Theodore Rex

Rating:
Summary: simply boring
Review: I don't know what happened to Edmund Morris after his first Roosevelt book, but whatever it was he had, he lost. Dutch was horrible and Theodore Rex is almost as bad. At least he didn't make up characters (as far as I know) as he did with Dutch.

I was excited about this book and learning more about TR. I love politics and detailed biographies so I am exactly the target of this book, but I simply find it boring. First, an extensive vocabulary is wonderful, but should be used to enlighten, not to obfuscate.

Second, while I love details, they should be offered in a biography to tell you more, not to simply add weight. Morris often recites meaningless, minute details about interactions that take place between TR and others, but gives very little useful background info on others around TR that are involved in the interaction. This leaves one with more questions about an incident than answers.

In the end, I don't need to know what happened in TR's life on a daily basis. A better book (McCullough's John Adams, for example) gives more details about individuals around the subject of the book (why they do what they do, etc.) and detailed accounts of major events.

I think Morris should be a book editor, not an author.

Rating:
Summary: A Fine Book, But Not the Equal of Its Predecessor
Review: Under normal circumstances, this book would've probably earned a five-star rating. But "Theodore Rex" follows in the wake of one of the great biographies of the century ("The Rise of Theodore Roosvelt"), raising expectations that it too will be among the best. Sadly, it is not. Instead, "Theodore Rex" is a well-written and detailed look at one of America's most interesting presidents, and is more workmanlike than inspired.

There may be mitigating circumstances for why this is so. Roosevelt's pre-presidential life is more interesting than his presidency, more wide-ranging and adventurous. And yet there is also an overarching theme to Roosevelt's early life that gives continuity to the narrative in "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" in a way that "Theodore Rex" lacks. As we read the first volume, we constantly ask ourself 'How will the young Roosevelt steamroll this obstacle on his rise to ultimate power?'

But there is no such unifying theme in Roosevelt's presidency to give coherence to his blur of activity while in office: no great depression, no major war. As a result, "Theodore Rex" feels more disjointed even as it covers less territory than the first volume. We jump from race relations to congressional relations, from the Panama Canal to The Treaty of Portsmouth, from conservation to the Great White Fleet. Most of it is quite interesting, even fascinating, but one can read a section without feeling a compelling need to go on. That was not true of the first book, where even the ending left one yearning for volume two so the story would continue.

One can argue that this is not Morris's fault, and I'm inclined to agree. No matter what your talents as a biographer and a writer, you are always constrained by the material. But where one can fault Morris in "Theodore Rex" is in the decline of the quality of his prose. There are numerous lines, metaphors, and similes in the first volume that are so memorable as to make one believe the book came from the pen of a poet; those type of lines are far and few between in this volume, even though it's still well-written.

I hope I have not given the impression that I dislike this book. It's a fine biography and one which I can recommend without hesitation. But for those who've read the first volume, there is a noticable drop in quality and inspiration.

Rating:
Summary: Ugh, heavy book
Review: ...Suffice it to say that I consider this to be an endless, horrid book. I think Ed Morris is a poor writer who continues to inflict murky, long, tiresome tomes and inspire the same sort of writing in his fans. My main complaint is that he's doing this to T. Roosevelt, who is one of our more exciting and interesting Presidents. The recent book by Auchincloss or "The Last Romantic" are finer books, if not what those interested finally deserve.

Rating:
Summary: A blessed accident
Review: Sometimes accidents are fortuitous, but usually these are found in science; the discovery of penicillin, for instance. But as Morris shows so eloquently, Teddy Roosevelt's "accidental" elevation to President after McKinley's assassination has proven to be fortuitous indeed.

I did not read Morris' first book on TR, (but will now), and my previous impression of Roosevelt was as a brutish, pig-headed man -- the "cowboy" so many of his critics feared. But Roosevelt, it turns out, was much more complex than even his friends gave him credit for, and Morris manages to capture this polygonal personality in the most entertaining biography I have ever read. True, you do wonder how much fiction enters into his narrative, but at times I think that's just the curse of a master storyteller. It's told so well, and so engagingly, that you can't help but think some of it's made up.

Rating:
Summary: Fiction?
Review: "Theodore Rex" is not a bad book, actually it is quite entertaining. However, the irrelevant detail that describes the life of "Teddy" is in no way substantiated by footnotes, nor - in all likelihood - could it be. It is therefore a very questionable biography if after all, the reader is constantly kept guessing what is true and what is Mr. Morris' invention.
I would therefore suggest to list it as "Fiction"

Rating:
Summary: Read these TR books before you read this....
Review: While it is gratifying to see TR high on the bestseller lists, I would hate for this book to be people's first brush with this great man. The book contains terribly dull stretches and can descend into obscure political history (who voted for whom and why). If you suspect that TR is an exciting and inspirational figure and would like to know more about him, please consider THE RISE OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT, also by Edmund Morris; THE ROOSEVELT FAMILY OF SAGAMORE HILL by Hermann Hagedorn (available in used bookstores); and MORNINGS ON HORSEBACK by David McCullough. TR's life was a grand adventure, and I think that these three books capture that spirit better than THEODORE REX.

Rating:
Summary: The Pivotal Presidency
Review: I recently re-read two biographies. The other is McCullough's biography of John Adams. However greatly their two subjects differ, both are written with the narrative skills of a novelist, the discipline of a consummate historian, and an objectivity which enables the reader to absorb and digest the abundance of information without manipulation by the biographer. Whereas McCullough examines Adams' entire life (1735-1826), Morris limits his attention almost entirely to a period extending from 1901 when Roosevelt became President after McKinley was assassinated until 1908 when Roosevelt vacated that office rather than seek another term. Morris includes comments about Roosevelt's youthful exuberance by those with whom he had direct and frequent contact. For example, British diplomat Cecil Spring Rice: "You must always remember that the president is about 8" and Elihu Root on the occasion of Roosevelt's 46th birthday: "You have made a very good start in life and your friends have great hope for you when you grow up."

Throughout the narrative, Morris cites countless examples of Roosevelt's physical courage. Through sheer force of will and a rigorous regimen of exercise, the once frail and sickly youth became a fearless adult of almost limitless energy. Morris also explains Roosevelt's active role in initiatives to finance and then construct the Panama Canal. (Those with a special interest in this subject are urged to read Ovidio Diaz Espino's How Wall Street Created a Nation: J.P. Morgan, Teddy Roosevelt, and the Panama Canal.) Roosevelt seemed to "larger-than-life" to most of his contemporaries, a perception easily understood, given his passions and appetites for physical exercise, reading, correspondence, food, competition, and -- above all else -- the United States of America. Morris skillfully juxtaposes Roosevelt's aristocratic background (i.e. family wealth, Groton, and Harvard) with his "populist" positions re trust busting, preservation of national resources, and improving the conditions of the working class. Roosevelt is arguably the most complicated man ever to serve as President, reminding me of what Whitman once said of himself: "Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself. I am large. I contain multitudes." In this second of a three-volume biography, Morris helps his reader to understand and thus appreciate one of the most interesting periods in American history, one which is best represented by the man whom Henry James once called "King Theodore."

Rating:
Summary: Must Read
Review: For anyone interested in either American history, or TR in particular, this is, indeed, a "must read."
The author gives so much detail, it is slow reading at times,
but, no doubt, everything is there.
Especially interesting are the personal details sometimes missing from "histories," and TR had the most interesting details of any President. Many of his friends and enemies wrote
copious letters and kept journals, so the author had a great
amount of source material, and he has used it properly.

Very highly recommended for the serious student. And quite worthwhile for even the "casual" reader, who can handle the volume of material presented.

Rating:
Summary: Morris Displays the Roosevelt Personality
Review: In searching for a biography that perfectly balances TR's personal and political life, I found that Theodore Rex hits the spot. From the outset, Edmund Morris envelops the reader in a novel-like way; I never felt like I was reading a biography. His research is so in-depth and his writing so clear that it seems as if he accompanied Roosevelt throughout his presidency. Numerous quotes from such intimates as Elihu Root and John Hay shed fascinating light on Roosevelt's character. While the descriptions of Roosevelt's political battles reveal his political character, it is the description of his summer life at Sagamore Hill, his skinny-dipping escapades in the Potomac River, and his tennis challenges to foreign ministers that personify Roosevelt. Morris has done a fabulous job in leaving no stone unturned. He turns Roosevelt from a detached presidential figure into a jovial personality. A must read for American history buffs and anyone who enjoys reading about dynamic people. I read it before The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt and had no problem, but I recommend some previous knowledge of the Roosevelt administration to truly enjoy the book.

Rating:
Summary: Dee-Lightful
Review: There's nothing quite like a well-written biography where true life is probably more interesting than good fiction. Morris' second volume on the life and times of TR is such a biography. I found it to be well written, informative, and fascinating. I must say that I didn't read Morris' first book on TR, and in some ways I'm glad that I didn't. The author begins this volume with TR's ride to be sworn-in as President and takes us through the seven years of TR's amazing reign at the head of government.
Interesting to see TR, probably the most able politician of his (or our time) out flanking all of his competitors. Fascinating to see this baby born with a silver spoon work to dismantle the major industrial and commercial concerns of his time. Wonderful to see the story of a republican repudiating his party's isolationist tendencies and reaching out to the world as he understood that being the head of state of the wealthiest country in the world carried international responsibilities. It's a shame that later republican presidents (W, for instance) haven't figured this out as well.
The book is wonderfully written and shows us TR's personal and professional life. We are left with his segue out of the political limelight, waiting for Morris' third installment. I'll be sure to read it.