Teddy Roosevelt at San Juan: The Making of a President (Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series) [Hardcover]

Peggy Samuels (Author), Harold Samuels (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Few instances in military history have had such profound consequences as Teddy Roosevelt’s charge at San Juan. Now, for the first time in over a generation, we have a grand narrative of that heroic moment when TR led a ragtag regiment of western cowboys and miners and eastern swells and polo-players charging up a hill to liberate Cuba and create a new America as well. Vivid personalities, mixed motives, folly and heroism all combine in the Samuels narrative as TR reinvents himself and prepares to reinvent his country.”--Paul Andrew Hutton

(Paul Andrew Hutton )

About the Author

PEGGY SAMUELS and HAROLD SAMUELS are writers living near Tucson, Arizona. Their books include Frederic Remington: A Biography and Remembering the Maine

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: TAMU Press; 1st edition (September 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0890967717
• ISBN-13: 978-0890967713
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,263,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The legend reexamined., December 14, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Teddy Roosevelt at San Juan: The Making of a President (Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series) (Hardcover)

The authors reexamine the "Hero of San Juan Hill" to find that the heroic legend was manufactured, partly by Roosevelt himself, partly by the powerful newspaper correspondents he courted, and, perhaps surprisingly, supported by the Rough Riders themselves. That Roosevelt didn't mind risking their lives in his political ambition didn't seem to bother them overmuch - they were, after all, alive and victorious, and shared the prevailing military ethos of those innocent pre-Passchendaele days, when "glory" was counted as a real and achievable goal.
The story is well told here in this well-researched and readable work, with admirable maps by Texas A&M's own Cartographic Unit. Highly recommended for the general reader of military history and Roosevelt fans, as well as others who would like to see the birth of "spin".

The "score" rating is an unwelcome feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Suitable for wrapping fish, March 18, 2005

By 

Deborah Tate (Lake Worth, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Teddy Roosevelt at San Juan: The Making of a President (Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series) (Hardcover)

The authors make no effort to hide their contempt for Theodore Roosevelt. I was struck as I read this tripe that their hatred for TR has completely colored their ability to write a fair and honest look at the famous Rough Rider. This book is useful only if you want a good laugh.