Reviews
Leave It as It Is: A Journey Through Theodore Roosevelt's American Wilderness by David Gessner
rachel_reece's review against another edition
3.0
I had trouble getting through this one because the majority of it was summaries of conversations with community and national political activists. But OMG there were some excellent nuggets of nuanced perspective sprinkled throughout that I will come back to. And some great nature descriptions.
And he did a really good job of, in his words, "...resisting slamming the door on the past even if what we find there seems flawed to our eyes." I definitely gained a richer appreciation for Teddy Roosevelt!
And he did a really good job of, in his words, "...resisting slamming the door on the past even if what we find there seems flawed to our eyes." I definitely gained a richer appreciation for Teddy Roosevelt!
kimses's review against another edition
4.0
“Leave It As It Is” by David Gessner is an outstanding book about Theodore Roosevelt and his passion for nature and conservation. Gessner documents his travels through the Southwest following TR’s (Roosevelt) trail.
Teddy Roosevelt was man full of energy, ideas, ambitions, passions and contradictions. Taken alone, the story of TR is a full and robust story. But Gessner has wound the story of TR around his dedication to the national parks and monuments and laid bare so many layers of what is involved in the history of the parks/monuments and the political battles that still go on today.
In the very beginning, Gessner says “Over the previous few years I had been relearning an old lesson: no matter how often public lands are ‘saved’, they are never really safe”. This is the basic premise of the book. Going back to manifest destiny, when Americans pushed Westward to spread Capitalism and Democracy, forcing Indigenous people off their land, the book covers what really happened during this time. From there, Gessner takes us through the 1906 Antiquities Act and brings us to the current day where there are battles that continue to happen over public lands. Each side has its own story. The Environmentalists want to preserve the natural areas. The Tribal Councils want to preserve the history that resides in those areas. The Ranchers want to continue to lease land from the government and have multitudes of cows graze the land. Some politicians want to scale back the parks/monuments to allow further mining.
The book definitely has political aspects to it. It also gets a bit preachy at times. Although it is clear where Gessner stands, he does a good job of laying out the different sides of the argument. The question that remains is how to get all sides together to work out an acceptable plan to save the environment, allow for migration of animals, protect the artifacts and historical tribal areas, and allow business to prosper. Is it even possible or will it continue to change every time there is a new party in the White House?
Honestly, some of the things that were outlined in this book were jaw-dropping to me. Look at the history of Bears Ears. Obama designated it a National Monument, Trump cut it back by 85% and Biden is trying to restore it to its original boundaries that Obama documented. Crazy stuff.
The book didn’t leave me feeling hopeful, but it did leave me informed. Anyone who is concerned about climate change and continuing to try and atone for what happened to the Indigenous people should read this book.
Teddy Roosevelt was man full of energy, ideas, ambitions, passions and contradictions. Taken alone, the story of TR is a full and robust story. But Gessner has wound the story of TR around his dedication to the national parks and monuments and laid bare so many layers of what is involved in the history of the parks/monuments and the political battles that still go on today.
In the very beginning, Gessner says “Over the previous few years I had been relearning an old lesson: no matter how often public lands are ‘saved’, they are never really safe”. This is the basic premise of the book. Going back to manifest destiny, when Americans pushed Westward to spread Capitalism and Democracy, forcing Indigenous people off their land, the book covers what really happened during this time. From there, Gessner takes us through the 1906 Antiquities Act and brings us to the current day where there are battles that continue to happen over public lands. Each side has its own story. The Environmentalists want to preserve the natural areas. The Tribal Councils want to preserve the history that resides in those areas. The Ranchers want to continue to lease land from the government and have multitudes of cows graze the land. Some politicians want to scale back the parks/monuments to allow further mining.
The book definitely has political aspects to it. It also gets a bit preachy at times. Although it is clear where Gessner stands, he does a good job of laying out the different sides of the argument. The question that remains is how to get all sides together to work out an acceptable plan to save the environment, allow for migration of animals, protect the artifacts and historical tribal areas, and allow business to prosper. Is it even possible or will it continue to change every time there is a new party in the White House?
Honestly, some of the things that were outlined in this book were jaw-dropping to me. Look at the history of Bears Ears. Obama designated it a National Monument, Trump cut it back by 85% and Biden is trying to restore it to its original boundaries that Obama documented. Crazy stuff.
The book didn’t leave me feeling hopeful, but it did leave me informed. Anyone who is concerned about climate change and continuing to try and atone for what happened to the Indigenous people should read this book.
tabbycat26's review against another edition
1.0
I got frustrated with this book. As I expected it to describe all the places that Teddy Roosevelt tried to preserve but this seems more like an autobiography. Definitely wasn't even able to finish this book
mohawkm's review against another edition
5.0
Important reading for anyone who wants to live in the West (or does so currently). As we talk about making certain wilderness areas "sacrificial" due to the massive increase in people coming to see wilderness, let's talk about what the reasons are for preserving islands of wilderness are. This book covers a lot of subtleties that are worth understanding while sharing bits about Teddy Roosevelt throughout.
rumpfie's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best nonfiction books I've read in a long time. About public lands, public/presidential policies, Theodore Roosevelt, and more. So good. Highly recommend.
cook03's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
coric's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Gessner magically blends past and present with his personal memoir and travelogue alongside his explorative study of Theodore Roosevelt and western environmental history as he winds through the western states. Through research, conversations, and his travels through places where Roosevelt left his legacy, he gives us a fresh character study of a well-known and complicated American hero. While highlighting his accomplishments, Gessner does not shy away from his problematic actions and beliefs nor defend him as a man of his time. It will be a compelling and inspiring read for those who need a gentle nudge or encouragement to continue advocating for what needs protection. His goals are relatable as he uses this journey to examine his own purpose and role in protecting the non-human world and re-claiming it for those who were here first. It is a timely tale about advocating for this glorious world we inhabit and bringing awareness to the current issues of the west.
triceratopper's review against another edition
1.0
This book is part memoir, part love letter to Theodore Roosevelt, part hate letter to Donald Trump, part commentary on the current state of conservation in the United States. It tries to do all of these things, but doesn't quite succeed in any of them. I suppose I learned some things about Roosevelt's conservation efforts, which were more numerous than I had realized, but to get there, I had to slog through a drug trip with the author's nephew and commentary from various politicians and environmentalists both of the past and present.
Edit: I'm currently reading the book [b:Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America|53056522|Mediocre The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America|Ijeoma Oluo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569299522l/53056522._SY75_.jpg|66444954], and in the first chapter, Theodore Roosevelt is touched upon in a very different light. In some ways, I feel like I learned more about him from Medoicre than I did in this book. (And it also works as a hate letter to Donald Trump.)
Edit: I'm currently reading the book [b:Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America|53056522|Mediocre The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America|Ijeoma Oluo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569299522l/53056522._SY75_.jpg|66444954], and in the first chapter, Theodore Roosevelt is touched upon in a very different light. In some ways, I feel like I learned more about him from Medoicre than I did in this book. (And it also works as a hate letter to Donald Trump.)
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