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4.44 AVERAGE
4.44 AVERAGE
adventurous
inspiring
Inspiring, but tainted by hero worship. The tone is completely at odds with the facts at times. Overall it is entertaining and informative, though you have to read between the lines at times.
I would probably review it higher if I hadn't just read Robert Caro's biographies.
I would probably review it higher if I hadn't just read Robert Caro's biographies.
'Nor is Roosevelt-worship confined to the United States. In England, King Edward VII and ex-Prime Minister Balfour consider him to be "the greatest moral force of the age". Serious British journals rank him on the same level as Washington and Lincoln. Even the august London Times, in a review of his latest "very remarkable" message to Congress, admits "It is hard not to covet such a force in public life as our American cousins have got in Mr Roosevelt.'
Theodore Roosevelt, the youngest man to ever hold the office of the president also fits the billing for being one of the most curious. Echoing Kenneth Clark’s assessment of Leonardo Da Vinci that he was ‘the most relentlessly curious man who ever lived’, a classmate of Teddy’s at Harvard would similarly observe that ‘He was forever at it, never have I seen or read of a man with such an amazing array of interests’. Who, during college would even think to beginning writing a book on the Naval War of 1812? How would that same ‘bookish’ person also finish runner-up in a boxing competition at Harvard? Teddy was vigorously alive, with his interests spanning from ornithology to Greek history. He is a token of a spirit whose diversification of interests leads to authorship, big game hunting, becoming New York City Police Commissioner and knuckling into shape the scattered NYC police force, trying to reestablish some form of decorum within it, to then becoming president. His former interest in Naval warfare represented itself in an appointment as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, from which he departed a year later in order to form the ‘Rough Riders’ during the Mexican-American war. This is around where the Rise of Roosevelt ends, just as he transitions into the presidency after William McKinley’s assassination.
Teddy was at times a contrarian, as president of the NYC Police Commission he was there to try to undo the corruption. This resulted in tales of him scouring the streets after midnight, with his reporter friend Jacob Riis, noticing the absence of police officers should have been at their posts or socialising instead. This resulted in a publication in the New York Times the following day with the title ‘Police Caught Napping: President Theodore Roosevelt Makes an Early Morning Tour’. The story lived on as another example of Teddy’s toughness
Even when he was later governor in New York, the man would continue having sparring partners weekly in boxing, continuing into the presidency until he was hit so hard that he lost sight out of his left eye.
This isn’t to say he was naturally emboldened, or that he came-out-of-the-box Teddy Roosevelt. No, in fact one of the most inspiring things to gleam from Teddy’s story is by his own admission that:
‘I was nervous and timid. Yet from reading of the people I admired… I felt a great admiration for men who were fearless and could hold their own in the world, and I had a great desire to be like them.’
He (unconsciously) is imitating the practice mentioned in Donald Robertson’s book ‘How to Think Like A Roman Emperor’ of contemplating the sage, a common Stoic practice of establishing a role model to aim at such as Socrates or the founder Zeno. It is unsurprising that Teddy would later carry Marcus Aurelius’ writings with him. Short of being a larger than life character out of natural disposition, Teddy is in some ways a self-made man, perhaps not in status but in character. Without his will shaping events, he could have easily succumbed to the asthmatic frailties of his childhood or the deaths of his father, mother and wife at a relatively young age where he lamentably wrote about the latter two that ‘The light has gone out of my life.’ But instead, he propelled himself forward, and became the man who would become one of the greatest presidents the US has ever produced.
Theodore Roosevelt, the youngest man to ever hold the office of the president also fits the billing for being one of the most curious. Echoing Kenneth Clark’s assessment of Leonardo Da Vinci that he was ‘the most relentlessly curious man who ever lived’, a classmate of Teddy’s at Harvard would similarly observe that ‘He was forever at it, never have I seen or read of a man with such an amazing array of interests’. Who, during college would even think to beginning writing a book on the Naval War of 1812? How would that same ‘bookish’ person also finish runner-up in a boxing competition at Harvard? Teddy was vigorously alive, with his interests spanning from ornithology to Greek history. He is a token of a spirit whose diversification of interests leads to authorship, big game hunting, becoming New York City Police Commissioner and knuckling into shape the scattered NYC police force, trying to reestablish some form of decorum within it, to then becoming president. His former interest in Naval warfare represented itself in an appointment as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, from which he departed a year later in order to form the ‘Rough Riders’ during the Mexican-American war. This is around where the Rise of Roosevelt ends, just as he transitions into the presidency after William McKinley’s assassination.
Teddy was at times a contrarian, as president of the NYC Police Commission he was there to try to undo the corruption. This resulted in tales of him scouring the streets after midnight, with his reporter friend Jacob Riis, noticing the absence of police officers should have been at their posts or socialising instead. This resulted in a publication in the New York Times the following day with the title ‘Police Caught Napping: President Theodore Roosevelt Makes an Early Morning Tour’. The story lived on as another example of Teddy’s toughness
Even when he was later governor in New York, the man would continue having sparring partners weekly in boxing, continuing into the presidency until he was hit so hard that he lost sight out of his left eye.
This isn’t to say he was naturally emboldened, or that he came-out-of-the-box Teddy Roosevelt. No, in fact one of the most inspiring things to gleam from Teddy’s story is by his own admission that:
‘I was nervous and timid. Yet from reading of the people I admired… I felt a great admiration for men who were fearless and could hold their own in the world, and I had a great desire to be like them.’
He (unconsciously) is imitating the practice mentioned in Donald Robertson’s book ‘How to Think Like A Roman Emperor’ of contemplating the sage, a common Stoic practice of establishing a role model to aim at such as Socrates or the founder Zeno. It is unsurprising that Teddy would later carry Marcus Aurelius’ writings with him. Short of being a larger than life character out of natural disposition, Teddy is in some ways a self-made man, perhaps not in status but in character. Without his will shaping events, he could have easily succumbed to the asthmatic frailties of his childhood or the deaths of his father, mother and wife at a relatively young age where he lamentably wrote about the latter two that ‘The light has gone out of my life.’ But instead, he propelled himself forward, and became the man who would become one of the greatest presidents the US has ever produced.
Morris' book is well researched and very thorough. It could be at times a bit hard to get through but for the most part, TR is too fascinating to be boring. That said, it is a very TR-centric book. You get little insight into his family or their lives and how his public life affected them. Look elsewhere for that. If you want a straight history of TR himself and his career - this is the book for you. This book gets you up to the day McKinley dies and Morris' next book, Theodore Rex takes off from there.
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
What a deee-lightful book! My journey through presidential biographies has returned to the “big time” with this first of a three-volume saga by Morris. Written with the pacing and flair of a novel, this was an outstanding, in-depth portrait of “Teddy” from childhood to the day he became president. A hefty book that I cruised through quickly, primarily due to being stuck at home during this pandemic, but also because of how engaging it was.
If anyone was “destined” to become president, this biography certainly presents that case. Roosevelt was often acknowledged by those who knew him early in his life as someone they could see filling the oval office one day. And Roosevelt certainly seemed to feel the same way. He wasn’t perfect by any means. “Bull in a china shop” was an accurate label, but he did get a lot of things done due to his energy and fearlessness. Some of his actions and words made me cringe, but I’m still eager to jump into volume two: Theodore Rex after I knock off a few more books from other categories of my reading life.
If anyone was “destined” to become president, this biography certainly presents that case. Roosevelt was often acknowledged by those who knew him early in his life as someone they could see filling the oval office one day. And Roosevelt certainly seemed to feel the same way. He wasn’t perfect by any means. “Bull in a china shop” was an accurate label, but he did get a lot of things done due to his energy and fearlessness. Some of his actions and words made me cringe, but I’m still eager to jump into volume two: Theodore Rex after I knock off a few more books from other categories of my reading life.
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
informative
slow-paced
I am incredibly proud of myself for having finished this TOME of a book. If I were to have read this in paperback, it would have totaled 960 pages.
I have the utmost respect for Edmund Morris. You can feel just how passionate he is about the subject of Teddy Roosevelt. The time his research alone must have taken... I am in awe. After reading this book, I feel like I know Roosevelt on a personal level.
This book deals with Roosevelt's childhood, his college years, his first marriage, his early political career, and his path to the Presidency. The book ends with him receiving word that he is about to become President.
I firmly believe, after reading this incredibly detailed account of his life, struggles, and personal convictions, that Roosevelt was one of the most interesting people in American history. Just reading about all of his accomplishments is exhausting. How could one man do it all? But he did. I feel he lived at least three lives. And Edmund Morris makes sure to tell you about every second in an interesting and thought-provoking way.
I'm extremely proud for finishing this and look forward to reading the next chapter of his life.
I have the utmost respect for Edmund Morris. You can feel just how passionate he is about the subject of Teddy Roosevelt. The time his research alone must have taken... I am in awe. After reading this book, I feel like I know Roosevelt on a personal level.
This book deals with Roosevelt's childhood, his college years, his first marriage, his early political career, and his path to the Presidency. The book ends with him receiving word that he is about to become President.
I firmly believe, after reading this incredibly detailed account of his life, struggles, and personal convictions, that Roosevelt was one of the most interesting people in American history. Just reading about all of his accomplishments is exhausting. How could one man do it all? But he did. I feel he lived at least three lives. And Edmund Morris makes sure to tell you about every second in an interesting and thought-provoking way.
I'm extremely proud for finishing this and look forward to reading the next chapter of his life.