Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography

by Theodore Roosevelt and Wayne [Ed] Andrews

Book Overview

Theodore Roosevelt's writing has the same verve, panache, and energy as the life he lived. Perhaps no president in U.S. history--not even Jefferson--had so many opinions and intellectual interests, believed in so many causes, or worked so hard to translate his beliefs into action. A hard-headed idealist, an unabashed interventionist, a crusader on behalf of environmental preservation and against big business "trusts," he was also a writer of uncommon...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0306802325
• ISBN13: 9780306802324
• Release Date: March 1985
• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Length: 636 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 5.4" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

A great man with great insight

It is a very long time that I have not read any biography and memoirs, however this book raises my interests in reading biography and memoirs again because this is a great man who can do so much in his life and this book shows some deep insight into politics although I am not familiar with the political figures during that time.

A last Renaissance man

I've loved Theodore Roosevelt since my wonderful 11th-grade American History class 10 years ago. This great President was quite possibly one of the last true Renaissance men: politician yes, but scientist, conservationist, businessman, soldier, and, heavens yes! writer (he published, I have heard, nearly 50 books on many different themes). TR belongs to the end of an era when one could actually aspire to "doing it all," and he succeeded brilliantly. Teddy's _Autobiography_ is a fun, conversational read. The formatting for the Kindle is good, but not great, and a table of contents would be greatly appreciated.

Brilliant

Easily one of the best books ever written. Roosevelt is an exceptional writer who lived an amazing life. This book not only shares his tale, but shows you the ideals and ethics which drove him. Very inspiring as to the way in which we should all live our lives.

The Mother of All Presidential Memoirs

Witty, quirky, profound, lyrical--this is one of the great American memoirs. The 1999 Modern Library and National Review rankers of the 100 great nonfiction books of the 20th century missed the boat on this one.

The only way to really understand what made T.R. tick.

Outstanding! This book is a tome of philosophy, adventure, intrigue, and above all, inspiration. Notwithstanding these encomia however, the reader should beware before making a hegira into its noble pages that this autobiography does not follow the traditional structure of a "biography." Rather it can be described as being a compendium of T.R.'s philosophy on life. The true strength of its pages being found in how T.R.'s experiences and actions staunchly uphold and support his 'vigor of life' and probity which he so often addressed as being fundamental to all good Americans. Accordingly, I suggest a first-time reader of T.R. would be best served by initially reading a more "objective" biography of T.R. (I suggest Nathan Miller's Theodore Roosevelt, A Life) in order to become familiar with the events and time frames involved. This will allow the reader to more appreciate the nature, values and beliefs of the great man as told in this book by the ultimate authority, himself.Along with being completely inspired by a man of such high moral values, the factual anecdotes related in this book comfort you in the knowledge that this hero practiced what he preached. In a speech by his own hand, T.R. embodied his own life; "The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;...who strives valiantly...who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat."T.R. was a naturalist, legislator, cowboy, businessman, soldier, author, conservationist, U.S. President, world explorer, and above all an inspirational "doer of deeds." This book eloquently tells the reader why he felt he needed to perform these deeds and what was going through his mind all the while.