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.
Rating: 
Summary: Just as good as it's predecessor
Review: Morris follows up with another excellent biography. On the plus side is his extensive coverage of Roosevelt's presidency. He shows clearly how TR masters the political issues associated with limiting the Trusts that had taken hold of the American economy; and, how he established an executed his imperialistic vision of America.The book falls short in two areas - the first is in the discussion of Roosevelt's personal life. Morris provides anecdotes but not any real view of how his family affected him. Given the apparent amount of time he spent with them (a contrast to his early years), something other than anecdotal snippets of the life of daughter Alice should have been included. Second, and more significant, is that Morris again does little to address the huge paradoxes in Roosevelt's policies. This is most evident in his views and actions on race relations. Clearly, Roosevelt tried to make some progress in this area; but, he only attempted to make small steps forward. The president who made America a real world power, cut the Panama canal, reined in the trusts, surely had the political power to do more with race relations. Roosevelt appears to have been genuinely sympathetic to the needs of American minorities, but Morris never makes it clear what restrained him. It appears that TR thought race was a lower political priority than other parts of his agenda. If that's the case, Morris should provide that explanation; if not, then the question is unanswered. These concerns should not stop you from reading this otherwise terrific book. TR was definitely one of our great presidents, and this biography makes it clear how he transformed America and the world for the better.
Rating:
Summary: Great, but read it after you read The Rise of TR
Review: "Theodore Rex" is an entertaining and informative sequel to Edmund Morris' earlier TR biography, "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt". It would be quite difficult for anyone to top that previous effort and Morris has not, but "Theodore Rex" is nevertheless a great and interesting account of Roosevelt's White House years. Roosevelt was like a big ball of energy who eagerly and earnestly jumped into domestic and foreign affairs with the same zest with which he led administration members and others on rock-climbing expeditions through Rock Creek Park or rain-or-shine tennis matches at the White House and Sagamore Hill. His early days as President had to be tentative out of respect for his predecessor as he ascended to the office after McKinley's assassination. Before long, however, he made the Presidency his own and was able to navigate complex domestic issues involving labor, corporate barons, race relations, food inspection and conservation while stepping out as a diplomatic force, most notably providing the forum for negotiating the end of the Russo-Japanese War. Along the way he won a landslide Presidential election and a Nobel Peace Prize, yet he showed amazing restraint in not seeking re-election in 1908. His lifelong interest in the United States as a naval power guided him in pushing Congress to expand the fleet and press for what eventually became the Panama Canal, even though it meant encouraging and backing Panama's quest for independence from Colombia. He knew the strategic importance of being able to shift the fleet through an isthmian canal in a timely manner in comparison to the lengthy and tedious journey around South America. I liked "Theodore Rex" a lot. I learned a great deal. I doubt I would have gotten as much out of this book if I had not first read "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" so my advice would be to read both. I look forward to volume three.
Rating: 
Summary: Strangely and surprisingly ... dull
Review: Put together one of today's most interesting biographers with one of American history's most interesting and dynamic figures and you get ... a surprisingly uninteresting book. Although I loved the first volume of Morris' Roosevelt biography, this one leaves me flat. I think it's because the story of the "making" of Roosevelt is just so much more compelling than his years in office. Like any politician, TR must lose his bluster and bravado and become ... an administrator, dealing with sensitive political matters large and small. TR's just not as interesting when he's engaged in day-to-day politics, a tame version of his former self.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book But...
Review: Morris has written a very readable book about an amazing man. Theodore Rex really was a man for his time. But, having read the book, Morris tells me both more than I want to know and less. Morris tells me more about the President's lifestyle, his ability to "live large" and the minutia of his policy than I want to know. He tells us a lot about who the President saw and when. He tells me about the weather. He tells me about where the President hunted and what the President shot. And many of these stories are enjoyable. But, Morris tells me less about the real politics of the time and of the man than I'd like to know. Was the President really a "progressive?" Did the President really believe in his "progressive" agenda of corporate regulation or was it just smart politics. If he believed, why? If not, was he an earlier version of Nixon or Clinton doing the "right" thing for votes and knowing all along the ultimate outcome was at best a gamble? Having read the book I don't know the answer. But I did enjoy the book. Morris can tell a story and tell it well.
Rating:
Summary: John Garfield?????
Review: I just started the audio cassette of this book and was shocked and surprised to hear that Secretary of State John Hay worked for the assasinated Abraham Lincoln and JOHN Garfield??? When last I looked at my history books it was JAMES A GARFIELD that was assasinated in 1881. I don't know if this is an error in the original text of just on the part of the narrator. But it's a big blunder!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: A MAN FOR OUR ERA
Review: Edmund Morris has written an excellently account of Theodore Roosevelt's presidency. Arguably, Theodore Rex Roosevelt was one of the greatest United States Presidents. The author notes that Ex-President Grover Cleveland declared "Roosevelt is the most perfect politician thus far seen in the Presidency." Many contemporary historians rank Theodore Roosevelt in the "Top Five" of U.S. Presidents. The book opens with an account of Roosevelt receiving word of McKinley's assassination and closes with Taft's inauguration on March 4, 1909. The author does an excellent job narrating the challenges Roosevelt faced during his first term including handling of the anthracite coal strike and ending the Russian-Japanese War. The text describes how the President adroitly handled all challenges including domestic political problems and crises on Wall Street. Later, Roosevelt received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to facilitate the 1905 Treaty of Portsmouth ending the Russian-Japanese War. The book covers his second term equally well. Roosevelt, a Republican,won a second term by a sizable majority. He had strong public support and the text quotes H.G. Wells stating "Never did a President so reflect the quality of his time" A frustrated Democratic Senator Tillman shouted " . . . the Democratic party can always be relied on to make a damn fool of itself at the critical time". His second term was also demanding; and having publicly announced he would not run for a third term, his legislative clout was weakened. Among his second term challenges were a situation involving black soldiers in Brownsville, Texas; and anti-immigrant riots in San Francisco involving Japanese immigrants. The cooperation of the Japanese government was required but not immediately forthcoming. The author notes "Roosevelt confessed another fear . . . that of war with Japan. He did not think it would come soon, but he was sure it would one day." - how true! One reason that he sent the Great White Fleet around the world was not only to impress Europe but also to show to Japan the U.S. strength in the West Pacific. It worked and Japan became cooperative on the immigrant problem. While handling his many second term challenges, he initiated a Governors' Conference (attended by 350 persons) covering ninety-five aspects of conservation, preservation and planned exploitation. The discussion of his relationship, during his second term, with heir apparent, William Howard Taft is revealing. In most aspects, Taft was the antithesis of Roosevelt. It is interesting to note that many issues Theodore Roosevelt faced in both terms are issues today. For example: in his first message to Congress, regarding a ban on all political violent immigrants Roosevelt wrote "They and those like them should be kept out of this country and if found here they should be promptly deported to the country whence they came; and far-reaching provisions should be made for the punishment of those who stay." Shades of 11September 2001. In conclusion, the author writes "Statue books and official histories would celebrate his administrative achievements: the Monroe Doctrine reaffirmed, the Old World banished from the New World, the great Canal being cut; peace established in the Far East; the Open Door swinging freely in Manchuria and Morocco; Cuba liberated (and returned to self-government...); the Philippines pacified; the Navy hugely strengthened, known literally around the world; the Army shorn of its old deadwood generals...; capital and labor balanced off, the lynch rate declining, the gospel of cleaner politics now actually gospel, and enough progressive principles established, or made part of the national debate, to keep legislative reformers busy for at lest ten years." To this should be added that he created five national parks and established sixteen national monuments plus initiated twenty federal irrigation projects in fourteen states. The books concluding paragraph states that "...he left behind a folk consensus that he had been the most powerfully positive American leader since Abraham Lincoln." Edmond Morris' style make this is a very readable book. For example, referring to Roosevelt's previous call for legislation in the area of employer's liability the author writes "That call had been mainly propaganda, since the lame-duck Fifty-eighth Congress had soon after quacked its last..." Whether you like or dislike with Theodore Roosevelt, this book is a must for all American government history "buffs."
Rating:
Summary: Worth the wait!
Review: I finished The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt on June 16, 1979, and found it a great book. I did not read Dutch because the device I heard about was so off-putting. I have perused the 70 reviews of this second volume of Morris' trilogy. Usually when a book has as many as 70 reviews I don't bother to add my review. But in view of some things some have said, I will do so in this instance. I think this volume is better than the first! It tells of possibly less intrinsically exciting events--the period when TR was President was not a really exciting times as our history goes--but this book makes the time--Sept 13, 1901 to March 4, 1909--come fully alive. Morris is a bit overly hagiographical on occasion, but he does point out flaws and mistakes TR made. TR was a dynamo, and often what he sought was right. But he also was quick to compromise and so did not accomplish as much as he might have. Today we shudder at the way he handled the Brownsville matter, and are repelled that he came to regret having Booker T. Washington to lunch at the White House. I found that much of what I thought of as rather dry comes alive in Morris' telling, and I reflect with much satisfaction on this very good book. Do not be put off by the size of the book: there are only 555 pages of text, though the 165 pages of notes are full of interesting items. I read each chapter and then would peruse the notes for the chapter. And while the bibliography is "select' it is full of books I have read and enjoyed, as well as books which appear worth reading. Not long ago (on 24 Feb 2001)I read What Me Befell, The Reminiscences of J. J. Jusserand, which is a source for much of what Morris relates, and it made me want to reread that good book. I surely hope that I am alive when Morris does the final volume, to fully appreciate the irony in the fact that TR deliberately turned the Presidency over to Taft, then in such a short time came to feel that defeating Taft was so important--after all, TR must have known that running against Taft would elect Wilson. One presumes that he in 1912 did not think that was so bad, regardless of what he came to feel later.
Rating:
Summary: AMAZING STORY, AMAZING MAN
Review: A GREAT BIOGRAPHY SHOULD HAVE TWO THINGS. A TRULY INTERESTING STORY TO TELL, ONE OF INTEREST TO FUTURE GENERATIONS AS WELL AS TO THE SUBJECT'S OWN, TOLD BY SOMEONE WHO CAN TELL A STORY IN A TRULY INTERESTING WAY. THE FORMER BECAUSE ALL TOO MANY BIOGRAPHIES ARE ABOUT PEOPLE FOR WHOM THE INTERESTING PARTS ARE SINGULAR AND THE READER IS THEREFORE SUBJECTED TO A STORY WHERE TOO MUCH OF THE TALE IS ONE WE'D RATHER NOT KNOW. THE LATTER BECAUSE EVEN A GREAT STORY CAN CAUSE UNWELCOME DROWSINESS WHEN POORLY TOLD. THIS BOOK SUCCEEDS SPECTACULARLY ON BOTH FRONTS. IT ACTUALLY IS A REMARKABLE BOOK ABOUT A REMARKABLE MAN WHOSE LIFE IS SO FULL THAT I AM HERE ONLY BECAUSE I AM LOOKING FOR THE BOOK (BY THE SAME AUTHOR) WHICH COVERS THE EARLIER PART OF HIS LIFE PRIOR TO HIS BECOMING PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. CAN'T QUITE IMAGINE DOING THAT AFTER READING A BOOK ABOUT BILL GATE'S TIME AT MICROSOFT.
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