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The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
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The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
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The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
Audiobook26 hours

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt

Written by Edmund Morris

Narrated by Mark Deakins

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time

Described by the Chicago Tribune as "a classic," The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt stands as one of the greatest biographies of our time. The publication of The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt on September 14th, 2001 marks the 100th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt becoming president.


From the Trade Paperback edition.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 22, 2010
ISBN9780307750501
Unavailable
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt

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Rating: 4.44563428336079 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wow what a great book! As just about all of the reviews of this book have said, this is a fantastic look at the life of Teddy Roosevelt up to his ascension to the Presidency. What a fascinating man TR was. His entire lifestyle is worth of emulating and inspiring to us even today. TR seemingly never stopped going either mentally or physically. He was always walking, talking riding, hunting, or reading and seemed to require little or no sleep to be highly successful at all things. It makes me feel like I waste part of my life by simply relaxing and watching a televesion show at night.

    The writing in this book is outstanding and the old cliche that it reads like a novel is true. I am not a supporter of all of TR's politics, but anyone who loves history or loves a good read will enjoy this book. I will absolutely read the final two volumes of this series and am looking forward to having a stretch of time to do so.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Really enjoyable. TR was an amazing person with unmatched courage and energy. He had an enviable combination of personal charisma, physical strength, and intellectual accomplishment. I can't say I agree with his lust for war and nationalism to overthrow the European empires with an American empire. This book held a good balance of his qualities and shortcomings. I trust it. And it's very well told. I listened to the audio book, and it was one of the best audio book recordings I've ever heard. Really well read and interesting.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Anyone who can dictate to two people at once has to have a mind vastly superior to most. Edmund Morris's book is eminently readable and discloses a lot of "Teddy's" strengths and weaknesses. His rapid rise and aggressive attitutude, his lack of compassion in younger years. Now on to Theodore Rex.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Long, Detailed, and very wholesome. Probably the best biography I have read to date.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A brilliant narrative about a truly astonishing figure in American history. It's hard to go wrong about describing Roosevelt's fascinating life, and Morris brings it up here with fine examples and colorful descriptions. It astonishes me how a select few people can do so much with their lives.

    Dee-lightful! Bully!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    In the early afternoon of September 13, 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt was eating lunch on his descent from the top of Mount Marcy where he no doubt had contemplated his future not only in politics but in life. Now just hours after possibly concluding that his political fortunes would descend as he would from the mountain top, a ranger baring a yellow telegram message came into view that would mark the end of "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" not in political obscurity but it's mountain top.Edmund Morris ended the first volume of his biography of Theodore Roosevelt on the cusp of becoming President of the United States after detailing Roosevelt's life to that point from his birth in October 1858. Along the way, Morris shows the development of Roosevelt's views from youth to maturity, in life and in politics. While descriptive and showing fascination with his subject, Morris does not gush upon Roosevelt forgiveness when confronted with demeaning views, speeches, and writings that to the 21st century would raise our eyebrows.The detail Morris shows in this biography on almost a daily basis bring Roosevelt to life, first as a unhealthy child who fascination for learning about the natural world was cultivated by his father who also encourage him to build up his body as well as his mind. Roosevelt's transformation from a fashionable dandy undergraduate at Harvard yearn for reform in politics into the political Rough Rider that was about to assume the Presidency is a long process that Morris shows the reader so well, the reader doesn't realize it until almost the end of the volume.From seeing Roosevelt at the height of his power in the prologue then see his rise, both slow and meteoric, through the epilogue, Morris hooks the reader in and makes them eagerly anticipate what will be seen on the next page. I can not recommend enough "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" by Edmund Morris to every student of history and to anyone who loves political biographies.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I read this because a friend recommended it. I'm not much of a fan of presidential histories, nor a Teddy fan, but I have to say this book was fascinating. Teddy Roosevelt was a fascinating man, a great personality, regardless of how you view his politics. The story of his life proves the adage that truth is stranger than fiction. This biography tells the story of his life up to his arrival to the presidency. Great moments about his life in Dakota, his career as police comissioner in New York, and his work as Secretary of the Navy.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt is the first volume of a trilogy by Edmund Morris that comprises the biography of United States President Theodore Roosevelt. The remaining volumes, Theodore Rex and Colonel Roosevelt were completed over the following thirty years. It was a massive undertaking, but based on my reading of the first volume it was well worth the time spent.Morris covers the time from Roosevelt's birth through his ascendancy to the Presidency in the Rise. It includes the Roosevelt family history starting with his parents influence, his turbulent childhood illnesses, education, involvement in politics and accomplishments in politics that prepared him to be one of the most influential presidents of the modern era. Specific topics include the philosophy of Theodore's father, mother, and his family. His passion for learning despite severe illness is well documented. Most important was his relentless development of both his mind and his body. He reportedly read the equivalent of one book per day and his many sojourns in the western "Badlands" were a testament to his physical strength.Morris examines his life as a young politician driven by a sense of public duty and stewardship, and captures multiple aspects of the events that shaped his character and public persona. His oratorical ability was amazing and the charisma that he developed through his relentless pursuit of his goals was demonstrated again and again. Morris touches upon events from early childhood, education and hobbies, travels in Europe and Africa, New York legislature, frontier life, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, the Rough Riders and victory in Cuba, and his time as Governor of New York. The detail of his development as a reformer from days on the Civil Service Commission and as Police Commissioner in New York City through to his term as Governor of New York sets the stage for what will become a continuing theme as he moves onto the national stage. His campaign skills, both in support of McKinley's first term and during his Vice Presidential campaign were tremendous.Overall this is one of the most impressive Presidential biographies that I have read. It truly deserved the award of both the Pulitzer Prize and the 1980 National Book Award in Biography.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I've read many biographies about TR, and this one is second only to McCullough's "Mornings on Horseback."
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Edmund Morris is a genius! He has made me not only interested in reading more of his work about Theodore Roosevelt, he's also made me interested in reading biographies about presidents, people of history, great women and men! This book is absolutely amazing. I am not the quickest reader, either, so when I say I could not put this book down in two weeks I sincerely mean it! I want to tell Edmund Morris, who I am speaking to and no one else right now, thank you. You have inspired me to get up and do as much as I can before I die thanks to this book! As phony as that sounds, which I will admit I couldn't help but type it so as to come off as that just a wee bit (but it's not like I could change it to anything else thanks to my abyssmal writing skills), I really do mean it. I loved reading about his exploratory mind, his willness to keep pushing on through all the thickness, mumbo jumbo, nanny-sassing from his fellow person. Whether it be his family, his health, his peers in college, his professors, his first wife, his fellow assembly men (who mind you were quite a bit older), his second wife, the ranchers he met, the animals he slayed, the things he stood up for, the governor, the police comission, just soooo many things and this was all before reaching his midlife crisis! Oh I can't wait to dig my teeth into the next book.For now, I could use a little break so that I may wrap myself up in my own mind instead of a man who I can only try to match!Thank you, again, Mr. MorrisYours
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    So much has been written about this book -- and it's received so many awards -- that I hesitate to add my 2 cents. But here goes. It's great, it deserves every award it received, and I couldn't put it down. This is history the way it should be written, and the sources are plentiful. It doesn't get much better than The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. Plus TR himself was an amazing person who oozed intelligence, grit and political savvy. Not the kind of person I'd like to have over for dinner, but then he's dead, right? The only thing that might have been helpful was TR's family tree. I went to Ancestry and researched him, then printed the results to keep on hand. Amazing family, too.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    [The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt] is a dense, but fascinating tale of TR's meteoric rise to the White House. From his sickly, asthmatic youth as a globetrotting child naturalist through his years as a legislator and reform politician and later cowboy adventurer, Roosevelt lived a life of almost fictional proportions. Some of his many accomplishments include: a distinguished ornithologist, Harvard graduate with honors, historian, author, state assembly man, lover and husband, rancher, police commissioner, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Colonel, New York's state governor, Vice President ... and finally President to name a few. All these experiences along with plenty of tragedy, shaped ad modeled Roosevelt into the national character that took over the nation at the turn of 20th century. What makes Morris' book so good is his ability to make the more mundane aspects of his early success in the New York State legislature as intriguing as the capture of the trio of horse thieves lead by Redhead Finnegan in the Badlands of South Dakota. Edmond Morris relies heavily on primary sources to produce a complete picture of both the public and personal life of such a multidimensional and enigmatic man who was Theodore Roosevelt. While it is clear that Morris deeply respects and admires his subject, he doesn't shy away from the character flaws that color TR's thinking and relationships with the public. I liked that Morris, as biographer, had enough faith in his audience to let them formulate their own opinions of TR, without the bias push in one direction or the other. I can see people coming away from this book with either loathing the bigoted bully that almost always gets what he wants, or with admiration for the way TR struggled against, stayed true to his principles, and forged his own path. I am of that latter group. It was also nice to see that Morris was able to capture the evolution of TR's ideas throughout his early career, from a high-minded elitist trying to stomp out corruption to the conservationist, and trust breaking president he would become.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I rarely give 5's, but this book is one of the best biographies I've read. Morris does a great job of illuminating Roosevelt's early life, showing his strengths and foibles. I've always had an interest in this larger-than-life figure, but didn't have a good feel for his background (other than he was a sickly child, went West where he became strong, and led the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill.) The man was a force of nature. It made me tired, justreading about how much he would accomplish in one day.Highly recommend this book. I've started reading the sequel Theodore Rex about his time as President.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A masterpiece.A master writer writing about one of the most interesting and unique personalities in history. Had Theodore Roosevelt for some reason disappeared in 1901 instead of becoming President, this book would still have to written. In this book Morris starts from TR's early childhood, including short histories of his parents, and stops with McKinley's death. For a history of his presidency, read the second book of the series, Theodore Rex.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I'm not much on biographies, but this was very, very well done & extremely readable. My uncle & a cousin both read it & were equally pleased. They both tried to read the second book, but couldn't get into it or read it. Morris also did a biography on Reagan that was half about Morris - it also sucked, so that makes this a shining surprise.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    As thorough a biographical book written about one of the busiest and respectable U.S. Presidents every to have found his destiny in the world. And this is only part one. Written in with an engagingly fast-pace, much like its subject, it leaves no stone uncovered as far as I could tell. From birth right up to his nomination to the Vice-Presidency, the book details his life with eloquence and care. I have made it my homework to read both Morris Roosevelt biographies, part two being "Theodore Rex", and if one were to choose a TR bio to read, this one is the place to start, as it one that received a deserving Pulitzer. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    One of the finest biographies I've ever read. It takes TR from birth to assumption of the Presidency. Morris is incredibly vivid and brings you right into this fascinating story. Comprehensively researched and documented, the wonderful narrative is brought alive with Roosevelt's own words.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The back of this book states that it is the story of seven men: a naturalist, a writer, a lover, a hunter, a rancher, a soldier, and a politician. It is amazing to me that one man can be all of those men at one time, but Theodore Roosevelt was. If you read this book, you will be as amazed as I was at the achievements of this man. It is hard to imagine that he could have changed the politics in the city of New York as much as he did. His progressive ideas angered the corrupt, so they nominated him for Vice-President. Little to their dismay that this progressive reformer would find himelf in the Big Chair of the Oval Office with a Big Stick. I admire Roosevelt for all of the accomplishments he made in his illustrious career, as I am sure you will be if you read this book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is definitely a fantastic telling of TR's rise to power. It was well-researched and full of wonderful anecdotes that reflected TR's personality and character well. I only wish there had been more on his family but I realize that information was secondary to his actually career in politics. So next I'll have to read a book more about them to satisfy my curiosity. A great book! I highly recommend it to any history nerds out there.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    this book was truly an effort. usually i can snork up an 800 page book in a matter of days, but this one took me a full three weeks to consume. i found myself enjoying it, but needing to take breaks so as to not feel overwhelmed by the scope of the material.which is perhaps fitting for the subject in question. "Teedie" was an overwhelming kind of guy. well educated, worldly, overbearing, enthusiastic, headlong in all his pursuits, i sort of imagine reading this book to be a little like meeting him: interesting in the extreme but leaving one with the feeling of needing a breather.personal details contrast nicely with the political and social machinations of this legendary man. approachable language and a wealth of research come together in this text to make for one of the finest biographies i have ever read.reccommended.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    One of the best if not the best biography I have read. Reagan read it and liked it so much he made Morris his biographer and allowed him nearly full access to the White House during his last four years in the presidency
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Incredible writing about an extraordinary man! I can't believe how little I knew about President Roosevelt before reading this biography and how much I've come to admire him. (Killing aside. According to the author, he took out over 1000 animals during one hunting trip as he grieved the loss of his first wife.) He went from a weak and ill child to a vibrant, confident leader in both politics and the military. He defined strength and leadership for his time. The author left this volume with a cliff-hanger so I'm looking forward to picking up the continuation.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I loved reading this book; found the life fascinating. However, very disappointed that there is no mention of Teddy's obvious manic depression. I believe this is an enormous question surrounding the life of someone with that measure of responsibility.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This 3-volume series is probably the most widely read biography of Roosevelt. This is the first volume, winner of a Pulitzer Prize in 1980. It's easy to read and never lags as Roosevelt's life didn't stand still for long. One can't help but admire his accomplishments against New York corruption, his prodigious memory and learning and physical constitution. However he was a product of his time, today he would be an anachronism, a man energized by black and white cliches of heroes and villains, not unlike the USA at the time. Despite the books length I often wished parts lasted longer, while other parts (mostly politics) I could have done with less of. Even though I just finished this 700+ page book I still don't really understand how he became who he was. For that David McCullough is the one to read and it will likely be my next book on Roosevelt.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    What a book. Though an affluent jingo at times, Teddy was a hell of an American, and the amount he accomplished *before* becoming president is completely ludicrous.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Easily the best non-fiction book I've ever read. I set aside so many biographies, but this is the one I couldn't put down.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Here was a true, unabashed man's man. If only there was someone on the horizon who even resembled him, our future would be much brighter. He made no excuses. He tried anything within limits of the law to improve government for the people. If there were someone like him today, he would be elected President by a landslide.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A wonderful biography of Teddy's youth that leads up to his presidency in 1901. This is a fantastic biography with lots of "why this is important". In short, it had all the hallmarks of a good history.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The great thing about reading Edmund Morris is two-fold: he presents extremely thorough research with a enjoyable reading style that makes one feel like they are reading fiction. As a friend put it, it’s like reading a novel, not a biography. It doesn’t hurt that Theodore Roosevelt lived a life that makes easy picking for any biographer.
    The first in Edmund Morris’ three part biography of the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt lived a life full to the brim. Born sickly, he had overcome physical ailments and “built courage by ‘sheer dint of practicing fearlessness.’” Indeed, his life reads in a crescendo that leaves other men wanting:
    Published author at 18, of “The Naval War of 1812,” a classic that would go on to find a place in the textbooks for both US and British naval academies.
    Married at 22, father and widower at 25, husband again at 28.
    Acclaimed historian and New York Assemblyman at 25.
    North Dakota ranchman at 26
    Candidate for New York City Mayor at 27
    Civil Service Commissioner of the United States at 30
    Police Commissioner of New York City at 36
    Assistant Secretary of the Navy at 38 (and author of the plan that defeated the Spanish in Manila under Admiral Dewey)
    Colonel of the First U.S. Cavalry, the “Rough Riders” and a war hero at 39 (yes, he left a near cabinet level position to ride in the cavalry)
    Governor of New York two weeks short of his 40th birthday
    Vice President at 42…
    And that’s just in the first book. Making his living as a working writer, Roosevelt read over 20,000 books and writing fifteen of his own, not to mention speaking French and German, developing and maintaining relationships with numerous leaders in fields scientific, intellectual, and philosophical. His mind was a steel trap and his life steam engine, gaining speed and momentum.
    He was a man who was a lifelong learner, knew no bounds to his interests or abilities, and never stopped trying to reach further. Although born to priviledge, Theodore took nothing for granted, and he took every advantage he could to work, read, exercise, challenge himself, and expand his reach. It’s an example that inspires me, and it’s one we could all use.
    In a day where people talk a lot and actually do less, Roosevelt reminds us of the power of action, of doing, and that it is those who do that make a difference.
    If you’re looking for a readable biography of one of our most colorful presidents, before he was president, pick up Edmund Morris’ “The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt.”
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The life of Theodore Roosevelt couldn’t possibly be covered in one book. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt is the first part of a trilogy by Edmund Morris and covers his life before his presidency. A sickly child, Roosevelt had to work twice as hard as anyone else to build his physical and mental strength. His weakness grew into a determination so large it would overcome any opposition. The early ridicule of his classmates, the rejection of Alice (his would be first wife), and even the resistence from the New York Political Machine seem insurmountable, but his persistence and tenacity leads him to victory. The early death of his father due to political corruption further plants a seed that would end the Guilded Age in America and begin the Progressive era. His anti-corruption campaign in the New York Assembly and the Federal Civil Service Commission, as well as his hawkish political views would provide a foreshadowing of his presidency. The first hundred pages of this biography are awfully dry. Morris has harvested information from Roosevelt’s family, but also from a diary he started when he was nine. Morris masters the diary finding a pattern in Roosevelt's behavior. At times there is constant chatter on a topic, but there is mysteriously little of it afterward. It’s a sign that the event did not go well. He didn’t want to remember it, but also knew that his correspondence and diary may be public at some point. When Roosevelt met failure, whether his inability to make a good impression on Alice (his eventual first wife), or his entry into the New York State Assembly (where he was viewed as a country bumpkin), Morris cracks the code and fleshes it out here, providing deeper analysis into his personality. For me, the book didn’t get interesting until his political fights against corruption. Partly his own ambition and partly revenge for his father he becomes a force to be reckoned with passing reform bill after reform bill. This section is also cast against his trips west to the Dakotas and his cattle ranch there. Morris demonstrates how much Roosevelt reflects his time. It’s amazing to read how much of the country can be reflected in one man, from political fighting in the east to cattle ranching in the west. Morris documents his literary achievements from his examination of the Naval History of the War of 1812 to his famous Winning of the West. A true renaissance man always looking forward, Morris deftly compares him to Henry Adams. Adams, eventually made famous by his The Education of Henry Adams, reveals a fear of the future, while Roosevelt seems to be made for it. The last quarter of the book is certainly the most exciting, covering Roosevelt’s rise to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, bullying his way to improvement of U.S. Naval forces. His aggressive expansionist stance is an extension of his love of Manifest Destiny, eventually resulting in the Spanish-American War. His fame in the war leads him to nomination for Vice-Presidency and with the assassination of President McKinley, the presidency. Morris uses one of Roosevelt’s favorite stories, that of King Olaf, to lead each chapter, mirroring Roosevelt’s meteoric rise to that of the mythical King. It provides a lyrical quality, especially at the end. I loved the ending. He paints this picture of Roosevelt reflecting on all of his accomplishments while he sits in the mists. Will this as far as he rises, to the Vice-Presidency? Has his chance slipped away? Then he sees a man with a telegraph running toward him, out of the mists.