Theodore Rex

"Theodore Rex," the sequel to presidential biographer Edmund Morris's Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt," is a thorough examination of the seven years Theodore Roosevelt (TR) spent in the White House as the 26th President of the United States. It picks right up where "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" ended - with the assassination of TR's predecessor, William McKinley. It ends on March 4, 1909, when Roosevelt reluctantly surrendered the reins of power to his hand-picked successor, William Howard Taft.By today's standards (or at least the standards set by the political pundits in the media), a President's overall "greatness" seems to be guided by whether or not he was responsible for at least one major positive accomplishment during his term(s) of office, while at the same time avoiding any major blunders. If you apply these standards to Theodore Roosevelt as he is portrayed in "Theodore Rex," he arguably ranks as one of the five greatest Presidents in our Nation's history. Not only was he responsible for "one" major accomplishment - he was responsible for many. As Morris points out, Theodore Roosevelt, more than any President before him, and maybe since, transformed the Presidency from an almost figurehead-like office into what it is today: the most prominent and powerful office in the world.In "Theodore Rex," Edmund Morris abandons the highly controversial literary device he used when writing "Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan" (in which he placed himself as a fictional observer of events), and wisely returns to what he does best: writing Presidential biographies with his stylishly crisp, clear, and highly entertaining prose. Never once does he let the pace of his eloquent narrative in "Theodore Rex" flag. I found myself immediately "hooked" while reading this superb book's first few pages. TR's means of handling his assumption of the Presidency after the assassination of William McKinley is a dramatic story in itself, and it's deftly handled by Morris. Nearly all of the major events of TR's presidency are handled with equal skill."Theodore Rex" is a highly detailed and polished narrative that places both TR and his presidency in a decidedly positive light. Roosevelt is portrayed as a highly principled man, almost puritanical in his values, and unwilling to compromise on most deeply felt issues. Morris allows TR's youthful vigor, optimism, progressivism, and hunger for approval to shine through on every page."Theodore Rex" shouldn't be mistaken as an exercise in hagiography, though. It is, at its heart, a scholarly, judicious, and finely balanced biography. Throughout the book, Morris provides an incisive analysis of Roosevelt and what he accomplished during his seven years as President. Successes and failures, good judgments and misjudgments... all are presented in equal measure.Of all the Presidential biographies I've read in recent years, "Theodore Rex" is one of the best. This eagerly anticipated sequel to "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt," written twenty years after its Pulitzer Prize-winning predecessor, is certainly its equal in quality of writing, scholarship, and insightful historical analysis. Not only that, but it's a great read!

The critical and public reaction to this wonderful book ought to go a long way towards washing out the bad taste in his mouth Mr. Morris was left with after the "Dutch" fiasco. "Theodore Rex" is so well written that it stands head-and-shoulders above almost any non-fiction book (not just biography)in recent memory. I don't think I'm going out on a limb in predicting another Pulitzer Prize for the author. Yes, that's how good this book is.It is only a slight exaggeration to say that you could open up this book to almost any page and come away with at least one memorable sentence or paragraph. Mr. Morris has the ability to paint personalities with words, with a few impressionistic strokes of the pen. One of the best things about the book is that it isn't only T.R. who is portrayed- many, many people who came into the presidential orbit from 1901-1909 are brought to life in these pages. Here is an example, concerning J.P.Morgan: "There was something volcanic about Morgan. The hot glare and fiery complexion, flushing so deep that the engorged nose seemed about to burst, the smoldering cigar, the mountainous shoulders- merely to look at him was to register tremors. Yet interlocutors soon discovered that Morgan's sparks and smoke were a kind of screen, concealing someone essentially quiet and shy, almost clerical. As a youth, he had dreamed of becoming a professor of mathematics; he was equally attracted to the rituals of the Episcopal Church, in which he had served as a vestryman for forty years.... He sought relief from numbers by collecting indiscriminate quantities of great or ghastly art. His Madison Avenue library bulged with uncut volumes. Occasionally, in country homes, Morgan would fumble at a passing woman." Morris does this over and over throughout the book, seemingly effortlessly. Notice I said "seemingly!"Morris can capture a scene just as well as he can capture a personality. Here he is on the signing of the Panama Canal treaty: "Conscious that Dr. Amador might at any minute knock on Hay's door, Bunau-Varilla was quite willing to forgo the reading. He had not thought to bring a seal, so the Secretary offered him a choice of sealing rings. Bunau-Varilla chose one embossed with the Hay coat of arms. The clock stood at 6:40 p.m. Pens scratched across parchment. Wax melted on silk. Two oceans brimmed closer, ready to spill." Great stuff!After you finish reading this book T.R. will be with you forever, a force of nature- rising above the tired cliche "one of a kind." It will be readily apparent why, if he had wanted to run again in 1908, Roosevelt would have had no difficulty being re-elected by a wide margin.I and countless others had to wait 20 years for this book. I only hope we don't have to wait another 20 for volume three!

quello che cercavo

I have read the 1st volume of the biography and I could not wait to start the 2nd part. Book in excellent condition and at a great price

This is a terrific and very detailed biography of Theodore Roosevelt's presidential years. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to learn more about this great American president.

Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris is a very good book detailing the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. It is a well-written, informative and detailed work outlining the effect that Roosevelt had upon both the office of the President and the United States.Theodore Roosevelt was a politican of firm views. A supporter of the market system, who nevertheless saw its flaws and inequities, he worked to reform a system which seemed stacked in the favour of cartels and monopolies. A Republican who was not afraid to challenge his own party on a variety of issues - although this ultimately caused problems and storred up resentments for the future - and was willing to use his undoubted popularity to appeal to the wider electorate in order to bring about change. A conservationist and a global statesman whose actions and measures preserved millions of acres of wilderness, but who was also one of the driving forces behind that great monument to industrial progress, the Panama Canal.Overall, an excellent book examining the extraordinary presidency of a remarkable man.

ルーズベルトの名は知っていても、軍人出身の大統領で、先の世界大戦のときの人という程度の豆知識しかなかったのですが、ボブ・ウッドワードのプラン・オブ・アタックの中でジョージ・W・ブッシュがイラク戦の前のテキサスの自宅牧場で読んでいたという記述に出会い、興味をもって購入しました。強烈なキャラクターの主人公であるだけでなく、伝記中の伝記とアメリカで言われているだけあって、物語の展開などは巧みで、ルーズベルトの詳細はどうでもよい私のような読者も退屈することなく読めました。また、文章がいいので、抄本版のCDも買い、英語の勉強のために聞いています。たまたま読んだ本に引用されていて、厚い本なのに安いから買った程度の動機でも十分に満足できるものでした。