Theodore Roosevelt

I agree in general with some of the other reviews. I do not believe this biography to be the best I have read on TR but it does fill a niche. Pringle's approach cannot be divorced from the era in which he wrote. In his day Historians supposed they were to be clinical and detached from their subject. There is no warmth in the writing and the great and small episodes in TR's life are dealt with in about equal measure. It is hard to justify the detail omitted in TR's pathway to San Juan hill in comparison to the nitty gritty stuff that is included about his political tiffs with some of the bosses. So, in general I would say that I prefer Edmund Morris' work to Pringles. Having said that though, this book acquaints the reader with the politics of the US at the turn of the century in an eye opening manner. Modern issues such as bail outs of credit institutions are mirrored in the early 1900's and interestingly, with the same arguments. Much of what passes for "progressive" today is found there. TR in Pringle's depiction is passionate but prone to much less of a consistent principled stance than presented by others. The truth is probably somewhere in between but Pringle's analysis is a needed balance to other, more sympathetic depictions. So... good read... a bit of a struggle in spots... but worth the investment.

Pringle's biography of Theodore Roosevelt provides a fascinating chronicle of TR's many achievements. The author describes the accomplishments and contradictions of his subject without undue criticism or commendation. From his early years at Harvard and the NY state legislature, through the final days of his life, Roosevelt was passionate, opinionated and, above all, focused on achieving his goals. Pringle describes these events in great detail, from the well known (the Spanish-American War, the Panama Canal, anti-trust efforts) to the more obscure (simplified spelling, the Venezuelan debt dispute, the ill-fated Progressive party). After reading this book, you'll have a solid understanding not only of Roosevelt the man, but also of the world events that shaped history for the next hundred-plus years.Pringle's book is enjoyable to read, in part because it includes numerous excerpts from TR's letters and speeches. The intelligence and wit of Roosevelt's writing feel like a breath of fresh air in today's world of banal CNN sound bites. You might be disappointed, however, by Pringle's lack of explanation for Roosevelt's controversial side. Namely, TR's racism and imperialistic hankerings may seem at odds to how a US president should behave, even in turn-of-the-century America. To boot, Pringle devotes only passing notice to the irony of TR's 1906 Nobel Peace Prize, a controversial accolade considering Roosevelt's jingoistic tendencies. Although some may consider Pringle's "Theodore Roosevelt" to be a definitive reference book, I'd argue that this biography is an excellent introduction, which should be supplemented with other works that pursue TR's controversial side in greater detail.

Pringle wrote the seminal book on TR back in the 1930s. It is in print again and is a splendid one volume reference on TR. I have read Morris' hero worshiping " The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt". Morris book is a grand adventure. Pringle views TR's life from the prizm of the political decisions of the impulsive but also calculating TR. Pringle wrote this book a generation after TR's death and much of the book reflects a disillusionment with TR . The author is quite clever in his writing and begrudgingly warms to TR. This is a book about TR warts and all. It also reflects TR's growing maturity as he became President. It is superbly written book and covers his entire life. I believe it is closer to the truth than the recent spat of romanticized TR books that have made TR more of a icon than a man with both strengths and weaknesses. TR brings the US kicking and screaming into its leadership role in the world in his presidential years. Thankfully, this fine book gives us a first hand look at TR as he really was.

This review is of an older edition of the book. Pringle's biography is woefully overlooked in the great tide of T.R. biographies that flood the market. This biography does lean a little heavy on the political aspect of Roosevelt's life, but it does cover the salient parts of his personal life before his entry into national politics. This is the most in depth political biography I have found. This book does an excellent job of relating the various concerns that influence Roosevelt's Presidential decisions. That is refreshing in the face of other biographies (like Nathan Miller's) that have not done as well addressing the Presidential years. Isn't that the reason we all read about Theodore Roosevelt anyway?

This in depth biography gives a side of Teddy Roosevelt that most people do not know about. It lists events that not only helped shaped his political career and social image, but events that gave a more personal view of the President, from his childhood asthma to his physical weaknesses. The book speaks of his thoughts, opinions, and views on several topics, such as art, nature, sports (football), his marriage, and great literature. Had T.R. lived to read this biography about him, I am sure he would have regarded it as a great work of literature, that may have been to long, but gave a great view of the legend, Theodore Roosevelt.