Customer Reviews

The Rough Riders (Modern Library War)

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4 star:		(11)
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First of all, the kindle edition is free so this is an excellent start. Having read the book version this is an exact copy with no additional commentary or changes. Roosevelt is a great storyteller and it comes through in his book. You feel as if he is sitting in front of you while you are both seated in a large red leather chair in front of a fireplace in his library (surrounded by African hunting trophies) drinking cognac and smoking a good cuban cigar. You don't know if it is all true or parts f his imagination but you don't care because it is a good time. Take a trip into a little known war that helped transform a unique individual into a President that is a familiar name to all.

This is the best formatted public domain book I've found. The book itself is very good, and I found it upbeat enough to read while at the gym. It's also pretty short, the last 1/4 is the Appendix and reference section.

My grandfather was a member of Troop A of the Rough Riders and wrote a series of articles for our local newspaper (Champaign, IL) on his experiences. After reading his comments and then reading the book written by Roosevelt I know first hand that Col. Roosevelt told it like it was. "Rough" was putting it mildly. My grandfather survived but had re-occurring bouts of maleria throughout his life. I transcribed his accounts into a family album for my children and grandchildren so he would not be forgotten. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone wanting to learn about our history.

I found it to be very descriptive and spellbinding. History has been the majority of the time very dry, and therefore lacks in holding my attention. I like it when the page becopmes alive, and you feel like you are right there with them, at the time it is happening.

My grand father in law rode with Teddy Roosevelt and much of the description appears to be similar to what was passed down through the family since his death.

I highly recommend it, as a historical reading piece.

The 1st USV (the Rough Riders) has to be one of the most interesting units in US military history. The collection of characters who filled its ranks could spawn dozens of other titles. This book is WELL written by Teddy Roosevelt, one of our most colorful persidents, is a frank and great account of the life of this unit. I found it quite enjoyable, and didn't feel that the book was TR blowing his own horn, he cared very much for his men and this shows through in this book. A must for any history buff.

"The Rough Riders," by Theodore Roosevelt, is the author's memoir of his experiences as part of the First United States Volunteer Cavalry during the Spanish-American War. The book's title comes from the nickname earned by the unit. The copyright page notes that the text was originally published in 1899. TR tells about the recruitment and training of the Rough Riders, their voyage to Cuba, their battles, and their return home.

Much of the book concerns what, in TR's opinion, makes for good soldiers and good leaders. Although the book first appeared over a century ago, I found many of TR's observations startlingly relevant to contemporary warfare; he discusses wartime refugees, guerrilla warfare, wartime atrocities, and battlefield news correspondents. Other topics covered include illness among the troops and the impact of weather and terrain on warfare. He also discusses occasional humorous material, such as the nicknames some soldiers earned.

Roosevelt includes fascinating technical details about the weapons of this era. Although he frankly discusses the violence, wounds, and deaths of the battlefield, overall I got a sense that TR saw the war as a grand adventure-even fun on a certain level. The writing style is very engaging and has a clear, matter-of-fact quality. TR's admiration and love for his troops ultimately gives the book a real warmth and humanity. This is truly a landmark in the rich canon of American military memoirs.

This was Teddy Roosevelt's account of his beloved Rough Riders and how they and him, virtually won the war in Cuba single-handed during the Spanish American War. I personally thought the book was well written, very informative about the character of the war, problems and individuals that make up the Rough Riders and Roosevelt's own take on the war. I am pretty sure that Teddy didn't write this book just for history. He had politics in mind when he wrote it and he made sure that he was at the center of the universe in his own book. Actually, there isn't nothing wrong with that since the book reads well and Roosevelt was generous with his praises toward many people. Teddy was also quite insightful in his observations of the way our military campaign in Cuba was being handled. It was clear that he did care a lot about his men and took his responsiblity seriously. A good reading material on the Spanish American War even with the pro-Teddy bias, you can't help but to be entertained by it.

This book tells the tale of the ten-week Spanish American War of 1898 from the perspective of one of its heroes. Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) wanted to intervene in Cuba and drive the Spanish out of the "western world." When the American ship Maine was bombed (we don't know by whom, and Roosevelt does not discuss the issue), America had the excuse it was seeking. It went to war, won, and Spain lost its hold in the American area and disintegrated into a weak nation. Roosevelt writes modestly. He doesn't exalt himself in his book. He repeatedly extols his Rough Riders, about a thousand volunteers, half of whom fought in Cuba with him alongside the US regular army, as a separate regiment. Many of these volunteers were cowboys, hunters, marshals, sheriffs, and some college graduates.

Roosevelt, later president of the US, was at the time, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He was offered the position of colonel of the Rough Riders, but suggested that his friend Leonard Wood, who had past military experience, be given the job. Wood later became a general and is remembered today by having an army fort named for him. Roosevelt was the lieutenant colonel and later colonel when Wood was promoted. Roosevelt tells how he trained the Rough Riders, many of whom were accustomed to fighting in the wild west, to fight as a unified team. They trained in San Antonio, the home of the famed Alamo.

He tells of the confusions and lack of communications as only half of his unit was able to sail to Cuba. He states that it took six days to cruise from Florida to Cuba. He describes the problems of insufficient boats and of getting his men ashore. He speaks of the courage of his men, how they endured near starvation, and how they acted with dignity. He describes the confusions of the battles, the inability to tell enemy from friend. He tells of the heroism of the black unit, a unit that was segregated from whites, but performed at least as well.

He speaks about the most famous of the ten-day battles, the battle of San Juan Hill. There were 6,600 Americans against 4,500 Spanish. The Americans killed or wounded totaled 1,071. Roosevelt became famous for leading the charge up this hill. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Many of the Americans became sick in the Cuban climate. The US government didn't bring their soldiers home after the war until Roosevelt and others sent strong objections. Many soldiers returned finding no job. This book was written over a century ago, but it is important history and should be read.

What impresses me about this book is how it differs from most any other narrative of any war I have read before or since. The battlefields of Cuba take on Homerian proportions in this book. Roosevelt sings the praises of the brave soldiers of his regiment (not least of all, himself) and paints a vivid picture of the harsh (yet glorious) realities of war. Rough Riders is valuable as, more than anything, an example of historical paradigm. It is a perspective on the values of a people and a living example of the way in which war has been viewed as a part of the American experience.

In "The Rough Riders" the story of this famed regiment flows from pen of its creator and commander, Theodore Roosevelt. Beginning with his preparations for war while serving as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, TR takes the reader along during the four month life of this romantic regiment.

A polyglot collection of Cowboys and Indians, lawmen and outlaws, Ivy Leaguers and half-breeds, the Rough Riders captured the imagination of the nation. Authorized to organize a volunteer cavalry from the western territories, Roosevelt, recognizing that his own limited military experience may prevent the regiment from a timely arrival at the front, accepted the position of second in command to his friend, Leonard Wood. With Wood's leadership and Roosevelt's energy building on the rough and tumble abilities of its troops, the Rough Riders were quickly whipped into shape and shipped to the embarkation site in Tampa.

Struggling to get to the port and aboard ship, the Rough Riders were among the first troops to get into combat. Charging up Kettle Hill during the attack on the San Juan Hills, the Rough Riders passed through glory on their way to the trenches surrounding Santiago.

With the Spaniards vanquished, the Rough Riders took on a more lethal foe, disease, prominently malaria. As a volunteer officer who did not have to fear official retribution, TR took the lead in fighting for an early return of the army to the U. S. before it was destroyed by tropical diseases.

TR tells the Rough Rider story from every angle. The reader meets its characters and learns its legends. We learn of its triumphs and its disappointments, such as leaving many of its men and most of its horses in Florida. We read of the challenges of transport, landing, fighting and marching. The brass come in for both praise and criticism.

At times the descriptions of the individual soldiers can make the book a bit slow, but for description of the action, it is great. Enjoy this classic piece of Americana!