I Rose Like a Rocket: The Political Education of Theodore Roosevelt [Paperback]

Paul Grondahl (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007

Teddy Roosevelt (1858–1919), the favorite political role model of Bill Clinton and both George Bushes, is legendary for his political acumen and for bending the world to his will. Where, however, did America’s twenty-sixth president learn how to master the rough-and-tumble of politics? Not by weightlifting and boxing, or by heading out West to try cattle ranching, or even as a Rough Rider in Cuba. He was far more than simply a self-made man or a crusading outsider who reinvented politics wholesale. The story of his political education has never been fully told and is every bit as entertaining as his more famous nonpolitical exploits. Roosevelt's rise to the presidency is one of the most captivating, instructive, and inspiring of any American president.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Albany Times Union reporter Grondahl (Mayor Corning: Albany Icon, Albany Enigma) does an outstanding job of documenting Theodore Roosevelt's evolution from brash young political reformer to shrewd and pragmatic political operator, always with his eye on various idealistic prizes. Grondahl first introduces readers to Roosevelt as a boyish, scrawny 23-year-old arriving in Albany during the snowy January of 1882 for his first term in the New York State legislature. He then proceeds to show how the upstart scion of New York's Knickerbocker elite learned to deal with such corrupt and wily operators as "Big John" McManus, "Boss" Tweed, Roscoe Conkling and Tammany enforcer Richard Croker. As Grondahl painstakingly documents, this phase of Roosevelt's life proved to be a vital first step in his political coming-of-age. What he learned in Albany set the stage for the next round in his education as federal civil service commissioner in Washington, D.C., during the late 1880s and early '90s and his colorful tenure as police commissioner of New York City (1895-1897). Moving through these positions and subsequent posts (assistant secretary of the navy, commander of the Rough Riders, governor of New York, vice-president and president), Roosevelt grew as a politician in ways painted quite deftly by Grondahl. Starting off as an uncompromising but ineffective crusader riding a high horse, Roosevelt ended up as a studied master of brinksmanship and deal maker, capable of forging vital political alliances that resulted in meaningful political reform.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Teddy Roosevelt began his political career in 1882 as an assemblyman in the New York State Legislature. For the 23-year-old, it was a world much different from his life in Manhattan's Gramercy Park neighborhood. A decade later he served two years as New York's governor; he also served as assistant secretary of the navy in Washington, as police commissioner in Manhattan, and in the U.S. Volunteer Cavalry (the Rough Riders) in the Spanish-American War. In 1901, Roosevelt became the vice president under McKinley. Grondahl asserts that it was during Roosevelt's term as governor that he "experimented with the emerging political philosophy he would fully develop during his presidency." He points out that New York politics taught Roosevelt the realities of campaigning for, winning, and retaining office. Drawing on a wealth of material--the bibliography lists almost 100 books--Grondahl has written an imposing biography, detailing Roosevelt's life before becoming president while offering an absorbing look at his family and the politics (much of it corrupt) of that era. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 470 pages
• Publisher: Bison Books (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803259875
• ISBN-13: 978-0803259874
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #635,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #93 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( R ) > Roosevelt, Theodore

More About the Author

Paul Grondahl is an award-winning reporter for the Albany Times Union, where his in-depth articles have won numerous local, state and national journalism awards. His assignments have taken him from the Arctic to Antarctica; Northern Ireland to sub-Saharan Africa. He covered the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers from Ground Zero on 9/11 and reported on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Learn more about his writing projects at www.paulgrondahl.com.

He is the author of several books, including the critically acclaimed "Mayor Corning: Albany Icon, Albany Enigma" and "I Rose like a Rocket: The Political Education of Theodore Roosevelt." He was born in 1959 in Tacoma, Wash. and earned a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Puget Sound and a master's in English literature from the University at Albany. He has appeared on C-SPAN's "About Books" and has been named Author of the Year by the Albany Public Library and Guilderland Public Library. He is an adjunct professor in the Africana Studies Department at UAlbany, where he teaches a popular course titled "Culture, Diversity & the Human Condition."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First-rate in every way, July 23, 2004

By 

SWAMP FOX "harvardhistorybuff" (OAKLAND, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Rose Like a Rocket: The Political Education of Theodore Roosevelt (Hardcover)

This is an excellent account of the early political career of

Teddy Roosevelt, state legislator, federal civil service commissioner, NYC police commissioner, Rough Rider, Governor of NY, Vice-President, and you probably know the rest. It is full of wonderful stories, such as TR and reporters combing NYC for policemen who were corrupt or not doing their jobs, the first bicycle policemen which TR organized, his successes and failures, his gift for publicity and cultivation of his image.

With the help of a lot of caffeine, TR worked very hard and learned to work with the less than honest machine politicians. The research seems through and the writing impeccable. A true gem. But, then, the material could not be finer.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful material, May 28, 2005

By 

Anyechka (Rensselaer, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Rose Like a Rocket: The Political Education of Theodore Roosevelt (Hardcover)

TR has always been one of my two favorite Presidents (the other being JFK), and this book is more than just your typical biography on him. It takes the unique angle of writing only about TR's life and political career before he became President, starting with his childhood and going through his political development, service in government, personal triumphs and tragedies, stint as a Rough Rider, time as Vice President, and finally having the last chapter be about his famous late-night ride to take the Oath of Office after President McKinley finally succumbed to his gunshot wound. We learn about how his experiences during this part of his life formed his political philosophy and development, making this incredible human being into the astute incredible President and politician he became over time. Mr. Grondahl really knows how to do his research and how to make it interesting and relevant instead of just some dry recounting of facts, names, and dates. It was also an added bonus how the author lives in the same area as I do.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What an index!, February 26, 2005

By 

Hanky J - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Rose Like a Rocket: The Political Education of Theodore Roosevelt (Hardcover)

This book was an interesting look at the early life of Theodore Roosevelt, but the true masterpiece here is the index. Perfectly alphabetical and full of surnames followed by given names, the index deserves a Pulitzer all its own!