Foremost historian David McCullough won several awards for this biography of Theodore Roosevelt's early life. McCullough was able to piece together the various personalities and events through personal correspondence, family records and news stories of the day. His goal was to uncover the events and people that helped shaped the future president's personality, drive and ambitions.

In this he succeeded admirably. Yet still, there was something about this work that didn't quite hold the same attraction for me as other books penned by McCullough. I found myself interested in certain sections - his childhood asthma, interest in nature and the death of his wife, than other areas. I am reading another work of non-fiction at the same time - The House of Morgan, and I did find the stock market crash of 1873 and it's subsequent depression vastly interesting. In the Chernow book, from a larger standpoint of the causes and attempts to correct the situation, and in McCullough's book, how it affected the Roosevelt family.

As a native North Dakotan, you'd think Roosevelt's adventures in my state would have held my interest, but McCullough shared mostly straight historical facts. In fact, of the countless interesting stories of TR's life on the plains, he shared only one.

I think perhaps this book would have worked better as a work of narrative fiction, since McCullough wanted to examine personalities. I know I may take some flak for saying that - it is the great David McCullough after all and this was a National Book Award Winner and Pulitzer Prize Nominee. But still, it could have been better. 3 1/2 stars.

This is an excellent biography covering Theodore Roosevelt's early years, from infancy through the Dakota years and ending with his mayoral loss. I learned so much I had not known about both TR and his family. His early ill health, widespread travels even as a child, refusal to give up, fascination with the natural world, pleasure in hunting, adoration of his prominent and philanthropic father were some of the influences which made him the man he became. He was surrounded by strong, intelligent and discerning women, principally his sister Bamie who was his lifelong advisor. McCullough writes that the final transformation of his character occurred at his ranch in the Dakotas when his health improved, he sometimes lived rough and did a lot of the same work as his cow hands (although he did commute back to New York every few months over the years). His time near Medora crystalized his regard for the natural world and conservation. Today, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is located in that area. TR returned to New York, refreshed, recharged and ready to take on the world. This book was fascinating!

I really enjoyed listening to this book about Theodore Roosevelt. I was looking for some quick “Who was Theodore Roosevelt” kids book but this was what was available. I’m so glad it happened that way.
We drove to North Dakota recently & visited the badlands of Theodore Roosevelt National park, went into one of his cabins and imagined him out there in that lonely land. I can’t say it captured my heart the way it did his but I can see why that land is intriguing.
I loved learning about him, his life & his family.

The author did a fantastic job of telling a story based on historical accounts, journals, and letters written by family and those closest to them. Honestly, I expected bias and that the story would be told seeing Theodore Roosevelt through rose colored glasses, and maybe that was the case in some instances, but overall this was not so. I saw goodness and fault throughout, and felt like I was truly able imagine the lives of this family, beginning with the courtship of President Roosevelt’s parents and ending with just prior to his election as President. I could go on, but my hope is that others enjoy meeting this family as much as I did.

A great read about a fascinating individual. The author explores his family and upbringing to explain what shaped and molded this president.

Teddy Roosevelt, David McCullough, and Edward Herrmann - a trifecta of legendary proportions. Excellent narration, excellent writing, excellent subject.

This book takes a step back in time, before Teddy ever became President. Back when he was Teedie and idolized his father. Back to his childhood and my oh my it was fantastic. You know those books where you just want to gush over them IN ALL CAPS AND !!!! That is Mornings on Horseback.

This larger-than-life figure had a lot to live up to with his father's name and live up to it he did. The best parts, though, were the talk of his children and how much Teddy loved them and loved being a father. ♥

Read this, listen to this, get your hands on a copy somehow or some way. TR was a fascinating person and the wild ride that was his childhood didn't disappoint one bit. That said, I would love to read more about his sister Bamie.

I couldn't think of a more perfect book to be #100 of the year.

mini review now up on the blog!

It is clear that Teddy Roosevelt was one of the greatest Livers of all time

This is a brilliant book (although too heavy on the history at times) focused on the early life and influences of Teddy Roosevelt, our 26th president.
I remember the first time I saw a caricature of him in the history textbook during high school, and he looked a ridiculous figure. With the trademark glasses, big teeth, and bushy moustache, he seemed comical and lacking in gravitas. I recall being surprised, subsequently, by the length and breath of his accomplishments: police chief, assistant secretary of the navy, the Rough Riders, president (!), and the bull moose party, to name a few. What could possibly compel a man to do all of that has remained unanswered until I read this book.

The author draws on thousands of letters of correspondence between the Roosevelt family and a deep knowledge of the country during the victorian era. Born in New York City the eldest son of a wealthy philanthropist father and a southern belle mother, he was an aristocratic but sickly child, suffering terribly from asthma. Through sheer willpower, he gradually overcame his illness, and forced his skinny frame to transform into that of an outdoorsman. He desperately wanted to emulate his father, a man he would later describe as the best he ever knew. But despite his advantages, he would retain his fundamental earnestness throughout his life. He so obviously wore his passions on his sleeve that the initial reactions upon meeting him from the many elite east-coasters of the day were bemusement. Gradually however, he won them all. That's a central theme of this book. From his socialite first wife (who was not initially interested in him), to the cattle ranchers of the badlands, to the politicians of New York, he converted everyone to his side though hard work and elbow grease. He was interested in everything and was unimaginably alive. This was an inspiring listen.

I found Mornings on Horseback to be a slow, tedious, overly detailed read. It was difficult for me to finish, with a conclusion as abrupt as its body was, for the most part, an endless maze of rabbit trails into topics and personalities that I seldom found interesting. My hopes that the story would get better as it moved along were never realized. If this had been my first McCullough book, it would be my last, which would be a shame.

Excellent. I very much enjoyed learning about the childhood and family of President Theodore Roosevelt, as well as his adult life prior to becoming president. As is no doubt true of many people, I only knew a couple of things about him - that he was a Rough Rider, sort of a cowboy type, who had led a cavalry charge during a war with Cuba, and that he was a President of the United States.

This book opens his life, his childhood, his family, his marriage(s), his exploits, his character, and all the things that came together to make him who he was. I laughed and cried, and was amazed at and inspired by all the things accomplished by the Roosevelt family, both his immediate family and families of origin.

I listened to this as an audio book and the readers were wonderfully easy to listen to. I listen during my commute and was never bored - this fascinating book kept me interested and I even started it over to listen to the first part again.

Highly recommended. I am ready to read more of David McCullough's writings.

Good book. But if you want a book about Theodore’s first portion of his life, then The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris is the best book out there.

This one is better for seeing a high level view of the family.

Stuck between 4 and 5 stars.

I read this biography during the reading of Edmund Morris' "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt."

McCullough focuses more on the lives of those in Roosevelt's family and is selective in the stories he tells of TR's life up until his defeat for Mayor of NY. McCullough paints pictures in broad strokes, and leaves the reader not only with a different understanding of who TR was, but entertained to boot.

TR is an interesting persona in American history, literature and politics. Reading this and Morris' book only makes me hunger to read more about TR and possibly his literary works.