Customer Reviews

Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt

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Teddy was a small frail asthmatic child whose iron will and loving family helped transform him into one of the most powerful leaders of all time.

This is truly an inspirational book that lets us peek behind the curtain of an upper class family in the late 1800's. Teddy was blessed with two loving parents who nurtured him with the things he needed to grow into an amazing human being.

His mother was a beautiful lady who was always there for him. His father would take Teddy on long rides in the country when he had bouts of asthma and encourage him to work out and become stronger.

Teddy had an insatiable curiosity about nature as a child. He read constantly about wildlife and insects and become a serious collector.

Roosevelt's life was not without tragedy. When he was in his early twenties he lost both his mother to illness and his young wife at childbirth all within a 24 hour period. He loved them both deeply and was shattered.

Immediately afterwards he gave his new child to a sister and moved out west in search of himself. At first he was disliked and considered a dandy by cowboys because of his snobbishness. But, he soon gained their respect by enduring the same hardships and by accepting them for who they were.

I read this book some time ago and it is still one of my favorite books. David McCullough not only thoroughly gathers facts and data for this work, he brings to life a different time and recreates the feelings, emotions, thoughts and attitudes of the Roosevelt family.

Overall this is an incredible book!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Teddy Roosevelt is one of our more interesting Presidents because of his larger than life personality and his various adventures in and out of the political arena. McCullough's book gives detailed treatment to TR's early life and his family.

The early chapters focus almost exclusively on other members of the Roosevelt family, including Theodore Sr. who died while TR was in college. Sr's impact on his son cannot be understated as a role model, a guide on adventurous trips, and an instructor pushing TR physically and intellectually. Although mentioned, the role Teddy's uncle Robert played in his life is not as fleshed out here as in Brinkley's Wilderness Warrior, another book that gives excellent treatment to TR's early days.

TR's development from sickly child to a large and fit adventurer is also explained, though McCullough suggests that TR was never as healthy as his reputation suggested. Still, TR worked hard to develop himself physically starting in his late teens.

There is also a lot of discussion about TR's mother and siblings, with a particular focus on his older sister Anna, known as "Bamie," who became a matriarchal figure to the family.

The book seemed to go rather quickly through TR's first marriage, early western sojourns where he redefined himself, and his early political career as a New York Assemblyman and Mayoral candidate. However, by that point I could hardly put the book down so I may have been the one going quickly.

A book about Teddy Roosevelt cannot help but be interesting and McCullough's is no exception. I highly recommend it to anyone from a casual history reader to a TR aficionado.

I picked up this book at a display in anticipation for President's Day, because I really didn't know all that much about Theodore Roosevelt outside what has become lore and legend.

This biography does cover the entire life of Theodore Roosevelt. It picks up when Theodore is around 10 years of age, and ends when he is around 27. My first thought was: How much could have happened in that time? Little did I realize!!

Theodore Roosevelt, in his youth, was a sickly, asthmatic, rather frail child. And it appeared he would grow into a sickly, asthmatic, rather frail adult. However, with his father's concern, and through his own sheer will, Theodore overcame his physical shortcomings. Throughout his childhood and his years in college, one can easily see the development of the man he would become - simply larger than life at times.

There were times in this book that I didn't like Theodore Roosevelt very much. He was indeed a product of his times and environment in very many ways! It is interesting how a man so callous in regards to hunting animals simply for the pleasure of it would one day take such stock in conservation. In fact, become known for preservation of natural resources.

It seems impossible, when considering the life of this man, that he actually did all that he was able to accomplish in the time he lived. And when one considers his sickly beginnings, it seems all the more remarkable.

David McCullough presents an easy to read biography that really reads almost like a novel. He explores the background of Theodore's family, hobbies, education, interests, health, and romances. The book spans a period of 17 years, but one almost feels as though they've lived through a lifetime! A good read, kept interesting and informative by Mr. McCullough's writing.

Excellent and totally engrossing book. I would highly recommend it to any history buff.

Many people will immensely like this description of Teddy Roosevelt's life. My only criticism is that the events are so detailed. I would rather have had more interpretation of his effect on future national life. This is only My opinion, however.