Rating: 
Summary: Henry James was right
Review: King Theodore... In "Theodore Rex" Edmund Morris shows us what a president's attitude and leadership could be.While too often our recent presidents catered to polls and popular opinion, Teddy R. was a man's man, leading the charge. He was the full package... charm, intelligence, aggressive, detailed (but big picture). And Edmund Morris tells his story well, giving a mix between Ernest Hemingway and a great leader. Read the excerpts presented here and fall in love with Morris' style and written diction. For those wondering if Morris is dragging the story out.... do not despair! Instead, he presents details often lost in other presidential bios. Each line is a morsel, each detail is a nugget. I fully recommend Edmund Morris' "Theodore Rex." Anthony Trendl
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece - again!
Review: Edmund Morris's second volume on TR is - again - a masterpiece. Everybody who enjoyed "The Rise of TR" will spend highly interesting hours reading about the presidency years. "Theodore Rex" is full of details, anecdotes and funny little episodes. Morris paints a bright and vivid picture of the life and work of Teddy. I especially like the stories involving the whole Roosevelt family. Family life with TR the father is never boring, always active but also difficult at times. What a remarkable family! Besides, let's hope that Morris will not wait for another 22 years before publishing the final volume of his view on TR! In fact, in a recent interview he estimated a time of 3 years to finish the final part. What I do not like that much about the book is the "old style" cutting of the pages. It is a book of 2001 and should not try to look like 1909. But the text is a masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: A Fitting Tribute!
Review: Edmund Morris's work paints a strong portrait of one of America's most influential leaders. Roosevelt's legendary exploits are a refreshing, nostalgic, reflection of a simpler time when a single man and his iron personality were required to provide the backbone of a nation. In light of recent tragic events that have befallen america, "Theodore Rex" provides a marvelous reminder of the glory America has achieved and rekindles the adventurer's spirit to go even further. If you find "Theodore Rex" a fascinating read, I would also humbly suggest "Glorious Failure" by Ben Jonjak, a work that also has the unhindered advancement of America at its heart.
Rating:
Summary: A great book - and it's only (dollar amount)!
Review: What more can be said? The goal of a biography is to give the reader a glimpse into the world of the subject... to see through his eyes. This work accomplishes that goal. There is no apparent agenda in the writing of this work besides the accurate depiction of a controversial American - he is neither universally praised or criticized, merely presented. The reader must judge for him/herself whether his actions were justified, whether he was always in control - or a victim, seemingly unable to steer the ship at whose helm he was alone.
Rating:
Summary: Genius
Review: Morris's TR books are not the best presidential biographies I have ever read -- Caro's LBJ series receives that honor. But the TR books are certainly the best written. Morris is essentially spinning a yarn, telling the tale of an astounding and unbelievable character who, incidentally, happened to be a real person. Morris writes like a great epic novelist, and Teddy Roosevelt is the perfect protagonist. Theodore Rex, and its predecessor, are unlike any other biographies I've read. They move quickly and flow freely, and come off like a great action adventure. These are biographies for lovers of the genre, yes, but also for those who would think they couldn't stomach cracking the spine on one.
Rating: 
Summary: Really intresting
Review: I found this book to be intresting,with a lot of history that will stay in a lot of people's mind's for a long long time. I also found a title that anyone with a taste for a good True Story with some very good advice and with hold's information
that you will be mind boggled with for the rest of your life with.Check this book out,it's unbelieveable what you will learn from this story. Book title: A True Story Of Misdiagnosed/Unexplainable Pains Found To Be Caused By Tobacco Use ISBN:075961590x
Author: Ferlin Clay Morgan
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent Biography of a Magnificent Man
Review: "Theodore Rex" is the second and long-awaited volume in Edmund Morris's two volume work on President Theodore Roosevelt. Years ago, I attempted to read the first volume, "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" and never made it through the book. Morris's recitation of Theodore's experiences with lesser public offices simply didn't hold my attention. Happily, the second book, "Theodore Rex", is far more interesting. The book begins with Theodore assuming the presidency after the assassination of William McKinley. And, what a time it was to become President! The United States was undergoing tremendous progress and technological change. Railroads were spanning the country. Electricity was beginning to illuminate all major American Cities. Use of the telephone was becoming more widespread. American production of goods and services had surpassed every country on the planet. Morris somehow has a way of making the reader feel the excitement of being in America at the turn of the century. In fact, I felt that the book was as much a recitation of the historical period as it was a chronicle of the Roosevelt Presidency. Yet Morris also points out the difficulties. Many people labored in low paying jobs for ten and twelve hours a day. Monopolies and trusts were carving up entire industries to profit a mere handful of people. Natural resources were being plundered in an unwise fashion. The people of the United States had yet to understand the responsibilities that went along with becoming a great economic power. Morris chronicles how TR jumped into the void left by the death of McKinley to become one of our country's greatest Presidents. TR immediately took charge and initiated the antitrust prosecution of the Northern Securities Company which ultimately ended with a court ordered breakup of that railroad trust. He hotly pursued the creation and building of the Panama Canal and left office as construction was well underway. He successfully arbitrated a strike in the coal mines that paved the way for union recognition and collective bargaining. He presided over the passage of legislation mandating the production of sanitary foods and beverages. He got legislation passed limiting and restricting freight rates by monopolistic railroads. He succeeded in getting money from Congress to build a world class navy and military. Finally, he promoted conservation of natural resources and got the legislation passed that allows presidents to designate national monuments. Morris points out some of Theodore's failures as a President. His rhetoric while speaking sometimes made enemies instead of winning converts. He was not immune from racism. He presided over the discharge of many black soldiers from the military based on the "Brownsville Incident" where proof of individual wrong-doing was totally lacking. Sometimes he was impulsive and inclined to ignore the law based on his interpretation of the greater good. Finally, he failed to win passage of other progressive legislation he championed such as the eight hour work day and child labor laws. Its a fascinating book. Its on par with "Truman" and "John Adams" both excellent books written by historian David McCullough. This book simply should not be missed by anyone interested in American History. Mark
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Biography
Review: Edmund Morris has returned to his Puliter Prize winning form, following the odd career detour which resulted in the controversial Reagan biography "Dutch", in the second volume of his Theodore Roosevelt trilogy "Theodore Rex". It begins with a wonderfully written prologue which follows Roosevelt's journey in a buckboard through the Adirondacks to a train station from whence he travels to Buffalo to the dead president William McKinley and then on to Washington accompanying McKinley's body. In this prologue we see the vital new president keeping himself tightly in control (a hard, hard thing for him to do!) while observing the slices of America afforded him from the train's windows: great poverty in coal mining country, tradition and grace in small towns, and the bustling vitality of a new century in the booming cities. The biography focuses solely on Roosevelt's seven years as President and shines with its subject's vitality and energy. Roosevelt was a fascinating man presiding in a challenging time of change and growth. He pushed through the legislation for the Panama Canal, mediated the Russo-Japanese War with its ominous promise of much of the Century's later tragedy, sent out The Great White Fleet to assert America's might and ambition, and fought the great trusts which were dominating the economy. I've always thought that really good biographies read like novels--McCullough's Truman for example--and "Theodore Rex" proves the point. This is a delightful read with much to teach us about America as she was almost 100 years ago and about the ability of a good, dynamic, very human man to lead her. I highly recommend this work.
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece - again!
Review: Edmund Morris's second volume on TR is - again - a masterpiece. Everybody who enjoyed "The Rise of TR" will spend highly interesting hours reading about the presidency years.
"Theodore Rex" is full of details, anecdotes and funny little episodes. Morris paints a bright and
vivid picture of the life and work of Teddy. I especially like the stories involving the whole
Roosevelt family. Family life with TR the father is never boring, always active but also difficult at
times. What a remarkable family! Besides, let's hope that Morris will not wait for another 22
years before publishing the final volume of his view on TR!
Rating:
Summary: The best biography--continued
Review: This book is a continuation of the best biography I ever read, Morris' The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" and it starts up where the latter book left off, both in the biographical aspect as well as in being a great biography. Morris' skills in weaving an easily readable story with copious notes (they are as interesting as the biography) shows that he has not lost his touch since the first volume was published in 1979. I was concerned about how this volume would come out after the use of a fictional character in Dutch, but my fears have been completely alleviated. This is a great volume about a great man, and still very relevant to today's world. (See the portion on the Phillipine war with fanatical muslims fighting to the death.) I can't wait for volume 3.
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