Customer Reviews

Strenuous Life (Little Books of Wisdom)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This is a documented speech by "Teddy." If you believe that life owes you something as opposed to working hard and earning your keep, then you must read this book. If you are a self-starter and want to "make a name for yourself" through hard work, this book/speech will get you excited. It is a must read -- even for children. Hard work does pay off!

I just wanted to note that I share the experience of the other reviewer, who pointed out that the content is repeated over and over. I don't think this is just a binding error; the page numbers are correct (increasing) for the entire speech, but the actual speech is only around 18 pages, and then repeats for around 100 page. This item has serious problems.

I was very excited to receive this and start reading it. My excitement turned into disappointment when I saw the content start repeating. At first I thought "certainly TR didn't repeat himself so redundantly". Then, I realized that it was the publication itself. In my copy, the speech just starts over on page 16, 26 (starts on 2nd paragraph this time), and it goes on and on it seems. There is no indication that you are rereading what has already been printed. It just goes from one paragraph to the next and the next paragraph may be a repeat of what was on page 1.

I guess I will go through the hassle of packaging this up and sending it back to Amazon.

I was very excited when I ordered this book, only to find out that it was defective. As other reviews have already stated, the content in this book is incomplete, and repeats itself over and over again. Do not buy this product.

Be aware that the bnpublishing version of this book repeats the first two speeches several times. It is very distracting and makes the book absolutely worthless. Can not believe it made it to publishing. What a disappointment.

The strenuous life is the name of a famous speech given by Teddy, which is a must read for every academic locked in its cloistered world, as well as every child. Though I wanted a little more from the book, since there is no commentary, forward or afterward, the material speaks for itself.

This book provides excellent advice on how a

person should live. It indicates the strenuous

life of toil and obstacles. It teaches the reader

not to be idle, but, to be active.

Transcription of a brief speech delivered in 1905. Roosevelt recommends that nations as well as individuals not shy away from burdens or opportunities put in their path, no matter how arduous. They should build upon past accomplishments rather than rest on laurels or inherited wealth. Active competition should be favored over taking the easy way out, lest one be overcome by more active competitors. The result is advancement beneficial to everyone.

Book in fairly good condition and published just after TR left office. Content reaffirms great things written about TR and much suggested by TR holds true today.

Note: Amazon has grouped together reviews of several different editions of this book; this review is for The Strenuous Life (Little Books of Wisdom).

This book contains a speech given by the future 26th POTUS in Chicago in 1899 (not 1905 as this edition incorrectly states) that arguably embodies the essence of his political and personal philosophy. Today it could be retitled "Teddy versus the Welfare State" or "Teddy versus Isolationism" or "Teddy versus the Feminization of America" and thus would be all but incomprehensible and downright offensive to Americans of certain political persuasions,...

which is a shame because cowardice and sloth, what Teddy is really preaching against here, ennoble no ideal, advance no cause, and in the end do nobody any good.

It is of course very easy to come up with excuses for ignoring the wisdom embodied in this speech: it has been used to justify imperialism, it is chauvinistic in several different ways, but none of this really adds up to a legitimate excuse to sit on your rear end in safety and comfort while work needs doing or evil needs fighting.

Note: One could complain that this book is available online for free. Well, yes, what part of in the public domain do you not understand? However, trying to get away with giving someone a printout as a gift will earn you the nickname of cheapskate. If all you want to do is read it yourself, then by all means stick to the free sites. However, if you are looking for a way to get through to someone else, you are better off buying a copy, and a solitary sawbuck for this sturdy pocket-sized reprint is going to be tough to beat. The chief virtue of it being online is your ability to read it first and make sure that this is the book you want to give before ordering it.

Note: Applewood Books has produced a nice looking inexpensive series of sturdy pocket-sized reprints of important American books, documents, speeches, pamphlets, and poems, the Little Books of Wisdom, uniform with this volume, that are ideal for gifting to doctors, lawyers, teachers, business professionals, and students of same: The Way to Wealth, George Washington's Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation, The Constitution of the United States of America, On the Art of Teaching, The Poems of Abraham Lincoln, The Bill of Rights with Writings That Formed Its Foundation, The Path of the Law, The Constitution of the Confederate States of America, The Jefferson Bible: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, A Message to Garcia, A Declaration of Sentiments, Robert's Rules of Order, Good Citizenship, On Being Human, A Discourse Upon the Duties of a Physician, The Declaration of Independence with Short Biographies of Its Signers, Teamwork, Stick-To-Itiveness, Opportunity, & You, The Wants of Man, George Washington's Farewell Address, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The Speech of Chief Seattle, Common Sense, The Articles of Confederation, The Emancipation Proclamation, and The Gospel of Wealth.

Some selected volumes are also available in boxed sets: Books of American Wisdom Boxed Set, CEO's Gift Box of Wisdom, Doctor's Gift Box of Wisdom, Lawyer's Gift Box of Wisdom, New Citizen's Gift Box of Wisdom, and Teacher's Gift Box of Wisdom.

And some have been published in Spanish: Un Mensaje a Garcia and Constitucion de Los Estados Unidos.