Through the Brazilian Wilderness Or My Voyage Along the River of Doubt [Paperback]

Theodore Roosevelt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 26, 2009

After losing his bid for the United States Presidency as a third party candidate, Theodore Roosevelt decided to take on the most dangerous adventure left on earth. He and his son, Kermit, accepted Candido Mariano da Silva Rondon's invitation to help him plot the course of the River of Doubt. The River of Doubt could just as easily have been named the River of Death. The river's rapids turned out to be much more ferocious than expected, cannibalistic natives dogged the group through most of the journey, and Murphy was their constant companion. The expedition lost men, supplies, and canoes. At one point, Roosevelt contracted a flesh-eating bacteria and became so weak that he urged his son to leave him behind to die. Ultimately Teddy and Kermit emerged from the wilderness triumphantly. Here is their story in Theodore Roosevelt's own words.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Theodore Roosevelt (1858?1919) was the 26th President of the United States. He is well remembered for his energetic persona, his range of interests and achievements, his leadership of the Progressive Movement, his model of masculinity, and his "cowboy" image. He was a leader of the Republican Party and founder of the short-lived Progressive ("Bull Moose") Party of 1912. Before becoming President (1901?1909) he held offices at the municipal, state, and federal level of government. Roosevelt's achievements as a naturalist, explorer, hunter, author, and soldier are as much a part of his fame as any office he held as a politician. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Wilder Publications (March 26, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 160459618X
• ISBN-13: 978-1604596182
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,187,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #45 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Travel > Specialty Travel > Adventure > General
  • #77 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Reference > Writing > Travel
  • #81 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Travel > Reference & Tips > Essays & Travelogues

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars no maps!, July 16, 2009

By 

C. Hurt (Indy) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Through the Brazilian Wilderness Or My Voyage Along the River of Doubt (Paperback)

I just wanted to warn people that the Wilder Publications paperback version has no maps!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly excellent book, May 27, 2011

By 

David Craig (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Through the Brazilian Wilderness or My Voyage Along the River of Doubt (Paperback)

TR's account of his expedition to explore the River of Doubt shows a lot of the reasons we still admire him. First, he was a serious scientist. He was dedicated to discovering new species of wildlife (and could rattle off their Latin names with the best of them), mapping unknown stretches of river, and observing the ways of foreign lands. We know TR as a physical character and often forget what a highly intelligent man he was.

Second, his writing is greatly under-appreciated. He doesn't breeze over his descriptions of wildlife or the landscape--it's pretty technical stuff--but he does it clearly and concisely. As someone who has labored through countless pedantic textbooks, I took comfort in his words, "Ability to write well, if the writer had nothing to write about, entitles him to mere derision. But the greatest thought is robbed of an immense proportion of its value if expressed in a mean or obscure manner."

Third, despite the above, he could still endure enormous physical hardship at an old age. Battling rapids, hauling canoes, fighting disease, and hunting game, TR had the combination of brawn and intelligence that's seriously lacking in our leaders today, especially the lightweight that now sits behind TR's desk.

This book is also a great window into a time and place forever lost to history. TR's writing projects a clear photo in your mind of undiscovered wilderness and great adventure.