(Originally published 2001, Paperback edition 555 pages)
While Mr. Morris's previous volume, "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt," was a more
rollicking adventure than this second volume, "Theodore Rex" is still an
excellent work. The book covers the years of his presidency (1901-1909). The
story bolts out of the gate where the vacationing, 42-year-old Roosevelt is
barrelling down a mountain soon after he finds out that President McKinley has
been shot. Based upon the introduction, I thought the second volume was going to
have the same feel as the first one. It wasn't the case. Instead, the biography
settles into describing the machinations of early 20th-Century politics. I felt
it helped quite a bit to have read the first volume and understand what makes
Teddy tick.
People in Washington D.C. were understandably nervous about a Roosevelt Administration. Everything about his past blared out that the guy never did anything small. It is a time before broadcast radio, the automobile, child-labor laws, food safety, conservationism and worker rights. But other things will sound all too familiar to present-day politics: power struggles in both domestic and the world theater, the arrogant rich manipulating the levers of Washington by throwing gobs of money at it, outsized egos, hypocrisy and Congressional stonewalling. There are also some bon mots like President Roosevelt near-death experience during the first year of his administration and the story on how the teddy bear came to have his name. Other notables of the era such as Henry James who came up with the name Theodore Rex, Henry Adams, J.P. Morgan, Booker T. Washington and Oliver Wendell Holmes make appearances. Also, Mr. Morris focuses on other key, powerful figures who have unjustifiably faded from memory like Elihu Root and Philander Knox.
The man's presidency was one of progressive movement forward. My God, the guy was instrumental in dramatically expanding our national parks, starting the construction of the Panama Canal, making our Navy a world power, taking on trusts or monopolies through the use of the Sherman Act, helping end the Russo-Japanese War and reluctantly walking away from the presidency when he could have easily had a third term. He, much like his distant relative Franklin Delano Roosevelt came to be viewed during his presidency, was looked upon as a traitor to his class. I came to laugh at many of the dire, end-of-the-world predictions by Wall Street and conservative politicians because of President Theodore Roosevelt's progressive actions. Even back in the early 1900s, socialism was thrown about with such abandon by conservatives at even the slightest hint of trying to help the downtroddened. It all sounds EXACTLY like what we hear today. I must stress that I don't believe the book holds up as well as a stand-alone biography. Read the "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" first. Great history such as Mr. Morris's entertaining and informative biography helps me keep life in perspective.
People in Washington D.C. were understandably nervous about a Roosevelt Administration. Everything about his past blared out that the guy never did anything small. It is a time before broadcast radio, the automobile, child-labor laws, food safety, conservationism and worker rights. But other things will sound all too familiar to present-day politics: power struggles in both domestic and the world theater, the arrogant rich manipulating the levers of Washington by throwing gobs of money at it, outsized egos, hypocrisy and Congressional stonewalling. There are also some bon mots like President Roosevelt near-death experience during the first year of his administration and the story on how the teddy bear came to have his name. Other notables of the era such as Henry James who came up with the name Theodore Rex, Henry Adams, J.P. Morgan, Booker T. Washington and Oliver Wendell Holmes make appearances. Also, Mr. Morris focuses on other key, powerful figures who have unjustifiably faded from memory like Elihu Root and Philander Knox.
The man's presidency was one of progressive movement forward. My God, the guy was instrumental in dramatically expanding our national parks, starting the construction of the Panama Canal, making our Navy a world power, taking on trusts or monopolies through the use of the Sherman Act, helping end the Russo-Japanese War and reluctantly walking away from the presidency when he could have easily had a third term. He, much like his distant relative Franklin Delano Roosevelt came to be viewed during his presidency, was looked upon as a traitor to his class. I came to laugh at many of the dire, end-of-the-world predictions by Wall Street and conservative politicians because of President Theodore Roosevelt's progressive actions. Even back in the early 1900s, socialism was thrown about with such abandon by conservatives at even the slightest hint of trying to help the downtroddened. It all sounds EXACTLY like what we hear today. I must stress that I don't believe the book holds up as well as a stand-alone biography. Read the "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" first. Great history such as Mr. Morris's entertaining and informative biography helps me keep life in perspective.
(Meyers - A few years ago, I
started writing, under the pseudonym Franklin the Mouse, short
reviews at Amazon's web site. This is my most recent review #314)
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