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Theodore Roosevelt: The Rough Riders and an Autobiography by Edmund Morris, Theodore Roosevelt
acaleyn's review against another edition
3.0
Boy howdy, to see a "red-blooded American"'s point of view at that time period...
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msand3's review against another edition
4.0
It's easy to see why Roosevelt rose to such a height of popularity after publishing this book. The entire first third praises the wide variety of men who joined the Rough Riders, listing their various backgrounds, home regions, and skills. He often gives credit to individuals for outstanding efforts or accomplishments while minimizing his own contributions. Yet at no point does Roosevelt seem to engage in false modesty. It's obvious that he genuinely cared for the well-being of his troops. He also clearly understood the Rough Riders to be a type of symbol of democracy itself--men who place aside person prejudices or class differences to come together as a working unit under the command of leaders who earn respect and who are willing to face the same difficulties as the men, but who also acknowledge their natural leadership position within the chain of command. Leaders must be one with their men, but also with a distance that comes with the responsibility of being an officer. They must be firm and never flinching in their discipline, but also empathetic to the needs of the men. They must follow orders, but also know when to break them (in Roosevelt's case, to pay out-of-pocket for extra rations and supplies).
We also get insight into TR's view of masculinity. Real men charge forward without hesitation. They do their duty. And if they are injured, they don't groan and complain like those "realist modern novelists" would have you believe! Instead, they hum "My Country 'Tis of Thee" together in the hospital tent! (Yes, he actually claimed the wounded men did that...) Again, you can tell very quickly why soldiers loved this guy. I also give Roosevelt credit for so highly praising the news reporters who embedded with the Rough Riders, even claiming that Richard Harding Davis was just as courageous as the soldiers. Ol' TR new just what to say to get good press!
The war narrative itself is a bit dry at times, especially compared to the final chapters in which TR describes the landscape of Cuba in gorgeous prose. He certainly had a gift for language, and I found myself wanting to read more of his nature writing after finishing this book. My favorite chapter was actually the final one, in which he describes the men on Long Island mustering out. I can't remember the last time I read such a quintessentially American moment: rugged Southwestern men--fresh from a victorious war campaign--busting broncos, singing songs, and drinking. It sounded pretty amazing. I wish I could have been there to witness it.
We also get insight into TR's view of masculinity. Real men charge forward without hesitation. They do their duty. And if they are injured, they don't groan and complain like those "realist modern novelists" would have you believe! Instead, they hum "My Country 'Tis of Thee" together in the hospital tent! (Yes, he actually claimed the wounded men did that...) Again, you can tell very quickly why soldiers loved this guy. I also give Roosevelt credit for so highly praising the news reporters who embedded with the Rough Riders, even claiming that Richard Harding Davis was just as courageous as the soldiers. Ol' TR new just what to say to get good press!
The war narrative itself is a bit dry at times, especially compared to the final chapters in which TR describes the landscape of Cuba in gorgeous prose. He certainly had a gift for language, and I found myself wanting to read more of his nature writing after finishing this book. My favorite chapter was actually the final one, in which he describes the men on Long Island mustering out. I can't remember the last time I read such a quintessentially American moment: rugged Southwestern men--fresh from a victorious war campaign--busting broncos, singing songs, and drinking. It sounded pretty amazing. I wish I could have been there to witness it.
sirena_peters's review against another edition
4.0
Makes me want to read more books by good ol' T.R.
cnp791's review against another edition
4.0
Decent book
Decent book, the ending is fairly abrupt. But they seemed like quite a profound group of men coming together in a time of need.
Decent book, the ending is fairly abrupt. But they seemed like quite a profound group of men coming together in a time of need.
melerihaf's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. I didn't know much about the Rough Riders beforehand, but now I feel like I do. I always have a hard time imagining battle scenes, so my favourite parts of the book were those about the training and the different men. Roosevelt truly loved those he served with. It added a depth of humanity to Roosevelt that I had never thought about before.
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