciate the author trying to keep this book short (because I had no intention of buying the bigger biographies) and I did get some use out of it, but I can't say I had a blast reading it.

... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Calling all hunters
This is a very entertaining book.I enjoyed every chapter.A great look back at hunting 130 years ago.Roosevelt is quite the story-teller.I highly recommend this work.

Teddy Roosevelt Believed in 'Big Foot'
T.R. Believed in 'Big Foot'
Note the accurate, old-fashioned spelling of the giant bears that once roamed all over North America. Teddy Roosevelt's prose actually kept my interest as did many of his fascinating tales of hunting out West. He did get repetitious in spots, still, his perspective of turn of the century plains and mountain hunting stories left me wanting to find out more. At some points his stories seem to stretch the good bounds of reason--like fishers hunting grizzly cubs?--maybe after they're first born but it seems unlikely after cubs reach a couple months of life. Great tales of buffalo herds with great details on different types of bison and how old timers distinguished them. Roosevelt seemed to live an action-packed life unlike current politicians. He also had great advice that would do us well in our war against terrorism.

A the end of TR's stories, the very last tale, describes what can only be called an encounter with Big Foot by two mountain trappers--one who dies at Big Foot's hands. It describes perfectly (except for the ending death) an incident that me, my brother, and my brother-in-law experienced when we camped out at Lake Creek in preparation for climbing La Plata peak. The spooky nocturnal enounters with the mysterious beast duplicated what we experienced at camp.Some say Big Foot still roams the back woods of Colorado so its nice to know that a former president gave credence to the legend.
... Read more

Product Description
Theodore Roosevelt's Naval Diplomacy examines President Roosevelt's use of U.S. naval seapower to advance his diplomatic efforts to facilitate the emergence of the United States as a great power at the dawn of the twentieth century. Based on extensive research, the author introduces a wealth of new material to document the development of Roosevelt's philosophy with regard to naval power and his implementation of this strategy. The book relates Roosevelt's use of the Navy and Marine Corps to advance American interests during the historically controversial Venezuelan Crisis (1902 03), Panama's independence movement (1903), the Morocco-Perciaris Incident (1904), and the choice of a navy yard as the site for the negotiations that ended the Russo-Japanese War. The voyage of the Great White Fleet and Roosevelt's initiatives to technologically transform the American Navy are also covered. In the end, the book details how Roosevelt's actions combined to thrust the United States forward onto the world s stage as a major player and cemented his place in American history as a great president despite the fact that he did not serve during a time of war or major domestic disturbance.This history provides new information that finally puts to rest the controversy of whether Roosevelt did or did not issue an ultimatum to the German and British governments in December 1902, bringing the United States to the brink of war with two of the world s great powers. It also reveals a secret war plan developed during Panama s independence movement that envisioned the U.S. Marine Corps invading Colombia to defend the sovereignty of the new Panamanian republic. Theodore Roosevelt s Naval Diplomacy brings new understanding to how the U.S. Navy was used to usher in the American century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Energetic, Inquisitive and Adept
President Theodore Roosevelt is considered by some historians as a blunt and aggressive president. The author makes a strong case that the president was a gifted energetic man with the vision that America should and could be a world power. As T.R. accomplished foreign policy goals over time and built up the US Navy his use of military power and the threat of its use became more sophisticated. Foreign nations no longer wrote off the American president's active diplomacy as bluffs and half baked initiatives because of what he had accomplished and the Big Stick he had available to use.

This is an excellent book for fans of Theodore Roosevelt, students of American foreign policy at the turn of the 20th century and people interested in learning more about the embryonic US Navy before it was a force to be considered by Great Britain, Germany (an aggressive expanding nation) and France. It compliments other books on T.R.'s life and has little duplication. Readers who are looking for evidence that Roosevelt was an expansionist will read facts they will find interesting.

T.R. produced a voluminous trail of correspondence in every public office he occupied but apparently, he cleverly stopped putting things in writing when as president he engaged in controversial foreign policy actions. Dr. Hendrix uses his experience as a US Navy surface warfare officer to look at actual ship and marine movements when there is no written record of what the president's thoughts and actions were. The author concludes that President Roosevelt was willing to go to war with Great Britain and Germany in the 1902 - 1903 Venezuelan Crisis by the concentration of the US fleet (approximately 50 war ships) in the Caribbean with combat loads and hand picked aggressive commanders. He also documents that during Panamanian revolution T.R. was ready to invade Columbia if necessary to ensure the new nation's independence by quietly landing 1,400 US Marines in Panama led by the Marine Corps Commandant. The Commandant had one of the very few sets of operational plans and secret orders to occupy Columbia's major ports if that nation attempted to invade Panama.

Despite the overall high quality of this book I felt that the chapters on Roosevelt's role in the evolution of the all big gun battle ship and the voyage of the Great White Fleet were not presented at the same depth as earlier chapters in the book. Hopefully this will be improved in future editions.

Overall this is an important addition to every library that covers T.R. Roosevelt, 20th Century American foreign policy or the pre-dreadnought US Navy.

Sail softly and use a big deck gun
The African phrase "Speak softly and carry a big stick" is primarily associated with President Teddy Roosevelt.In "Theodore Roosevelt's Naval Diplomacy: The US Navy and the Birth of the American Century", Henry Hendrix examines how President Roosevelt applied the 'big stick' of the US Navy during his Presidency.

Before he was President, Teddy Roosevelt had a long history with the Navy.This experience was to have a profound effect on how he applied naval power during his future Presidency.As his honors thesis, Roosevelt chose to write "the Naval War of 1812", which Hendrix claims "remains a mainstay of historical literature surrounding the subject."Hendrix continues "That a civilian barely out of college (or still in college, in the case of the early chapters) grasped the technicalities of these great clashes still amazes readers."It was Roosevelt's expert work on this book that opened the door to be a lecturer at the Naval War College where he met Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan.Hendrix documents how this relationship blossomed, culminating in Roosevelt's selection as Assistant Secretary of the Navy.In his final acts as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Roosevelt shifted American naval power from coastal defense to power projection.

Hendrix states "Few incidents of recent history have remained as clouded as the Venezuela Crisis of 1902-1903."He continues "[a] careful review of the official millitary records of the military commanders on the scene provides and unmistakable picture of Roosevelt's intentions in the Caribbean during the winter of 1902-03."Hendrix indeed makes the case for the careful application of American naval power in response to German colonial ambitions in South America.

Next Hendrix reviews the American naval response to the Columbian Senate's rejection of the "carefully crafted Hay-Herrain Treaty, by which the United States would be granted access to a narrow strip of land across the Columbian province of Panama."The author asserts "[t]he canal had long occupied the center fo Theodore Roosevelt's foreign policy, and he was determined to see it built."In response to the Columbian government, Roosevelt sent a naval flotilla and the Marines to secure the land required for what is now the Panama Canal.

Following the two succesful applications of naval power, Roosevelt naturally assumed the Navy and Marines could handle some pirates who took American citizens hostage.Hendrix examines the limitations of naval power for this scenario in Morocco.

No discussion of Teddy Roosevelt and the Navy can ignore the "Great White Fleet".Hendrix expertly reviews the implications of Roosevelt's influence on the transformation of the American navy and the ability of it to open up the closed empire of Japan.

In addition to the military application of naval power, Roosevelt also was an expert diplomat.Hendrix discusses how Roosevelt served as the intermediary between the warring Japanese and Russians, after the former's defeat of the latter at Tsushima Strait in 1905.It was for his work at the peace conference in Portsmouth, that Roosevelt earned the Nobel Peace Prize.

I was fascinated with the role that Theodore Roosevelt has played in American naval power.Being new to the subject, I was impressed with Hendrix' ability to explain the influences of this great man on the navy. This book is a great case study in the roles naval power play in the DIME (Diplomatic, Information, Military, Economic) pillars of foreign policy.It is a great read, and I highly recommend it.

Building a Modern Navy
This is a very good book with a very misleading title. It does considerably more than present a history of how President Theodore Roosevelt (1900-1908) used the U.S. Navy to further diplomatic ends. Hendrix does provide a really compelling account of how Roosevelt developed an effective way to combine what today is called `force projection' with diplomatic operations to further U.S. policy and national security. Perhaps, as Hendrix suggests, Roosevelt did lay the foundation for the 20th Century to be the `American Century'. Yet the transformation of the U.S. Navy from a very mediocre force into a world class navy is interesting story in its own right and a significant part of this book.

Theodore Roosevelt appears to have been very good at recognizing brilliance in others. He became friends with and adapted wholesale Alfred Thayer Mahan's theoretical constructs for creating a strong navy as an indispensable adjunct to international trade. But he also looked to advice from such practical naval officers as William Sims who was an outstanding naval gunner of the period.Roosevelt and his naval advisors were at the forefront bringing the latest technology (such as wireless radio) to naval development. Roosevelt adopted the concept of the all big gun battleship as the back bone of the fleet, but also understood the importance of the marine torpedo and promoted the torpedo boat and latter the submarine.In doing this Roosevelt and his advisors created the foundation for the dominance that the U.S. Navy enjoys today.

Finally, although Hendrix does not really emphasize this, Roosevelt clearly recognized the value of the U.S. Marine Corps as central to the concept of force projection. It was during his administration that the Marines firmly established their reputation as the protectors of American interests in abroad.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Great Adventure
This is a rare book, in that when you read it, you feel like you know T.R. personally. He describes in detail his military experiences in Cuba, and political career. His personal stories are fascinating and he states his reasoning and motives for the political decisions he made. He has been criticized for being a progressive; ie "liberal". But I believe his politics are being taken out of context when viewed in relation to the era. For example, there were no child labor laws at that time. He gives great practical advice and even tremendous insight into marriage, which is found in a letter; in which he responds to a housewife that had written to him. Also, his dry humor is absolutely, deee-lightful!

An American Treasure - both the man and the works
Reading this magnificent volume was a joy on many levels.First and foremost, Theodore Roosevelt could write.His prose is always strong, active, and colorful.In "The Rough Riders" he handles action better than most novelists.He picks just the right details about the situation to make it come alive.Whether it is talking about the sound of the bullets buzzing by and the value of smokeless powder because of the difficulty of spotting those using it against you or the plague of sand crabs picking at the dead the reader feels as if he were there.

I also found real pleasure in reading about a time in American history that I did not know that much about.Theodore Roosevelt was a young boy during the Civil War (and he had family on both sides of the conflict) and died in 1919 just after The Great War (WWI)."An Autobiography" was written in 1913 after his failed third party run for the presidency.It is a magnificent work because it is not a chronology of his life.Instead he tells the story of his life through some events that allow him to illuminate at length on various aspects of his philosophy of life.He talks about morals, civil service reform, his views on productivity and the working man versus the big corporations negotiating the end of the Russo-Japanese War and a lot more.At all times he shows how he has considered all sides of an issue and how he came to his decision.

One of the problems in reading history is that a false light is cast backward onto events in the past.The cataclysm of the two world wars and all the history of the following them have made understanding the time of T. Roosevelt, as they understood it, all but impossible.However, both of these books are completely uninformed by The Great War, the creation of the Soviet Union or anything later because both books were written prior to those events.We get a great feel for how that world looked to those who inhabited it, the vividness of the Civil War and how the policies of Lincoln were still well known and were debated as living choices and policies.

He also shares with us his views on why he had to be such an active politician and especially as President.There is no doubt that the world was changing mightily in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.The rise of the huge corporations and the industrialization of huge numbers of peoples as workers in those industries created many issues that had to be worked out.The old government structures were overwhelmed and TR was one of the leaders who helped fashion policies that he and others considered fair and progressive.Obviously, from our vantage point, we would have made different choices.But the present is always in flux and always seem simpler in hindsight than it ever was.

Another treat is the way he characterizes the positions of those with whom he disagreed.He always tries to be charitable and often sounds like a kindly parent dealing with a sincere but wayward and somewhat dull child.It is also fascinating to read this progressive's views about moral character.He specifically addresses the evils of sexual licentiousness, abortion, divorce, and much more that has become our norm.It should give us pause.

If you have any doubt about his character or courage, compare this example to anyone today you care to name.Theodore Roosevelt was an Assistant Secretary to the Navy.He saw the Spanish-American War coming and resigns his post to help raise a regiment of volunteer cavalry.He is offered the role of commanding officer, but leaves that to his friend, Leonard Wood, and is happy as Lt. Colonel.He is well liked by his men, never shirks from the hardships and leads his men in battle from the front.He wanted to be in the thick of things not for vainglory, but because it was the best place to communicate with and ensure the best use and protection of his men.Whom do you know like that today?

As a side note it is interesting to read the differences in his orthography from our present day usage.I don't know if the umlauts in double consonants in words such as reelection (reëlection), cooperation (coöperation), or reenter (reënter) were peculiar to him or some school, but I actually like it a lot and wish we would bring it back.It looks better and makes reading all that much simpler.Maybe typewriters did away with them because they lacked the keys to make them.However, our computers can make those characters easily.

If you are interested in American History, the two books in this volume are treasures you owe it to yourself to read.Oh that anyone in public life could write like this with the kind of inner strength and courage Theodore Roosevelt had.We would be the better for it regardless of our policy differences.

Also, this edition from the Library of America deserves special praise.There are many high quality black and white photographs that were used in the original editions that enrich the reading experience a great deal.As always the LOA has made a high quality book that is a delight to hold and read.Thank you, LOA!

Strongest Recommendation!

You might also want to consider:

Theodore Roosevelt: Letters and Speeches (Library of America)

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

What a War, What a Life!
In rankings of the American Presidents, the consensus pick as the first great president of the twentiety century was also the youngest man ever to serve in the office: Theodore Roosevelt. Reformer, rancher, conservationist, hunter, historian, police commissioner, and soldier, Theodore roosevelt led a rich and varied life that he vividly recorded in autobiographical writings, letters, and speeches.

This book contains two books, both written by Roosevelt and edited by Roosevelt biographer Louis Auchincloss:

The Rough Riders (1899) is the story of the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry. This was the unit raised by Roosevelt, trained in Texas and then shipped to Cuba. This was a time when war could still be seen as a romantic adventure -- unlike what happened in France twenty years later. The biggest problems faced by Roosevelt were: the jungle, the heat, hunger, rain, mud and malaria. Kind of incidentally they also had a war to fight.

An Autobiography (1913) recalls his lifelong fascination with natural history, his love of hunting and the outdoors, and his adventures as a cattleman in the Dakota Badlands, as well as his career in politics as a state legislator, civil service reformer, New York City police commissioner, assistant secretary of the navy, governor of New York, and president. What a life. ... Read more

Product Description
The wide ranging adventures of outdoorsman, naturalist and U.S. President, Theodore Roosevelt, are collected in this anthology of African safaris, ranch life in the American West, and a peril filled trip down Brazil's legendary River of Doubt. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Good info.
We visited Theodore Roosevelt National Park over the summer as part of our Lewis and Clark explorations.

I was interested in TR primarily for the natural landscape and the animals -- especially bison.We had a great time, and if you are going to TR, I recommend the NORTH unit.NORTH.The south unit is nice.The north unit is spectacular.Just get out there and explore it.Go in the afternoon and stay till after sunset.

We did see bison, and deer, a coyote, prairie dogs, and lots more bison.

We used this Falcon Guide, and it had good pointers.

The tone of the book is a bit over-familiar...like somebody pinching your cheek at the family reunion -- I don't know how to describe it, but Levi Novey is not a conventional travel guide writer.I would have thought him a much older person, if I hadn't seen his photo on the back cover.I let my oldest read items out of the book for us -- it was just about his speed and "corniness" level.

The book gives you a bigger version of the National Parks Map, and a lot on things to see if you stick to the national park stopping places.

If you are going into the backcountry, of course you will want more specific guidebooks and better maps.

In the end -- I found the book to be accurate and interesting and good for families.Thanks, Levi Novey!We'll have lifelong memories because you lured us to TR.

*** I added 6 of my photos of the park to the review.You'll love TR --try the north unit!

A little about a lot of things
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a minor gem of the national park system. Something like half of its "visitors" do no more than stop at a rest area on I-94 that is nominally within the park, where they enjoy the vistas into Painted Canyon. Most of the rest go on a scenic drive through the South Unit, where they enjoy seeing a high density of Great Plains animals such as bison and prairie dogs. Fewer still visit the North Unit, about 90 minutes away, with distinct badlands and a somewhat different suite of animals. Only a few dozen make the difficult drive to the Elkhorn Unit, which protects the site of Roosevelt's cabin.

Novey has given us an enthusiastic invitation to visit the park, written at about a middle school reading level. He provides a little bit of information about everything, from wildlife and geology to driving routes and hiking trails. All this information is available once you're in the park, and most of it is also available on the park website ([...]). But here the information is helpfully collected in a book. The book has nice pictures, some helpful maps, and even a quiz at the end.

About two-fifths of the text talks about things to do elsewhere in the general region, which conveys the impression that there isn't enough to do at TRNP itself. That's probably right if you want only a driving tour. There are some pleasant surprises if you're willing to hike a few miles and not afraid of fording a shallow river.

There's enough information here to help you find those places. But I wish the book went into greater depth about the park.

Explore!Theodore Roosevelt National Park
My brother who lives in Minnesota is traveling with his family to the Dakotas this summer.So I have been doing a bit of research for him on sites to visit.I was delighted to come across this recent publication of perhaps one of the lessor known but yet very interesting national park in the Dakotas.What I like most about this book is the vivid picture it creates of the park.It enables me to vision what I will see and hear if I were to hike and drive through the park.The way the book is organized provides a pictoral flow to what one will see when touring both the north and south sections of the park.The maps provide a helpful macro view of the park and the clear directions in the text of the book make touring the park see quite manageable for a family.

I like the personal inviting writing style of the author and the many side bars that offer interesting historical accounts, information about the geography and geology, as well as, animal life on the high dessert praire.I look forward to sending the book to my brother and hope that he adds Theodore Roosevelt National Park to his summer travel plans.

National Park Enthusiest
Super book ! I have used a number of guidebooks, so when someone offered to loan me a copy I was skeptical at first. Now I am ordering a copy of my own. This will really help me organize my upcoming North Dakota trip.
The writing was engaging and I think the author gave a good overall sense of the place. I think most people would want to go there for many of the aspects covered. I want to get into the history and hope to see lots of animals.
It was especially good to know that there are possible side trips that look like fun nearby. I almost always get to talk to other people who try to " make the rounds " of the National Parks so now I think I could give them some good tips that I read about.
Next time, I'm going to look at the Falcon book first because it was very clear and got me excited. Some of the others look good to start with but when you get down to it they get carried away with too many things that I think would be boring to most of us. It was easy to go to the index when I wanted to find something specific. And my son will probably get a kick out of the questions in the back.

Pretty mediocre
This is an okay guide book, best for those for whom the very idea of traveling to North Dakota is mind-blowing, or for those who want a watered-down version of the same info available in the visitors center's kiosks. Definitely not very useful for hikers/backpackers or folks planning to actually do much at the park. In fact, slightly less than half the book consists of information on the park itself. The rest treats the surrounding area, the life of TR, ND in general, or simply repeats information given in other parts of the book. Many sections seem designed for an 8-year-old: "Is It Buffalo or Bison?"; "Are Prairie Dogs Really Dogs?"; the quiz at the back of the book to test your ability to read; etc.

I'm glad that Mr. Novey is enthusiastic about the park. But given that this seems to be the only guidebook out there dedicated to TRNP, it's too bad it wasn't done properly. Since there's not much else available, the book does have its uses. But you can probably find the same material after a few minutes with a search engine. If you plan to backpack the map here isn't sufficient. If you plan to drive the one they give you for free at the entrance is. Backpackers will need 2 USGS maps (together they cost a bit more than this book) or one National Geographic map (a bit less than this book) to cover the park. ... Read more

Product Description
Chesapeake Bay became the principal scene of their operations; it was there that their main body collected, and their greatest efforts were made. In it a number of line-of-battle ships, frigates, sloops, and cutters had been collected, and early in the season Admiral Sir John Warren and Rear Admiral Cockburn arrived to take command. The latter made numerous descents on the coast, and frequently came into contact with the local militia, who generally fled after a couple of volleys. These expeditions did not accomplish much, beyond burning the houses and driving off the live-stock of the farmers along shore, and destroying a few small towns--one of them, Hampton, being sacked with revolting brutality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

How long does it take to ship one book
Estimated delivery date almost a week longer than stated, how long does it take to put a book in a box...

Missing Illustrations
This is a reprint of the original work without illustrations.The text is all that remains and that text is available on-line for free from the Project Gutenburg.

5 stars with caveat
I will first state that I have read numbers of Mr. Roosevelt's work and I have a fond affection for his ability.
In stating that, the War of 1812 by his hand is not so much a history, but a complete (and needed) ripping apart of the British smear machine against Americans by a Mr. James.
A modern happening now is the smear against Gov. Sarah Palin by the press and lefists distorting every last detail of her life. This is what the British did to Americans in either they were unqualified or according to James it was British citizens who won the war for America against their own nation as Americans were not up to it.

This Mr. Roosevelt rips to shreds with a doctorate in details that he repeats in a style like in Winning of the West.
My highest affection for Mr. Roosevelt as a historian and writer though when he waxes poetic as in the Wilderness Hunter in hunting moose. This he accomplishes in the first chapter and the last chapter in the Battle of New Orleans wonderfully.
Readers should be warned you are going to have to know luff, tack, weather gauge and various nautical terms as mizzen and spar as sometimes it is difficult to keep track of the ships and even the soldiers on each side.

Mr. Roosevelt has fine maps his wife exclaimed in him drawing little ships when they had dinner. His drawings help immensely even in his positioning the sails.
The greatest shame is our children are deprived of the history Mr. Roosevelt describes on the Great Lakes in some of the the greatest battles in history occur there in Capt. Perry and MacDonough. MacDonough and his squandron is an epic tale of bravery, against all odds and Christian virtue in winning the battle of Lake Champlain.

Teddy could have included 500 more pages on Perry, MacDonough, Hull and Porter who were absolutely the equal of the greatest seafaring soul of all time in Sir. Francis Drake.
As Mr. Roosevelt notes being Dutch, how much it makes the veins of an American swell with pride in knowing these men and how much equal our English brethern served with distinction and honor.

This is a fine book, but it is not a child's story in an easy read. It is technical and I highly doubt the good reviews in the New York Times understood a word of the nautical tide.

I will compliment the two forwards in this book as they are written not by the typical liberal historian who would not understand the meaning of the warriors of 1812. They do a splendid job in being interesting unlike the judgmental type who did the forward on Patton.

I hope that Amazon would start carrying versions of the books Mr. Roosevelt notes in this history in James Fenimore Cooper, Capt. Porter and Adm. Faragut's memoirs in volume so one would not have to search for scarce books.
Mr. Roosevelt proved as a young 20 year old he was equal to any history phd. His work is worth the struggle in refuting the British smears of that era.
God bless

A True Classic
In my view a "true classic" tells not just the story that is the subject of the book, but the language used tells you about both the author and the time.Here, one of the United States' greatest leaders, Theodore Roosevelt, who subsequently became President, does just that.

A Classic Ruided
This Echo Library edtion is a great disappointment. It is riddled with mistakes; words run together, first letter of many words missing, placement of footnote numbers incorrect. There are many different formats used for tables. Their decision to remove the original illustrations and diagrams was a major mistake. It is obivious that a proper proof reading was not cared out. The responsible person for this production has a lot to answer for.

In my opinion this edition should never have come to print. It is no longer a useful reference to the serious student nor is it much good for the casual interested reader. ... Read more

Product Description

Mornings on Horseback is the brilliant biography of the young Theodore Roosevelt. Hailed as "a masterpiece" (John A. Gable, Newsday), it is the winner of the Los Angeles Times 1981 Book Prize for Biography and the National Book Award for Biography. Written by David McCullough, the author of Truman, this is the story of a remarkable little boy, seriously handicapped by recurrent and almost fatal asthma attacks, and his struggle to manhood: an amazing metamorphosis seen in the context of the very uncommon household in which he was raised.

The father is the first Theodore Roosevelt, a figure of unbounded energy, enormously attractive and selfless, a god in the eyes of his small, frail namesake. The mother, Mittie Bulloch Roosevelt, is a Southerner and a celebrated beauty, but also considerably more, which the book makes clear as never before. There are sisters Anna and Corinne, brother Elliott (who becomes the father of Eleanor Roosevelt), and the lovely, tragic Alice Lee, TR's first love. All are brought to life to make "a beautifully told story, filled with fresh detail", wrote The New York Times Book Review.

A book to be read on many levels, it is at once an enthralling story, a brilliant social history and a work of important scholarship which does away with several old myths and breaks entirely new ground. It is a book about life intensely lived, about family love and loyalty, about grief and courage, about "blessed" mornings on horseback beneath the wide blue skies of the Badlands. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (96)

Great Read
This biography gives a fresh perspective on how Theodore Roosevelt developed into the person that become president.The level of detail of his family and the influence of his experiences is enlightening.Anyone interested in gaining knowledge of the man before his presidency must read this book.

I was already a fan of Teddy Roosevelt.This book gave me a deeper level of understanding, respect and awe!

very well written
Couldn't put it down. Also read "truman" by same author. He has a very good writing style.

Misinformation and Myth
This book is one of the worst political biographies - of the type that purport to be scholarly - I have ever read.Its continuing appeal is a mystery to me.It is truly a piece of misinformation of the worst kind.It is unfortunate that it is still in print.
McCullough misuses Roosevelt's asthma as a vehicle to interpret his personal characterics and political ethos.Due to his poor research and dependence on obsolete stereotypes of asthma and pop psychology, McCullough labels Roosevelt's asthma attacks as mainly psychosomatic in nature, rather than physical manifestations of asthma.In particular, McCullough portrays young Roosevelt's asthma attacks as calls for attention.McCullough should have asked asthma specialists, rather than a psychologist, about the nature of young TR's symptoms.If he had, it would have forced him to change his thesis....Even when he wrote the book nearly 30 years ago, McCullough's characterizations of asthma did not reflect contemporary medical standards.As described in McCullough's book, young TR often had asthma attacks after or during large family meals.This is hardly psychosomatic.A Victorian-era meal in an affluent household of the time could easily be responsible for an asthma attack.It is now understood that reflux disease (GERD) and asthma work in tandem.The massive amount of food - we know that they had multiple meal courses - and the fat content used in preparation (butter or lard), would be a sure prescription for a severe episode of GERD.It is understood today by most asthma specialists that the acid from a GERD attack is drawn into an asthmatic's upper respiratory system, causing inflammation and asthma attacks.Overeating has also triggered asthma attacks from constrictions of the airway.This is a physical symptom, not a psychosomatic cry for attention.Young TR's asthma attacks during heavy family meals have a sound medical explanation.That he had fewer asthma attacks later in life was probably attributable to being able to choose what he ate and the size of the serving.TR also grew up in a big city where heating was from wood and coal burning - a direct contributor to poor respiratory health.
This book not only does a disservice to TR, but misinforms people about asthma.Using misinformation about a disease as a basis for political biography makes this book obsolete.

TR From a Different Perspective
David McCullough's writing style, paired with his decision to feature Roosevelt's early years, gives a fresh approach to a much-written-about subject.Mornings on Horseback takes us through TR's childhood, first marriage, and foray into politics.A lot of things I thought I knew about Theodore Roosevelt went out the window as his life is explained through fascinating letters and contemporary commentary.Anyone who is in love with this part of American history or Theodore Roosevelt will want to read and reread this book.Thank you, David McCullough!

Strictly for TR buffs-- but accidentally falsifies TR
Sometimes a project just goes wrong. DM seems to have drowned in the vast unpublished archive of Roosevelt diaries and letters he was so proud to be given access to. He needed another two years, and another draft, I fear, to digest it all. He has made TR boring-- an amazing feat. If there's a letter, DM quotes it all, mercilessly. If not, the event never happened, and everything about TR's youth that fascinates us somehow eluded letters and diaries! Or did DM think we needed a full picture of TR as a silly young Harvard snob to correct our heroic image of him?He quotes nearly in full a letter TR writes from Harvard about how he can't get the rug in his room to lie down. Yet-- here I got angry-- an entire TR buffalo hunt is merely mentioned in an aside. It lacked a letter to quote. That's DM's research problem. TR's lovesick honeymoon gushes exist, all of them, but they shouldn't be hung around his neck for us to read. Whose letters to his fiancee wouldn't make him look silly, in print? As for the "extraordinary" family, must we read his grown, drunken brother's babytalk letters to his Mom, "My own dear sweet Motherling! if she feels cold at night, she wraps a blanket around me, so that I wake up roasting." There's more about TR's old maidish sisters than about TR, full accounts quoted about his mother's old age neat freak habits, after TR was married. The one success is the full portrait of TR"s father, a "Christian gentleman" if there ever was one, and one of the kindest fathers to a difficult child who ever lived. With one more draft and massive cuts DM could have produced a splendid short bio on TR's father. As is, "mornings on horseback" is almost a deceitful title, inviting us to think we'll see Teddy out west. Instead, since he kept a diary, his life as a NY State assemblyman up in Albany during an unimportant era is described in boring detail. There's no balance. Whatever was in that archive, went in the book, and it's a weird picture of TR as a result. Strictly for buffs who can mentally adjust it. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The Rough Riders
American history has been a favorite of mine.This one was informative & well written. As much as I read getting it free was a great bonus.

Good book but best if you have a military back ground
While some of the historical information seeps through this is mostly a pat on the back for the various members involved in this war. Lots of talk of this regiment covering that flank while so and so charged the front. I would have prefered more of a story of the Rough Riders than a flat accounting of a few battles. T.R. is a very interesting figure and the more I learn about him the more admiration I have.

good copy
This is the best formatted public domain book I've found.The book itself is very good, and I found it upbeat enough to read while at the gym.It's also pretty short, the last 1/4 is the Appendix and reference section.

Captivating
First of all, the kindle edition is free so this is an excellent start.Having read the book version this is an exact copy with no additional commentary or changes. Roosevelt is a great storyteller and it comes through in his book.You feel as if he is sitting in front of you while you are both seated in a large red leather chair in front of a fireplace in his library (surrounded by African hunting trophies) drinking cognac and smoking a good cuban cigar. You don't know if it is all true or parts f his imagination but you don't care because it is a good time.Take a trip into a little known war that helped transform a unique individual into a President that is a familiar name to all. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The Rough Riders
American history has been a favorite of mine.This one was informative & well written. As much as I read getting it free was a great bonus.

Good book but best if you have a military back ground
While some of the historical information seeps through this is mostly a pat on the back for the various members involved in this war. Lots of talk of this regiment covering that flank while so and so charged the front. I would have prefered more of a story of the Rough Riders than a flat accounting of a few battles. T.R. is a very interesting figure and the more I learn about him the more admiration I have.

good copy
This is the best formatted public domain book I've found.The book itself is very good, and I found it upbeat enough to read while at the gym.It's also pretty short, the last 1/4 is the Appendix and reference section.

Captivating
First of all, the kindle edition is free so this is an excellent start.Having read the book version this is an exact copy with no additional commentary or changes. Roosevelt is a great storyteller and it comes through in his book.You feel as if he is sitting in front of you while you are both seated in a large red leather chair in front of a fireplace in his library (surrounded by African hunting trophies) drinking cognac and smoking a good cuban cigar. You don't know if it is all true or parts f his imagination but you don't care because it is a good time.Take a trip into a little known war that helped transform a unique individual into a President that is a familiar name to all. ... Read more

Product Description
Poised at a strategic point in the emergence of modernAmerica, Theodore Roosevelt entered the White House just as the twentiethcentury opened. Following a succession of weak presidents who provedthemselves incapable of dealing seriously with the novel problems andresponsibilities created by industrialization within the country and byimperialism in the world outside its boundaries, Roosevelt was uniquelyqualified by training and personality to reverse the trend. His patricianbackground, his education, and his grasp of the national and internationalsituations set him apart from the men he succeeded in Washington. Hisvigorous, colorful, forceful personality attracted widespread public attentionand deep affection. As a result, he was able to face problems that hispredecessors had avoided. In matters like labor and conservation, Rooseveltestablished fruitful precedents for the country. In others, diplomacy forinstance, he made false starts. But in any case, he illuminated the questionswith which his successors would have to deal. Legend, or near legend,Roosevelt dominated an era in American life. An examination of his multiplecareers throws light on the problems of transition of the U.S. from thenineteenth to the twentieth century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

It's an acceptable, short recitation of Roosevelt's life.
It's available from Waveland Press, Inc., I recently purchased a new copy of it. ... Read more

Product Description
The eagerly awaited third title in the Cheryl Harness Histories series paints a vibrant portrait of Theodore Roosevelt—Rough Rider, trustbuster, explorer, President, and more—whose bullish attitude forever changed America.

How did a sickly boy transform himself into one of the country's boldest leaders? You'll get the full story—front page and behind-the-scenes—as only Cheryl Harness can tell it. Through her lively narrative and engaging artwork, readers will see Teddy riding the range in South Dakota, charging up San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War, climbing the political ladder all the way to the White House, breaking up big business, building the Panama Canal, and big-game hunting in Africa. They will also experience life in America when the telephone, airplane, and automobile were all brand-new, when women, blacks, and laborers were demanding equal rights, and when the cry for expansion stretched the borders from Maine to the Philippines and from Puerto Rico to Alaska. This was an age in which Roosevelt's promise to give every American a "square deal" and to "walk softly and carry a big stick" helped build the country into a world power.

With a new adventure on almost every page, readers will find themselves "wowed" by this true story of a larger-than-life American hero, and the country and times in which he lived. ... Read more

Product Description
There may be no better example of American individualism and rugged outdoorsman than the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. In this volume we find two of Roosevelt's works on hunting, "Hunting Trips of a Ranchman" and "The Wilderness Hunter", combined into one volume. Roosevelt, who as President would bring some 230 million acres of land under the protection of the National Parks and Forest Services, was a great naturalist and his love of the outdoors is evident in the depictions of these books. Careful attention is devoted to the sport of hunting as these books work as both nature travelogues and practical treatises on how to bag game both big and small. Roosevelt recounts numerous hunts in this volume which will thrill and delight the hunting and nature aficionado alike.Amazon.com Review
It's no secret that America's most bully president was alsoits most bully outdoorsman and conservationist; what's often forgottenwas how beautifully and authoritatively he wrote about the wildernessand his considerable experiences there. These two pre-White Housenarratives--Ranchman was originally published in 1885,Wilderness eight years later--are rich and vivid. The formerchronicles Roosevelt's sojourns in the Dakota Badlands; the latter isan extended love letter to the pleasures and challenges of outdoorlife. So what if some of his 19th-century ideas seem politicallyincorrect by the standards of the next century--magnificent prose isstill magnificent prose. "Nowhere, not even at sea," writesthe future First Hunter in one haunting passage, "does a man feelmore lonely than when riding over the far-reaching seeminglynever-ending plains ... [but] after a man has lived a little while onor near them, their very vastness and loneliness and their melancholymonotony have a strong fascination for him." By comparison, theisolation and weight of the Oval Office must have seemed like anafternoon stroll in the park. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Ted's Excellent Hunting Adventures
The two books contained in this Modern Library edition are organized by species with each chapter devoted to hunting a particular animal during a hunting trips in the late 19th century in the American West. Some hunts were primarily intended to harvest meat while others were more oriented towards collecting trophy specimens. At other times Roosevelt stumbles upon game and kills it merely because it happens to cross his path. The bloodthirstyness of the hunters will be a shock to modern readers. Even those familiar with hunting may be taken aback by Roosevelt's "kill anything that moves" hunting philosophy. A modern hunter is limited by hunting seasons, bag limits and will usually not kill females with young. This was not the case in Roosevelt's day. He and his hunting companions gleefully slaughter any animal they come upon whether it's a bear sow with immature juveniles or a large record-book specimen. It was a different time then but it is laughable to hear Roosevelt described as a concerned conservationist and proto animal rights activist if you have really read his writing. There is one particularly disturbing episode where Roosevelt is sitting beside a stream with his hunting companions and sees a small animal walking along unafraid. In a matter of seconds Roosevelt pounces on the small creature, gutting and skinning it with his bare hands and laughing at his Native American companion's uneasyness at his needless cruelty.

Roosevelt's writing has an unfortunate tendency towards hyperbole. For example, he is incapable of simply eating a meal, instead he has a magnificent feast or a delicious repast. There is an annoying tendency to employ cute phrases that grate on a modern reader's ear. He refers to bears as "Ephraim" or "Bruin" and all large animals are "brutes" or "savage brutes." Putting aside these minor complaints this book is a fascinating historical document which contains information about the natural history of North American game species that is still useful to hunters and outdoorsmen today.

Quintessential Roosevelt
This volume will be enjoyable to anyone who loves nature or reading about nature; it will also interest the hunter and naturalist. See the events that help shape the life the greatest president this country has ever seen. A true conservationist, Mr. Rooselvelt was a REAL nature lover - his opinions were shaped through personal experience.
The two books in this volume are highly recommended.

Excellent period piece of history
I have an original copy of the "Hunting Trips of a Ranchman" published in 1900. I found the book to be completely engrossing and was unable to put it down until read. It was one of those that I hatted to see end. This book give a very accurate look at the times. ... Read more

Product Description
An intimate portrait of the first president of the 20th century

The American century opened with the election of that quintessentially American adventurer, Theodore Roosevelt. Louis Auchincloss's warm and knowing biography introduces us to the man behind the many myths of Theodore Roosevelt. From his early involvement in the politics of New York City and then New York State, we trace his celebrated military career and finally his ascent to the national political stage. Caricatured through history as the "bull moose," Roosevelt was in fact a man of extraordinary discipline whose refined and literate tastes actually helped spawn his fascination with the rough-and-ready worlds of war and wilderness.

Bringing all his novelist's skills to the task, Auchincloss briskly recounts the significant contributions of Roosevelt's career and administration. This biography is as thorough as it is readable, as clear-eyed as it is touching and personal.
Amazon.com Review
Theodore Roosevelt was a man of contradictions: a warrior who won the Nobel Peace prize, a wealthy man who battled corporate greed, a thinker who prized action more than words (but who wrote fine books himself).

He was also, writes Louis Auchincloss in this lucid biography, an extraordinary leader, "a political idealist who had the wisdom to know that only by astute and well-considered compromise in our legislative process could he hope to see enacted even a fraction of the social and military programs that he deemed ... essential to the welfare of his nation." Compromise he did, of course, though in the end the war hero and trustbuster could not bring the right wing of the Republican Party to see the wisdom of his reformist ways. The result, Auchincloss chronicles, was a terrible split, bringing about the defection of liberals from that once-liberal institution and the birth of a political war that still rages.

With a keen eye for political nuance and a clear appreciation for Teddy Roosevelt as a one-of-a-kind, self-made man, Auchincloss offers an engaging view of a great American president. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Good Cliff Notes Version of Teddy Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most dynamic presidents in the history of our country. After being born in affluence, he established himself as a man's man by becoming the leader of a crew of rough country characters and city men and leading them in the Spanish-American conflict in Cuba. He himself led the charge up San Juan hill which proved to be pivotal in winning the battle.

He also had stints as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Commissioner of Police in New York City, Governor of New York, Vice President, and ultimately President following the assassination of William McKinley. Throughout his life, he was a diligent reader and even endeavored on writing several books himself. He had a very excitable and strong personality with a constant bent towards leadership and inspiring others to his vision.

The only short coming of this book is the concise almost cliff notes story of his life. He had so many exciting experiences and such vivacity of life that I would liked to gone into more depth and may check out additional accounts of his life.

Concise to a fault
Masterful writing and insightful information does not make up for what is essentially introductory material into the amazing life of Theodore Roosevelt. Divided chronologically, the author uses a macro-historical look at the political mosaic of Roosevelt's life. Using letters, quotes, and documented research, we find a slightly biased yet fair treatment of Roosevelt's complexity and world-view.

Putting to rest the criticism of imperialism, the author demonstrates TR's philosophy of caring for the people, for nature, for the nation, for his family, and his relentless commitment to excellence in all pursuits. Several asides about hunting, ending corruption, and some contradictory information found in various letters, add a glow to this little biography, providing an excellent overview of TR's life. Especially satisfactory were the pieces on the Panama and the criticisms of both Taft and Wilson.

Yet in spite of the fine writing and the keen perceptions provided, the book felt rather confusing at times. Excess detail quickly gave way to broad generalizations. Good stories seemed to dissolve and replaced with a need to get to the end. Most likely the writer was slightly uncomfortable in the genre and desired a more creative outlet for his ability.

For those seeking a truncated biography laced with nice tidbits of political information on TR, this is the one. Anyone wanting more depth and personal information should find a complete biography.

A Concise Biography
Obviously, a 140 page biography is far from complete.I would recommend "Theodore Rex" as a much more thorough biography.But what this biography lacks in completeness, it compensates for with some the more obscure elements of Roosevelt's life.Particular attention is paid to family life and Roosevelt's social views.

Just from the pages devoted, one might assume that Roosevelt's term as president was brief.The amount of pages devoted to his greatest time seems rather odd.Furthermore, the author does not shy away from Roosevelt's short-comings.The partisan rants of Roosevelt during Woodrow Wilson's terms in office tarnish Roosevelt's legacy of leadership.

In many ways, Roosevelt was the first "green" president with his protection of forestry and expanding national forests from 42 million acres to 172 acres during his term and created 51 national wildlife refuges.This is a trait that people from both sides of the aisle can admire.

A model for the next four (or eight) years?
History never ends;it merely repeats similar but never identical challenges and opportunities and thus determines the fate of nations and leaders by the response to old events in new settings.

And so, President Theodore Roosevelt is a prototype for Barack Obama.It makes this 2002 book a guide to the next four years, perhaps a forecast for the next century.

The popular image of Roosevelt is a Rough Rider vigorously charging up San Juan Hill like a Bull Moose-- the Rambo, or perhaps Dumbo, of his generation.This book offers a more astute portrait of a complex intellect who used bravado and the Bully Pulpit as images and not as a crutch.

Roosevelt inherited the Gilded Age excesses, just as Obama inherits the wreckage of the Greedy Age;his guiding principle, shaped by his vigorous response to devastating asthmatic attacks as a child, was "the classic credo that every man is master of his fate."

He became president when the Great Powers, real or in sorry delusions, were Britain, France, Germany, Austria/Hungary, Russia and Japan.Due to his intellect and ability, he became the moderator of their disputes.The Great White Fleet was a powerful image;Roosevelt was the intellect to which they listened.

Had he been president in 1914, could he have prevented or stopped World War I?Auchincloss raises this issue and concludes Roosevelt was deluding himself;however, based on his successes in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905 and the Moroccan Crisis of 1906, he might have succeeded.

Roosevelt's words were often bravado, but his actions were common sense and realistic.For example, in 1895 he advocated "an immediate war with Great Britain for the conquest of Canada."In 1903, when faced with the Alaska-Canada border dispute, he settled for negotiation (Canada has never lost a war with the U.S., or won an argument).

In conclusion, this is a brief but superb study of Roosevelt's character and major decisions.In some ways he was greatly flawed, but it many ways greatly talented and wise.It's easy to be president if no major decisions are required--think of Millard Fillmore, president from 1850-53;Roosevelt is an example of the ability to respond to great challenges.

May America do as well in the next four to eight years.

Great Introduction to TR
Louis Auchincloss is one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, and while he has certainly received a notable number of awards and sold great numbers of books during a 50+ year career, he is underappreciated in my estimation.

This short and imminently readable biography of Theodore Roosevelt shows Auchincloss the historian, not Auchincloss the novelist, at his finest -- though of course, his narrative powers developed in writing novels certainly add to the liveliness.Weighing in at about 150 pages, including notes and timelines, this book is a great introduction to TR for either the serious student of history or the political gadfly.

I can also imagine it being used to great effect in a classroom, given its length and the clarity of its prose. ... Read more

Product Description
Theodore Roosevelt was hearty, frank, friendly, and bold-a president so popular that many Americans believed they knew him personally. Through the force of his personality and excitement of his adventuring, he wove the presidency into the fabric of daily life as no other president had done. Nearly a century later he is remembered as our most colorful chief executive.In this comprehensive study, historian Lewis Gould uses primary sources and the most recent scholarship to capture the excitement and controversy of Roosevelt's White House years.

Theodore Roosevelt was the first to personalize the modern presidency, Gould argues. He then used his popular appeal to address fundamental, controversial questions: What is the proper role of government in regulating the economy? What is the best relationship between government and the business community? To what extent should the nation pursue a policy of social justice? What are the responsibilities that accompany world power?

Gould brings the big picture into focus with his in-depth examination of the successes and failures of Roosevelt's administration and his sure-footed analysis of Roosevelt's influence on national politics. But he also moves in for close-ups. With a keen eye for family life and personal detail, he reveals not only Theodore Roosevelt the politician, but the private man as well-the man once described as a combination of St. Vitus and St. Paul.

This book is part of the American Presidency Series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

rip roaring account of the rough rider!
If someone wants to get a one volume account on this exciting presidency, look no further. The author, Lewis Gould, shows how TRdeveloped further the modern presidency, which began under his predecessor McKinley. One ofour most fascinating presidents, there's a wonderful chapter on Rooseveltthe Administrator. Excellent bibliography too! ... Read more

Product Description
Led by Theodore Roosevelt, the Progressive Party made the 1912 campaign a passionate contest for the soul of the American people. Promoting an ambitious program of economic, social, and political reform--"New Nationalism"--that posed profound challenges to constitutional government, TR and his Progressive supporters provoked an extraordinary debate about the future of the country. Sidney Milkis revisits this emotionally charged contest to show how a party seemingly consumed by its leader's ambition dominated the election and left an enduring legacy that set in motion the rise of mass democracy and the expansion of national administrative power.

Milkis depicts the Progressive Party as a collective enterprise of activists, spearheaded by TR, who pursued a program of reform dedicated to direct democracy and social justice and a balance between rights and civic duty. These reformers hoped to create a new concept of citizenship that would fulfill the lofty aspirations of "we the people" in a quest for a "more perfect union"--a quest hampered by fierce infighting over civil rights and antitrust policy.

Milkis shows that the Progressive campaign aroused not just an important debate over reforms but also a battle for the very meaning of Progressivism. He describes how Roosevelt gave focus to the party with his dedication to "pure democracy"--even shoehorning judicial recall into his professed "true conservative" stance. Although this pledge to make the American people "masters of their Constitution" provoked considerable controversy, Milkis contends that the Progressives were not all that far removed from the more nationally minded of the Founders.

As Milkis reveals, the party's faith in a more plebiscitary form of democracy would ultimately rob it of the very organization it needed in order to survive after Roosevelt. Yet the Progressive Party's program of social reform and "direct democracy" has reverberated through American politics--especially in 2008, with Barack Obama appealing to similar instincts. By probing the deep historical roots of contemporary developments in American politics, his book shows that Progressivism continues to shape American politics a century later. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Political history at its best
By far the best book I have read on TR and the Progressive Party. Milkis is a professor of politics and historians may feel a little cheated. He does not write like a historian, weaving archival data into a rich tapestry to give readers a sense of what life was like at the time. Instead, he writes to clarify political issues, explaining this period to explore its impact on the development of American politics. Although he does not discuss today's tea party movement or contemporary American liberals, readers will come to understand how both groups can trace their origins and patterns to the election of 1912. That, of course, is the ultimate goal when political science professors look to the past. Even so, the detail and depth do put the reader in the events. However, what I really enjoyed most about the book was the writing. It is not beach reading, but neither will it force you to run to the dictionary. On the other hand, Milkis assumes you know how to read a complex sentence, and can keep an idea in your head when you turn the page. It is very well organized and exceptionally well argued. I would say, if I were given to cliche, that I couldn't put it down, but it would be more correct to say that I couldn't wait to pick it back up again, and was sad when I finished it. Milkis aimed high, but the book accomplishes everything he sets it out to do. Those already familiar with the subject will not be disappointed, but I recommend it for anyone interested in TR, the Progressive Party, the Election of 1912, or just interested in a good read.

A Great Tale ofToday and a Century Ago
The book by Milkis on Teddy Roosevelt and the Progressives is in many ways a tale of the present. The 1912 election was a turning point for American politics. It brought in Wilson and sent Teddy packing, but in many ways left the baggage that Teddy brought with him around for what seems a permanent stay.

Milkis tells a wonderful tale based on extensive research about this election. It is an historically well written piece albeit filled with consecutive facts but lacking in the interpretation and historical glue to make it a superb work, it is masterful notwithstanding.

The path of the book works back and forth on the New Freedoms of Wilson and the New Nationalism of TR. Milkis discusses these in Chapter 1 and the discussion is a somewhat back and forth discussion of the principles and the time which evoked them. The New Nationalism is best described in the TR speech of the same name in 1910. The New Freedoms is best described by the author on page 205 in a memo from Brandeis to Wilson. There is the ever presence of Brandeis in this book which is a powerful description of the great mind evolving his thoughts through the somewhat academic mind of Wilson. Brandeis states:

"The two parties (Wilson and the Democrats versus TR and the Progressives) differ fundamentally regarding economic policy....The Democratic Party insists that competition can and should be maintained in every branch of private industry...if at any future time if monopoly should appear to be desirable in any branch of industry, the monopoly should be a public one.....the New Party (Progressives) ...insists that private monopoly may be desirable..."

This is a powerful statement which reflected the beginning in many ways of the power of the executive and the dominance of the central Government over the entire economy. Wilson agreed with this statement and what is most telling in the Milkis book is that the 1912 election was truly and election on principles, principle articulated directly by the players in that election. They were direct and forthright and presented their views of how the Government and the country should be run. Lacking was as reflected by Milkis any discussion of what the Constitution and Founders had ever intended. There appeared to be a unanimous agreement that change, as articulated by either Wilson/Brandeis or TR and the Progressives, was well within their purview and powers, independent of the Constitution.

The Socialists agenda under Debs is somewhat articulated by Milkis and he states on p 23 that Debs viewed the Progressives as "a reactionary protest of the middle classes, built largely upon the personality of one man and not destined for permanence." Ironically it would be Wilson who imprisoned Debs for his ideas, as well as my grandmother who headed the Socialist Party in New York. Wilson would leave Debs to rot for years until the Republican Harding pardoned him.

TR is quoted in his New Nationalism speech on p 40 as saying:

"The New Nationalism puts national need before sectional or personal advantage...Nationalism regards the executive as the steward of the public welfare. It demands of the judiciary that it shall be interested primarily in human welfare rather than property...."

It was this denial of the Lockeian property construct which was at the heart of the Constitution. Milkis on the same page reinforces the TR stance of "human rights" trumping "property rights". There does seem to be the conflict, perhaps of the time, that humans have property and that in many ways it was property via Locke that defines the individual as compared to a vassal of the King. TR and the Progressives seem to be driven by the Trusts and their "property" and the general hatred for these same Trusts.

On p 44 Milkis discusses the conflicts of TR and the Constitution. I would have liked to see this better presented, it is discussed but it is in itself a key element of importance who relation to the present is key. This returns again on p 91 where Milkis states:

"In the end, TR and his political allies proposed to emancipate public opinion from the restraining influence of the Declaration (of Independence) and the Constitution..."

TR was clearly a man who had his own ideas and the facts and history of the country be damned. The Wilson plan of the New Freedoms was in contradistinction to TR. On p 202 the author compares and contrasts them but in many ways they had much in common. Monopolies seem to dominate the discussion. TR was advocating for the referendum, recall and the like, pushing the power down to the people, and even to the extent of having recall of the President (see p 219). In contrast Wilson was defending natural rights but stopped way short of recalls as TR had done (p 226)

Overall the book is a superb introduction to these many issues. The growth of the larger electorate, the conflict between large industries and labor, the expansion of the middle class, and even the conflicts on racial issues. TR had become an idealists with a platform designed to attract the largest group of common voters. He had developed his own ideas as how the country should be run and his New Nationalism was in a sense a new Constitution, drafted by a single man who then set out to sell it. Wilson was driven by the intent to concentrate mow power in both the executive as well as in Washington.

The book by Woodrow Wilson: A Biography by Cooper is a wonderful companion to this book.As a final note,the discussions on pp 274-275 places Wilson is the poorest of light as he deals with the civil rights of the blacks. Milkis details the occasion when Trotter, a black leader and editor of the Boston Guardian, was thrown out of Wilson's office abruptly because he disagreed with the President's refusal to even discuss the separate but equal position of the Democrats. Wilson as a Virginian had strong ties to the south and the south was the core to his ongoing efforts. This truly was a sad day.

Milkis has prepared a superb book worthy of reading today. It tells the tale of how many of the changes we see again coming up today are in many ways a replay of a century ago. The only critique that I have is that it should have been longer and included some greater detail. But it stands quite well as it is.

Beyond TR, the Election of 1912 and Fueling an Expanded Democracy
Many people today think of the election of 1912 simply as Theodore Roosevelt's challenge of his predecessor, William Taft. However, as Milkins demonstrates in his highly detailed book, the election was the rise of the middle class, workers, union, women and black Americans in their attempt to re-establish a virtual second revolution that would attempt to limit political power from the élites in society. To think that U.S. Senators were not popularly elected until 1913, women did not have the right to vote until 1919 and the Progressive Party that reached its national peak in 1912; that it initially sowed the seeds for the New Deal makes it obvious that the election of 1912 was critical in re-establishing greater participation in the U.S government. However, as Milkins clearly establishes, this was not just the Progressive party but also the Socialist party led by Eugene Debbs that creates and atmosphere of change and greater inclusion. Robert La Follette was the most likely leader of the Progressive Party; however, he was overshadowed by TR's name and political largess. The book is fascinating in the detail of Roosevelt's initial challenge to the Taft within the Republican Party as a moderate, progressive rival, winning several primaries only to lose at the convention. Later, TR quickly re-emerges as the Progressive party's national candidate after a bitter challenge by La Follette. Within this run for the presidency, major figures are involved such as the Jane Adams, one of the foremost leaders of woman's suffrage, W.E. B. Dubois the great civil rights activist, Booker T. Washington, and of course Eugene Debs. The Progressive party was essentially the rise of the middle class efforts to include the working man, stealinga theme from the socialist movement, yet oddly did not include unions, was politically shrewd about black representation and with women's suffrage. Of course, TR and Progressive party had an effect on Wilson who modified his views as many politicians do during the election and was described by the English press as a man statesman like forbearance. The election was also the first where a candidate actively campaigned on his own behalf, TR forcing others to follow and the first to have film reels of the candidates in theaters with early voice over provided by Thomas Edison's phonograph. A time that gave birth to FDR's New Deal and in a sense mirrors the 60s, obviously less radical, but certainly from an intellectual standpoint. The book does slow down a bit before the final run up to the election, but the information Milkis provides in this 296-page book is a revelation on how progressive that period actually was, particularly in shaping government today. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Two-term president. Nobel Peace Prize winner. Commander of the Rough Riders. Avid conservationist. Adventurer. All of these and more, Theodore Roosevelt lived his long life to the fullest and left a legacy still remembered more than ninety years after his death. He started his long, successful political career at just twenty-three in New York State, and continued working in the public arena until well after his second term as president. Up Close biographer Michael L. Cooper takes readers beyond T.R.'s bold-faced achievements and explores the driving forces behind one of this country's greatest leaders. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Don't buy this book
An astoundingly bad book.To begin with, there are major omissions, such as TR's trip to Brazil in 1914 where he caught malaria, affecting his health for the rest of his life.There are grammatical errors such as the statement that Roosevelt spent a lot of time "pouring" over the New York Times.And then there is this:"After McKinley's inauguration on March 4, 1901, exactly one hundred years after George Washington had been sworn in as the first president of the new republic...".Even elemtary school students are supposed to know that George Washington died in 1799.How can anyone who authors a book on an American historical figure even THINK this, yet alone commit it to a book?How can any editor or publisher allow it to appear in print?It has to be one of the most blockheaded sentences ever to appear between two covers.

If you want to learn about Roosevelt you are better off reading about him on Wikipedia.Spend your money on something else.I rated it at one star since a score of zero is not allowed. ... Read more

Product Description
This intelligent, but sickly, young boy with a love for nature grew up to be a rancher, Rough Rider, explorer, and the youngest man to become a U.S. president, dedicated to preserving natural resources and fighting political corruption (1858-1919).


Heroes of History is a unique biography series that brings the shaping of history to life with the remarkable true stories of fascinating men and women who changed the course of history.

The stories of Heroes of History are told in an engaging narrative format, where related history, geography, government, and science topics come to life and make a lasting impression. This is a premier biography line for the entire family. ... Read more