Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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.