The Great Adventure: Theodore Roosevelt and the Rise of Modern America (Hardcover)

by Albert Marrin (Author) "October 27, 1858, was an unseasonably cold day in New York City..." (more)
Key Phrases: troublesome conscience, New York, United States, White House (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Along the lines of his George Washington and the Founding of a Nation (2001), Marrin offers a twin portrait of American society in a time of profound change and the life of a figure so dominant in the politics and self-image of the time that he has become an enduring symbol. A polymath who published some 18 million words and was the first American to receive a Nobel Prize, Roosevelt (no one who knew him well called him "Teddy") was also given to dancing exultantly around the big game he slaughtered, and to blasting (in print) the presidents who succeeded him. Marrin gives him "a place in the front rank of our country's heroes," particularly for his achievements in environmental conservation, but also shows him acting badly—for example in the shameful Brownsville incident. Numerous endnotes and contemporary photos and prints add to this scholarly profile, which, like Betsy Harvey Kraft's Theodore Roosevelt: Champion of the American Spirit (2003), will give serious history students a solid grounding in the man's times, career, and forceful character. Peters, John

Product Description
We knew toil and hardship and hunger and thirst . . . but we felt the hardy life in our veins, and ours was the glory of work and the joy of living.

—Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt is one of America’s liveliest and most influential figures. He was a scholar, cowboy, war hero, explorer, and a brilliant politician. As president, Roosevelt’s far-reaching policies abroad and at home forever changed both our nation’s place in the world and the life of every modern American.

Fascinating details and an intimate, fast-paced narrative explore the heroic life and complex world of an American icon.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (December 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525476598
• ISBN-13: 978-0525476597
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #628,017 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down!, December 29, 2008

By	Leslie S. (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews

I have read a lot about Roosevelt and didn't expect to learn much new, but being an Albert Marrin fan, decided to read the book anyway. Well, being an Albert Marrin fan, I should have known I would be learning a lot even if I had read a lot about Roosevelt. The reason being, he doesn't just focus on TR, he also talks a lot about the times in which he lived and the people around TR. This would be an excellent read for a high schooler studying US history or the 20th century. I would make any of Albert Marrin's works must reading for those in honor classes or AP.

4.0 out of 5 stars A good biography, September 8, 2008

By	Kurt A. Johnson (Marseilles, Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In this interesting biography, author and historian Professor Albert Marrin presents the life and times of Theodore Roosevelt. Beginning with a look at mid-nineteenth century Manhattan and Theodore Roosevelt's parents, the author then goes through the history of the United States, and the life of Roosevelt, as the one affected the other and vice versa.

Overall, I found this to be a very interesting book. The author did a very good job of presenting President Roosevelt's life and the history of America in a brief yet informative manner, giving the reader a good understanding of who Theodore Roosevelt was and what he accomplished. My biggest gripe against this book, however, is that the author often seems to be talking down to the reader, as if a young reader needs to be told not just what the facts are but also what to think about them. After a short period of time I began to find it rather irritating.

But, that said, I do think that this is an interesting read, and a good biography of the twenty-sixth President of the United States.

5.0 out of 5 stars Theodore Roosevelt, June 11, 2008

By	T. L. Weiner (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Albert Marrin is a wonderful writer and he brings history to life. I have read several of his books and he has never failed to be informative and interesting. By the time you have finished the book, you feel as though you have met the person you are reading about. Unlike most biographies, he doesn't waste a lot of space on idle information. He gets to the point and gives you the important points while keeping the reader wanting more. I suggest all his books