Velvet on Iron: The Diplomacy of Theodore Roosevelt

"Velvet On Iron" is a study of the diplomacy of Theodore Roosevelt, organized by themes, rather than by events. The essays cover TR in the context of his times, consider the credibility of his foreign policy as well as the role of morality in its formulation, contrast his reality with his myth and evaluate the influence of his cosmopolitan background on his diplomacy.This book touches on specific incidents, such as the Algeciras and Portsmouth Conferences and the Alaskan boundary and Venezuelan crises, only in the context of what they reveal about the character trait of TR which is the subject of the particular essay.This relatively short book stimulates thought about TR's character and his management of foreign policy. I recommend it for the serious student of TR, but only after a study his life through other sources.