theodore roosevelt biography short

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Theodore Roosevelt

By: History.com Editors

Updated: February 7, 2024 | Original: November 13, 2009

Theodore Roosevelt unexpectedly became the 26th president of the United States in September 1901 after the assassination of William McKinley. Young and physically robust, he brought new energy to the White House and won a second term on his own merits in 1904. 

Roosevelt, a Republican, confronted the bitter struggle between management and labor head-on and became known as the great “trust buster” for his strenuous efforts to break up industrial combinations under the Sherman Antitrust Act. He was also a dedicated conservationist, setting aside some 200 million acres for national forests, reserves and wildlife refuges during his presidency. 

In the foreign policy arena, Roosevelt won a Nobel Peace Prize for his negotiations to end the Russo-Japanese War and spearheaded the beginning of construction on the Panama Canal. After leaving the White House and going on safari in Africa, he returned to politics in 1912, mounting a failed run for president at the head of a new Progressive Party.

But his complex legacy includes not just his achievements as a progressive reformer and conservationist who regulated big business and established the national park system. Like many of his time, he also believed firmly in the existence of a racial hierarchy topped by those of white Anglo-Saxon descent, a belief that shaped his attitudes—and policies—on race relations, land rights and American imperialism.

Theodore Roosevelt’s Early Life and Career

Theodore Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858, to Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. and Martha Bulloch Roosevelt, a wealthy family in New York City. Known as “Teedie”–later “Teddy”–he was frail and sickly as a boy , and as a teenager followed a program of gymnastics and weightlifting to build up his strength. Upon graduating from Harvard College in 1880, Roosevelt married Alice Hathaway Lee and entered Columbia University Law School, though he dropped out after only one year to enter public service. He was elected to the New York State Assembly at the age of 23 and served two terms (1882-84). 

Both his wife and mother died on the same day in 1884, and the grieving Roosevelt spent the next two years on a ranch he owned in the Badlands of the Dakota Territory, where he hunted big game, drove cattle and worked as a frontier sheriff. Upon returning to New York, he married his childhood sweetheart, Edith Kermit Carow. The couple would raise six children together, including Roosevelt’s daughter from his first marriage, Alice. Edith and Theodore’s other children were Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., Kermit Roosevelt, Quentin Roosevelt, Ethel Roosevelt Derby and Archibald Roosevelt.

Did you know? Early in his presidency, Theodore Roosevelt sparked a scandal when he invited the African-American educator Booker T. Washington to dine with him and his family; he was the first president ever to entertain a black man in the White House.

In 1886, Roosevelt ran unsuccessfully for mayor of New York City. Two years later, President Benjamin Harrison rewarded Roosevelt’s service to the Republican Party with a job on the U.S. Civil Service Commission; he was reappointed by Harrison’s successor, Grover Cleveland . In 1895, Roosevelt became president of the New York City Board of Police Commissioners, and in 1897 William McKinley named him as assistant secretary of the U.S. Navy. 

Upon the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898, Roosevelt left his post as naval secretary to become colonel of the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, known as the “ Rough Riders .” Once in Cuba, Roosevelt led the Rough Riders in a brave, costly uphill charge in the Battle of San Juan ; he returned home as one of the war’s most visible heroes.

Teddy Roosevelt’s Unexpected Path to the White House

The Republican political machine in New York threw their considerable support behind the returning war hero, helping Roosevelt defeat a popular Democratic candidate to win the governorship. Once elected, Roosevelt displayed his characteristic independence and unwillingness to buckle to the pressure of party bosses. 

In 1900, the leading New York Republican Thomas C. Platt conspired with national party boss Mark Hanna to get Roosevelt named as McKinley’s running mate, in order to keep him from running for a second term in the governor’s office. Roosevelt campaigned vigorously for McKinley, traveling by train for more than 21,000 miles to speak in 24 states, and McKinley and Roosevelt won in a landslide over Democrats William Jennings Bryan and Adlai E. Stevenson.

On September 6, 1901, a deranged anarchist named Leon Czolgosz shot McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. McKinley died eight days later, and Roosevelt was sworn in as the 26th president. Only 42 years old when he took office, he was the youngest president in the nation’s history, and his youth and vigor immediately transformed the public image of the presidency. 

From the time of his First Annual Message to Congress in December 1901, Roosevelt expressed the progressive belief that government should mediate between conflicting forces (including capital and labor, isolationism and expansionism and conservation and development) in order to stabilize American society.

Theodore Roosevelt’s 'Square Deal'

Roosevelt’s “Square Deal” domestic program included a promise to battle large industrial combinations, or trusts, which threatened to restrain trade. In 1902, his government brought a successful suit under the previously ineffective Sherman Antitrust Act against the Northern Securities Company, a railroad combination formed by James J. Hill, E.H. Harriman and J.P. Morgan . That same year, he intervened in a prolonged coal strike in Pennsylvania , using a combination of negotiation tactics to halt the strike and gain a modest pay increase for the miners.

Roosevelt also used his executive power to further his passion for conservationism. In June 1902, the National Reclamation Act (dedicated to large-scale irrigation projects in the American West) became the first major legislative achievement of his presidency. In addition, Roosevelt set aside almost 200 million acres–almost five times as much land as all his predecessors combined–for national forests, reserves and wildlife refuges. As part of that process, he favored the removal of many Native Americans from their ancestral territories, including approximately 86 million acres of tribal land transferred to the national forest system.

Despite his progressivism and his reputation as a “trustbuster,” Roosevelt was able to amass the support of more conservative Republicans and business interests and win a landslide victory over the Democrats in 1904. He was the first president to win reelection after gaining the White House due to the death of his predecessor.

Theodore Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy

Like McKinley, Roosevelt sought to bring the United States out of its isolationism and fulfill its responsibility as a world power. He believed that America should “speak softly and carry a big stick” in the realm of international affairs and that its president should be willing to use force to back up his diplomatic negotiations. Roosevelt followed this big-stick policy most conspicuously in his dealings in Latin America. 

In 1903, he helped Panama secede from Colombia in order to facilitate the beginning of construction on the Panama Canal , which he later claimed as his greatest accomplishment as president. The following year, after several European nations had attempted to forcibly collect on debts owed to them by Latin American nations, Roosevelt issued a “corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine stating that the United States would bar foreign intervention in Latin America and act to police the hemisphere, ensuring that countries paid their international debts.

To prepare the United States for its expanded role on the world stage, Roosevelt sought to build up the country’s defenses, and by the end of his presidency, he had transformed the U.S. Navy into a major international force at sea. Outside the Western Hemisphere, he led negotiations to end the Russo-Japanese War in 1904-05, winning the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. He also reached an agreement with Japan that traded diplomatic recognition of that country in return for Japan’s acceptance of the ongoing U.S. presence in the Philippines.

Theodore Roosevelt: After the White House

As the 1908 election approached, Roosevelt prepared grudgingly to fulfill the campaign pledge he had made in 1904 not to seek another term, and threw his support behind Secretary of War William Howard Taft . Immediately after leaving office in early 1909, Roosevelt left for a 10-month African safari and a tour of Europe, where he enjoyed international acclaim. Upon his return, Roosevelt found that President Taft had failed to follow through on the promised program of progressive reforms, instead siding with the more conservative wing of the Republican Party. 

The ‘Bull Moose Party’ and the Election of 1912

Incensed, Roosevelt campaigned against Taft for the Republican nomination in 1912; when that effort failed, he and his supporters bolted to form the Progressive Party, popularly known as the Bull Moose Party. (Roosevelt had once referred to himself in a letter as being “as strong as a bull moose.”)

While campaigning in Milwaukee, Roosevelt was shot in the chest by a fanatic, but soon recovered. With the Republican Party split, Democrat Woodrow Wilson took the White House, winning 435 electoral votes to Roosevelt’s 88 (Taft received only eight). Despite the loss, Roosevelt’s run marked the most successful third-party effort in American history, and many of Wilson’s progressive reforms over the next eight years would echo Roosevelt’s 1912 platform. 

Roosevelt was an early advocate of American entry into World War I , which broke out in Europe in 1914, and strongly criticized Wilson’s early policy of neutrality. Once the United States entered the war in 1917, all four of Roosevelt’s sons volunteered to fight; his beloved youngest son, Quentin, was shot down and killed while flying a mission over Germany. 

Theodore Roosevelt Death and Legacy

Politically and physically active until the end, Roosevelt died of a pulmonary embolism in his sleep on January 6, 1919, at his family home in Oyster Bay, New York, at the age of 60. He is buried in Youngs Memorial Cemetery in Oyster Bay Cove.

Theodore Roosevelt is remembered for his contributions to the conservation movement in the United States. His niece, Eleanor Roosevelt , would go on to be the First Lady of the United States during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Teddy Roosevelt were fifth cousins.

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Theodore Roosevelt

(1858-1919)

Who Was Theodore Roosevelt?

Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858, in New York City, to Theodore "Thee" Roosevelt Sr., of Dutch heritage, and Martha "Mittie" Bulloch, a Southern belle rumored to have been a prototype for the Gone with the Wind character Scarlett O'Hara. His family owned a successful plate-glass import business.

As a young boy, Roosevelt — or "Teedie," as he was known to his family members (he wasn't fond of the nickname "Teddy") — spent a lot of time inside his family's handsome brownstone, homeschooled due to his illnesses and asthma. This gave him the opportunity to nurse his passion for animal life, but by his teens, with the encouragement of his father, whom he revered, Roosevelt developed a rigorous physical routine that included weightlifting and boxing.

When his father died during his second year at Harvard College, Roosevelt channeled his grief into working even harder. After graduating magna cum laude in 1880, he enrolled at Columbia Law School and got married to Alice Hathaway Lee of Massachusetts.

Political Life

Roosevelt didn't stay long at law school, opting instead to join the New York State Assembly as a representative from New York City — becoming the youngest to serve in that position. Not long after, Roosevelt was speeding through various public service positions, including captain of the National Guard and minority leader of the New York Assembly. However, the tragic deaths of his mother and his wife, which occurred on the same day (February 14, 1884), propelled Roosevelt to leave for the Dakota Territory for two years. There, he lived as a cowboy and cattle rancher, leaving his infant daughter in the care of his elder sister.

Returning to political life in 1886, Roosevelt was defeated for the New York City mayorship. Around the same time, he married his second wife, Edith Kermit Carow, whom he had known as a child (they had watched the funeral procession of Abraham Lincoln from a window in his grandfather's house on Union Square in New York City). Roosevelt soon resumed his career trajectory, first as a civil service commissioner, then as a New York City police commissioner and Assistant U.S. Navy Secretary under President McKinley.

Taking a keen interest in the Spanish-American War , Roosevelt left his government post to organize a volunteer cavalry known as the Rough Riders, which he led in a bold charge up San Juan Hill in the Battle of San Juan Heights , in 1898. A war hero, and nominated for the Medal of Honor, Roosevelt was elected governor of New York in 1898.

U.S. Presidency

Roosevelt's progressive policies in New York ran him afoul of his own party, so Republican Party bosses plotted to quiet him by naming him on the McKinley ticket in the thankless post of vice president. However, after his re-election in 1901, President McKinley was assassinated. At age 42, Roosevelt became the youngest man to assume the U.S. presidency.

Roosevelt’s presidency is distinguished by his dedication to prosecuting monopolies under the Sherman Antitrust Act. Out of this commitment grew a benchmark of his first term, the "Square Deal" — a domestic program that embraced reform of the American workplace, government regulation of industry and consumer protection, with the overall aim of helping all classes of people. Roosevelt's charismatic personality and impassioned combination of pounding fists and emphatic rhetoric undoubtedly helped in pushing his agenda.

In 1905, Roosevelt walked his niece, Eleanor Roosevelt , down the aisle (Theodore's brother, Elliott, had died in 1894) during the wedding ceremony for Eleanor and her fifth cousin once removed, Franklin D. Roosevelt .

Around the same time, believing that America needed to take its rightful place on the world stage, Roosevelt initiated a massive public relations effort. Engaging his unofficial policy of “Speak softly and carry a big stick,” Roosevelt bulked up the U.S. Navy and created the "Great White Fleet," sending it on a world tour as a testament to U.S. military power. He also helped expedite the completion of the Panama Canal by providing tacit approval of the Panama revolution with funds and a naval blockade preventing Colombian troops from landing in Panama. President Roosevelt was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for his role in negotiating the end of the Russo-Japanese War. Roosevelt believed that if Japan had devastated Russia, it would lead to an imbalance of power in the Pacific, one that the United States would eventually have to realign, but at a disastrous cost.

Roosevelt's international stance was the impetus for the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, which claims the right to intervene in cases of wrongdoing by a Latin American or any other nation, though some critics assert that the doctrine designates the United States as the "policeman" of the western world.

While it is true Roosevelt supported desegregation and women's suffrage, his administration took an often passive, sometimes contradictory approach to improve civil rights. He defended Minnie Cox, who experienced racial discrimination in the South while working as a postmaster and strongly supported a woman’s right to vote in 1912. Roosevelt was also the first president to entertain an African American, Booker T. Washington , as a guest at the White House. However, the political backlash from the event was so severe that he never invited Washington back again.

One of Roosevelt’s less admirable actions regarding civil rights occurred in 1906. The War Department Inspector General had investigated an incident in Brownsville, Texas, involving Black troops who had been accused of a shooting rampage that left one white person dead and another wounded. The Inspector General’s report recommended the president dismiss the solders because none would confess. Roosevelt waited until after the November elections — after hundreds of thousands of Black people cast their votes for Republican candidates across the North — and then dismissed all 167 Black soldiers from the service. None would receive their pensions.

Roosevelt has also been deemed the country's first environmentalist president. In 1906, he signed the National Monuments Act, protecting sites like the Grand Canyon and preserving countless wildlife sanctuaries, national forests and federal game reserves. He also made headway with the nation’s infrastructure, instigating 21 federal irrigation projects.

The presidential mansion officially became known as the White House when Roosevelt had the name emblazoned on his stationery. He hired the most illustrious architects of the time, McKim Mead and White, to renovate the decrepit mansion. During his presidential term, the White House served as a lively playground for the Roosevelts' six children; due in no small part to the president's passion for sports and books, each room of the home was enlivened with activity, from crawl space to library. "Giving the pony a ride in the elevator was but one of many stunts" of the Roosevelt White House, according to memoirs published in 1934 by Ike Hoover, the White House's chief usher.

Travel and Post-Presidency Politics

When Roosevelt left office in 1909, he felt assured that he was leaving the nation able hands; Roosevelt's successor was his friend, former Secretary of War William Howard Taft . Having enjoyed his travels in Europe and the Middle East with his family as a young boy, as well as his two years as a rancher in the Dakotas and countless hunting trips, it seems only logical that Roosevelt's next move would be embarking on an African safari.

But after two years of collecting specimens, speaking engagements and traveling — including as special ambassador to England for the funeral of King Edward VII — Roosevelt became disgruntled with Taft’s weak enforcement of progressive policies and decided to make another run for the presidency. To do so, though, meant launching a third-party initiative, as Taft was running on the Republican Party ticket. So Roosevelt formed the Progressive Party, also known as the "Bull Moose Party," and began campaigning for the 1912 election. While delivering a speech on the campaign trail in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Roosevelt was shot in the chest in an assassination attempt by John Nepomuk Schrank. Shockingly, he continued his speech for 90 minutes before seeing a doctor, later chalking up the incident to the hazards of the business.

Roosevelt lost to Woodrow Wilson in the 1912 election, in a rather close popular vote. He considered running again in 1916, winning the Progressive nomination, but bowed out in favor of Republican Party nominee Charles Evans Hughes.

His political aspirations, however, would soon prove to be far from over. In 1914 when war broke out in Europe, Roosevelt became frustrated with Wilson’s stance on neutrality and continually criticized the president’s policy. When the U.S. finally declared war, Roosevelt requested permission to head a volunteer division for service in France in World War I , but Wilson had the Secretary of War turn him down.

Roosevelt was proud that all four of his sons enlisted for service during WWI, but brokenhearted when his youngest son, Quentin, was shot and killed in Germany.

Death and Legacy

When Roosevelt was a young boy, doctors discovered that he had a weak heart, and advised him to get a desk job and not strain himself. However, he lived a more active life than most. Outside of his political career, Roosevelt published more than 25 books about a range of subjects, including history, biology, geography and philosophy. He also published a biography and an autobiography, including The Winning of the West , comprised of four volumes.

Roosevelt died in his sleep on January 6, 1919, at his Long Island estate, Sagamore Hill , after suffering a coronary embolism. He was 60 years old. He was buried at the Youngs Memorial Cemetery in New York.

Although he was denied the Medal of Honor for the Battle of San Juan Heights, Roosevelt posthumously received the honor — the highest award for military service in the United States — more than 100 years later, on January 16, 2001, Roosevelt was the first president to receive the Medal of Honor, conferred by President Bill Clinton .

Roosevelt's energetic vision helped bring the nation into the new century. America owes nearly 200 million acres of national forest and parkland to his foresight — some of which can be viewed atop Mount Rushmore, where Roosevelt's visage is carved in memorial.

QUICK FACTS

• Name: Theodore Roosevelt
• Birth Year: 1858
• Birth date: October 27, 1858
• Birth State: New York
• Birth City: New York
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: A New York governor who became the 26th U.S. president, Theodore Roosevelt is remembered for his foreign policy, corporate reforms and ecological preservation.
• U.S. Politics
• Astrological Sign: Scorpio
• Harvard College
• Columbia Law School
• Death Year: 1919
• Death date: January 6, 1919
• Death State: New York
• Death City: Oyster Bay
• Death Country: United States

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CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Theodore Roosevelt Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/political-figures/theodore-roosevelt
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: January 11, 2022
• Original Published Date: April 3, 2014
• I do not believe there ever was any life more attractive to a vigorous young fellow than life on a cattle ranch in those days. It was a fine, healthy life, too; it taught a man self-reliance, hardihood, and the value of instant decision ... I enjoyed the life to the full.
• Far and away, the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.
• Speak softly and carry a big stick. You will go far.
• There is delight in the hardy life of the open.
• A man's usefulness depends upon his living up to his ideals insofar as he can.
• It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.
• Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground.
• Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike.
• A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be great or a democracy.
• Ours is a government of liberty by, through and under the law.
• If I must choose between righteousness and peace, I choose righteousness.
• Courage, hard work, self-mastery and intelligent effort are essential to successful life.

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Theodore Roosevelt: Life in Brief

Theodore Roosevelt, who came into office in 1901 and served until 1909, is considered the first modern President because he significantly expanded the influence and power of the executive office. From the Civil War to the turn of the twentieth century, the seat of power in the national government resided in the U.S. Congress. Beginning in the 1880s, the executive branch gradually increased its power. Roosevelt seized on this trend, believing that the President had the right to use all powers except those that were specifically denied him to accomplish his goals. As a result, the President, rather than Congress or the political parties, became the center of the American political arena. As President, Roosevelt challenged the ideas of limited government and individualism. In their stead, he advocated government regulation to achieve social and economic justice. He used executive orders to accomplish his goals, especially in conservation, and waged an aggressive foreign policy. He was also an extremely popular President and the first to use the media to appeal directly to the people, bypassing the political parties and career politicians.

Frail and sickly as a boy, "Teedie" Roosevelt developed a rugged physique as a teenager and became a lifelong advocate of exercise and the "strenuous life." After graduating from Harvard, Roosevelt married Alice Hathaway Lee and studied law at Columbia University. He dropped out after a year to pursue politics, winning a seat in the New York Assembly in 1882.

A double tragedy struck Roosevelt in 1884, when his mother and his wife died in the same house on the same day. Roosevelt spent two years out West in an attempt to recover, tending cows as a rancher and busting outlaws as a frontier sheriff. In 1886, he returned to New York and married his childhood sweetheart, Edith Kermit Carow. They raised six children, including Roosevelt's daughter from his first marriage. After losing a campaign for mayor, he served as Civil Service commissioner, president of the New York City Police Board, and assistant secretary of the Navy. All the while, he demonstrated honesty in office, upsetting the party bosses who expected him to ignore the law in favor of partisan politics.

War Hero and Vice President

When the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898, Roosevelt volunteered as commander of the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, known as the Rough Riders, leading a daring charge on San Juan Hill. Returning as a war hero, he became governor of New York and began to exhibit an independence that upset the state's political machine. To stop Roosevelt's reforms, party bosses "kicked him upstairs" to the vice presidency under William McKinley, believing that in this position he would be unable to continue his progressive policies. Roosevelt campaigned vigorously for McKinley in 1900—one commentator remarked, "Tis Teddy alone that's running, an' he ain't a runnin', he's a gallopin'." Roosevelt's efforts helped ensure victory for McKinley. But his time as vice president was brief; McKinley was assassinated in 1901, making Roosevelt the President of the United States.

By the 1904 election, Roosevelt was eager to be elected President in his own right. To achieve this, he knew that he needed to work with Republican Party leaders. He promised to hold back on parts of his progressive agenda in exchange for a free hand in foreign affairs. He also got the reluctant support of wealthy capitalists, who feared his progressive measures, but feared a Democratic victory even more. TR won in a landslide, becoming the first President to be elected after gaining office due to the death of his predecessor. Upon victory, he vowed not to run for another term in 1908, a promise he came to regret.

Modern Presidency

As President, Roosevelt worked to ensure that the government improved the lives of American citizens. His "Square Deal" domestic program reflected the progressive call to reform the American workplace, initiating welfare legislation and government regulation of industry. He was also the nation's first environmentalist President, setting aside nearly 200 million acres for national forests, reserves, and wildlife refuges. In foreign policy, Roosevelt wanted to make the United States a global power by increasing its influence worldwide. He led the effort to secure rights to build the Panama Canal, one of the greatest engineering feats at that time. He also issued his "corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine, which established the United States as the "policeman" of the Western Hemisphere. In addition, he used his position as President to help negotiate peace agreements between belligerent nations, believing that the world should settle international disputes through diplomacy rather than war. Roosevelt is considered the first modern U.S. President because he greatly strengthened the power of the executive branch. He was also an extremely popular President—so popular after leaving office in 1909 that he was able to mount a serious run for the presidency again in 1912. Believing that his successor, William Howard Taft, had failed to continue his program of reform, TR threw his hat into the ring as a candidate for the Progressive Party. Although Roosevelt was defeated by Democrat Woodrow Wilson, his efforts resulted in the creation of one of the most significant third parties in U.S. history. With the onset of World War I in 1914, Roosevelt advocated that the United States prepare itself for war. Accordingly, he was highly critical of Wilson's pledge of neutrality. Once the United States entered the war in 1917, all four of Roosevelt's sons volunteered to serve, which greatly pleased the former President. The death of his youngest son, Quentin, left him deeply distraught. Theodore Roosevelt died less than a year later.

Sidney Milkis

Professor of Politics University of Virginia

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Theodore Roosevelt

The 26th President of the United States

The biography for President Roosevelt and past presidents is courtesy of the White House Historical Association.

With the assassination of President William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, not quite 43, became the 26th and youngest President in the Nation’s history (1901-1909). He brought new excitement and power to the office, vigorously leading Congress and the American public toward progressive reforms and a strong foreign policy.

With the assassination of President McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, not quite 43, became the youngest President in the Nation’s history. He brought new excitement and power to the Presidency, as he vigorously led Congress and the American public toward progressive reforms and a strong foreign policy.

He took the view that the President as a “steward of the people” should take whatever action necessary for the public good unless expressly forbidden by law or the Constitution.” I did not usurp power,” he wrote, “but I did greatly broaden the use of executive power.”

Roosevelt’s youth differed sharply from that of the log cabin Presidents. He was born in New York City in 1858 into a wealthy family, but he too struggled–against ill health–and in his triumph became an advocate of the strenuous life.

In 1884 his first wife, Alice Lee Roosevelt, and his mother died on the same day. Roosevelt spent much of the next two years on his ranch in the Badlands of Dakota Territory. There he mastered his sorrow as he lived in the saddle, driving cattle, hunting big game–he even captured an outlaw. On a visit to London, he married Edith Carow in December 1886.

During the Spanish-American War, Roosevelt was lieutenant colonel of the Rough Rider Regiment, which he led on a charge at the battle of San Juan. He was one of the most conspicuous heroes of the war.

Boss Tom Platt, needing a hero to draw attention away from scandals in New York State, accepted Roosevelt as the Republican candidate for Governor in 1898. Roosevelt won and served with distinction.

As President, Roosevelt held the ideal that the Government should be the great arbiter of the conflicting economic forces in the Nation, especially between capital and labor, guaranteeing justice to each and dispensing favors to none.

Roosevelt emerged spectacularly as a “trust buster” by forcing the dissolution of a great railroad combination in the Northwest. Other antitrust suits under the Sherman Act followed.

Roosevelt steered the United States more actively into world politics. He liked to quote a favorite proverb, “Speak softly and carry a big stick. . . . ”

Aware of the strategic need for a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific, Roosevelt ensured the construction of the Panama Canal. His corollary to the Monroe Doctrine prevented the establishment of foreign bases in the Caribbean and arrogated the sole right of intervention in Latin America to the United States.

He won the Nobel Peace Prize for mediating the Russo-Japanese War, reached a Gentleman’s Agreement on immigration with Japan, and sent the Great White Fleet on a goodwill tour of the world.

Some of Theodore Roosevelt’s most effective achievements were in conservation. He added enormously to the national forests in the West, reserved lands for public use, and fostered great irrigation projects.

He crusaded endlessly on matters big and small, exciting audiences with his high-pitched voice, jutting jaw, and pounding fist. “The life of strenuous endeavor” was a must for those around him, as he romped with his five younger children and led ambassadors on hikes through Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C.

Leaving the Presidency in 1909, Roosevelt went on an African safari, then jumped back into politics. In 1912 he ran for President on a Progressive ticket. To reporters he once remarked that he felt as fit as a bull moose, the name of his new party.

While campaigning in Milwaukee, he was shot in the chest by a fanatic. Roosevelt soon recovered, but his words at that time would have been applicable at the time of his death in 1919: “No man has had a happier life than I have led; a happier life in every way.”

Learn more about Theodore Roosevelt’s spouse, Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt .

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Born: October 27, 1858 in New York, New York

Died: January 6, 1919 in Oyster Bay, New York

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Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) was the 26th President of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. A charismatic and dynamic leader, he played a pivotal role in Progressive Era reforms. Known for his “Square Deal” policies, Roosevelt advocated for consumer protection, conservation of natural resources, and regulation of big business. His presidency also saw the construction of the Panama Canal and efforts to mediate international conflicts, earning him a Nobel Peace Prize. Beyond politics, Roosevelt was a naturalist, historian, and military leader, leaving a lasting legacy on American politics and environmental conservation.

Roosevelt was born into a family with a long history of public service and prominence in New York society. His father, Theodore Roosevelt Sr., was a successful businessman and philanthropist, while his mother, Martha Bulloch Roosevelt, came from a wealthy Southern family. Afflicted by various health issues, young Theodore spent much of his childhood pursuing a rigorous regimen of physical exercise to build strength and resilience.

Despite his health challenges, Roosevelt displayed an early intellectual curiosity. He entered Harvard University in 1876 and quickly distinguished himself as an energetic and engaged student. Tragically, in 1878, both his father and mother died on the same day—his mother from typhoid fever and his father from gastrointestinal cancer. This devastating loss had a profound impact on Roosevelt, causing him to retreat from society for a time.

Roosevelt emerged from his period of mourning with a renewed sense of purpose. In the years that followed, he delved into a variety of pursuits, including writing, ranching in the Badlands of North Dakota, and exploring the natural world. His experiences in the West significantly influenced his views on conservation and the need to preserve the nation’s natural resources.

Roosevelt’s entry into politics began in the New York State Assembly, where he served from 1882 to 1884. His commitment to progressive ideals and disdain for political corruption quickly garnered attention. Roosevelt’s reputation as a reformer led to his appointment as a U.S. Civil Service Commissioner under President Benjamin Harrison. In this role, he fought against the prevailing system of patronage and advocated for merit-based hiring.

Roosevelt’s passion for public service extended beyond politics. In 1895, he became the New York City Police Commissioner, implementing significant reforms to professionalize the police force and combat corruption. His efforts to clean up the NYPD earned him both praise and criticism, but Roosevelt’s commitment to public duty remained unwavering.

During the Spanish-American War in 1898, Roosevelt resigned from his position as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to lead a volunteer cavalry unit known as the Rough Riders. His leadership and courage during the Battle of San Juan Hill in Cuba propelled him to national prominence. Roosevelt returned a hero, and his exploits in the war became a cornerstone of his political image.

Roosevelt’s political journey reached new heights in 1898 when he was elected Governor of New York. His progressive policies, known as the “Square Deal,” emphasized fairness for all citizens and sought to address the challenges arising from rapid industrialization. His reputation as a reform-minded governor paved the way for his nomination as the Republican candidate for Vice President in 1900, running alongside President William McKinley.

The unexpected death of President McKinley in 1901 thrust Roosevelt into the presidency at the age of 42, making him the youngest person to ever hold the office. Roosevelt’s presidency was marked by a dynamic and energetic approach, earning him the nickname the “Bull Moose.” He advocated for progressive reforms, trust-busting, and conservation, leaving an enduring impact on the nation.

Roosevelt’s domestic agenda, encapsulated in the Square Deal, sought to strike a balance between the interests of labor, business, and the public. He took on powerful trusts and corporations, utilizing antitrust laws to break up monopolies and promote competition. Roosevelt’s efforts to regulate big business earned him both praise as a trust-buster and criticism from business interests.

His commitment to conservation was a defining aspect of his presidency. Roosevelt recognized the importance of preserving the nation’s natural resources for future generations. During his time in office, he expanded the National Parks system, created the United States Forest Service, and signed into law the Antiquities Act, allowing the president to designate national monuments.

One of Roosevelt’s most significant domestic achievements was the establishment of the United States Forest Service. Under the leadership of Gifford Pinchot, the Forest Service implemented sustainable forestry practices, demonstrating Roosevelt’s commitment to conservation and responsible land management.

Roosevelt’s progressive agenda also extended to consumer protection. He advocated for food and drug regulations, leading to the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act in 1906. These laws aimed to ensure the safety and integrity of the nation’s food supply.

The 1904 presidential election saw Roosevelt elected to a full term in his own right. During his second term, he continued to pursue his progressive agenda, advocating for workers’ rights, women’s suffrage, and social justice. However, his attempt to overhaul the judiciary by adding more Supreme Court justices, known as the “court-packing plan,” faced significant opposition and ultimately failed.

Internationally, Roosevelt’s presidency was marked by an assertive and interventionist foreign policy. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for his role in negotiating an end to the Russo-Japanese War, becoming the first American to receive the prestigious award. His diplomatic efforts reflected his belief in a strong America playing a leadership role on the world stage.

Roosevelt’s approach to foreign policy was encapsulated in the phrase “speak softly and carry a big stick.” This philosophy emphasized diplomacy backed by a strong military, asserting American interests while seeking peaceful resolutions to conflicts. It laid the groundwork for future U.S. foreign policy doctrines.

In 1908, Roosevelt opted not to seek reelection, adhering to the tradition set by George Washington of serving only two terms. He supported his friend and Secretary of War, William Howard Taft, as the Republican candidate. However, Roosevelt grew disillusioned with Taft’s leadership, believing he had strayed from the progressive ideals of the Republican Party.

The rift within the Republican Party led to Roosevelt’s decision to run for president again in 1912, this time as a third-party candidate representing the Progressive Party, often called the Bull Moose Party. Despite a spirited campaign and widespread popularity, Roosevelt split the Republican vote with Taft, leading to the election of Democrat Woodrow Wilson .

After the 1912 election, Roosevelt embarked on a series of adventures, including a perilous exploration of the Amazon rainforest. However, World War I and its aftermath brought him back into the public sphere. He supported the war effort and attended the Versailles Peace Conference, advocating for a strong League of Nations to prevent future conflicts.

Roosevelt’s later years were marked by declining health. He suffered from heart problems and other ailments, ultimately leading to his death on January 6, 1919, at the age of 60. His passing was mourned by the nation, and his legacy as a reformer, conservationist, and dynamic leader endured.

The legacy of Theodore Roosevelt is complex and multifaceted. He was a man of contradictions—a rugged outdoorsman and a prolific author, a reformer who championed the rights of the common man while maintaining ties to the aristocracy. His impact on domestic policy, particularly in the areas of conservation and progressive reform, remains significant.

Roosevelt’s conservation efforts had a lasting impact, contributing to the preservation of America’s natural beauty. The national parks, monuments, and forests he helped establish are testaments to his foresight and commitment to preserving the environment for future generations. His trust-busting efforts and advocacy for workers’ rights laid the foundation for subsequent regulatory reforms and labor protections.

Roosevelt’s presidency also reshaped the role of the United States on the world stage. His assertive foreign policy and commitment to diplomacy set the tone for subsequent administrations. The idea of “speak softly and carry a big stick” encapsulated a pragmatic approach that aimed to secure American interests while fostering international cooperation.

However, Roosevelt’s legacy is not without controversy. Critics argue that his interventionist foreign policy laid the groundwork for later military interventions, while his trust-busting efforts faced opposition from business interests. The conservation movement, while benefiting from his initiatives, also faced challenges in balancing economic development with environmental preservation.

Roosevelt’s impact on American society extended beyond his presidency. His leadership style, characterized by energy, charisma, and a commitment to action, left an enduring mark on the presidency itself. His progressive ideals influenced subsequent generations of politicians, and the concept of a “Square Deal” for all Americans resonated throughout the 20th century.

Theodore Roosevelt’s influence also extended to the Republican Party. While he clashed with the party’s establishment, his progressive agenda laid the groundwork for future Republican leaders who embraced similar principles. His emphasis on social justice and environmental conservation resonated with a broad spectrum of Americans.

Roosevelt’s personal characteristics contributed to his iconic status. His boundless energy, enthusiasm for life, and adventurous spirit captured the imagination of the American public. The image of Roosevelt as the Rough Rider, the naturalist, and the statesman became ingrained in the nation’s collective consciousness.

In the realm of literature, Roosevelt’s prolific writing left a lasting impact. His books, essays, and speeches showcased his intellectual depth and provided insights into his political philosophy. Works such as “The Rough Riders,” “The Strenuous Life,” and “The Winning of the West” reflected his experiences and beliefs, contributing to his legacy as a scholar-president.

Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy extends to his family as well. His sons, including Theodore Jr., became prominent figures in their own right, serving in various capacities, including military service and public office. The Roosevelt name continued to be associated with public service and progressive ideals for generations.

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U.S. Presidents

Theodore roosevelt.

26th president of the United States

Theodore Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858, to a wealthy New York family. During his childhood, Roosevelt had asthma and was often sick, so he went to school at home. Finally his father encouraged him to improve his health through physical exercise. By the time Roosevelt attended Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts , he was fit enough to compete in the college’s boxing program. Roosevelt graduated with honors, married, and became a member of New York’s state assembly. 

Then tragedy struck. Roosevelt’s mother and wife both died from illnesses on Valentine’s Day in 1884. Roosevelt moved to the western United States and worked as a cowboy and a rancher. That’s when he developed a love of the outdoors that would continue throughout his presidency.

FROM WAR HERO TO PRESIDENT

In the fall of 1886 Roosevelt returned to New York. He remarried, took up writing, and re-entered public service.

When the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898, Roosevelt formed a volunteer company of cowboys, college football players, New York City police officers, and Native Americans . These "Rough Riders" became famous for their charge near San Juan Hill in Cuba, where they fought to help the island gain independence from Spain .

Roosevelt’s popularity after the war helped get him elected governor of New York in 1899. In 1901, Roosevelt was elected to serve as vice president to President William McKinley after his vice president passed away. But barely six months into McKinley’s second term, the president was assassinated by an angry citizen at a fair.

TEDDY THE TRUSTBUSTER

Following McKinley’s assassination in 1901, Roosevelt became the 26th president of the United States. He immediately focused on monopolies, which is when several companies join together and become so powerful that the new company doesn’t have any competition. Also called trusts, these monopolies controlled the railroad, beef, oil, and other industries. Trusts had become so powerful that people were suffering from high prices, low wages, and poor working conditions. (For instance, if a company is the only company that sells beef, then that company can charge as much as they want and pay workers as little as they want.) Roosevelt became known as a "trustbuster" for breaking up these monopolies.

He also made conservation a top priority during his administration. He created the United States Forest Service and established 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, four national game preserves, and five national parks during his time in office.

 MAKING FRIENDS OVERSEAS

Roosevelt was a problem solver when other countries had disagreements. In fact in 1905, he became the first U.S. president and first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in negotiating an end to a war between Russia and Japan .

He also continued to oversee construction of the Panama Canal, a waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans across Central America. He visited the construction site in 1906, but it wouldn’t officially open until five years after he left office, in 1914.

LASTING LEGACY

Roosevelt served a second term, then left the White House in 1909. He attempted to regain the presidency in 1912 by running as a third-party candidate for the Progressive, or Bull Moose, Party. During a campaign speech in Wisconsin , he was shot in the chest by a saloonkeeper who disagreed with his policies. Roosevelt refused to go to the hospital until he finished his speech, over an hour later. He survived the assassination attempt but lost the presidential race to Woodrow Wilson.

Roosevelt spent his retirement on safari in Africa and exploring the jungles of Brazil . But after the death of his youngest son, Quentin, in World War I, Roosevelt’s health became bad. He died the following year on January 6, 1919.

Roosevelt was the first "accidental" president to later win outright election to the office. During his presidency, he expanded the reach of the U.S. government into such areas as industry, labor, the environment, consumer rights, and foreign affairs. He’s been called by many historians the first modern president and is generally remembered fondly.

• The teddy bear was named after Roosevelt by a toymaker who heard how the president had saved the life of a bear cub.

• Roosevelt was the first president to fly in an airplane and dive in a submarine.

• Roosevelt went blind in his left eye when he was injured in a boxing match during his presidency.

From the Nat Geo Kids books  Our Country's Presidents  by Ann Bausum and  Weird But True Know-It-All: U.S. Presidents by Brianna Dumont, revised for digital by Avery Hurt

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President Theodore Roosevelt (Teddy)

• He won the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in negotiating peace between Russia and Japan.
• He established the U.S. as the "police power" for the Western Hemisphere stating that the U.S. would protect threatened countries in North and South America. This was called his "Big Stick Diplomacy".
• He helped to increase the government regulation and safety standards of food and medicine with the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act.
• He worked on conservation by setting aside large areas of land out west for national forests and public use.
• He saw to it that the Panama Canal was built, creating a short cut between the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean.
• At 42 years, 10 months, 18 days old he was the youngest man to hold the office of president.
• After sitting out a term, he ran for president again in 1912 for the Bull Moose Party. He made a strong showing, but did not win.
• He didn't like the nickname Teddy, but preferred TR or Colonel.
• When he traveled to visit the Panama Canal in 1906 he became the first U.S. president to leave the country while in office.
• He was blind in his left eye due to an injury in a boxing match.
• He was shot in 1912 while campaigning for president for the Bull Moose Party. He continued with his speech stating that "it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose".
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Theodore Roosevelt Biography

Theodore Roosevelt was the first former president of the United States to also be elected to the presidency of the American Historical Association. (Woodrow Wilson would be the second.) Roosevelt was noted for a number of historical works, particularly The Naval War of 1812 (which many still consider the best work on the subject) and the four-volume Winning of the West .

Bibliography

Essays on practical politics , by Theodore Roosevelt. New York & London: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1888.

A colonial survival , by Theodore Roosevelt. Rochester, N.Y.: Schlicht & Field, 1892.

African game trails: an account of the wanderings of an American hunter-naturalist, by Theodore Roosevelt . New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1910; Reprint with new introduction by H.W. Brands, with more than two hundred illustrations from photographs by Kermit Roosevelt and other members of the expedition and from drawings by Philip R. Goodwin. New York: Cooper Square Press, 2001.

New York , by Theodore Roosevelt. New ed. with postscript, 1890-1895. New York, London: Longmans, Green., 1895.

American ideals, and other essays, social and political , by Theodore Roosevelt. New York, London: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1897.

The Rough Riders , by Theodore Roosevelt. New York, C. Scribner's Sons, 1899; Reprint with an introduction by Edmund Morris. Modern Library paperback ed. New York: Modern Library, 1999.

Oliver Cromwell , by Theodore Roosevelt. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1900.

The strenuous life; essays and addresses , by Theodore Roosevelt. New York: Century Co., 1900; Reprint, St. Clair Shores, Mich., Scholarly Press, 1970.

The wilderness hunter; an account of the big game of the United States and its chase with horse, hound, and rifle , by Theodore Roosevelt. New York, London: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1900.

The winning of the West , by Theodore Roosevelt. 6 vols. New York and London: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1900; Reprint, 4 vols. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1995.

Hero tales from American history , by Henry Cabot Lodge and Theodore Roosevelt. New York: Century Co., 1895; Reprint, Hero tales: how common lives reveal the uncommon genius of America , with an introduction by George Grant. Nashville, Tenn.: Cumberland House, 2000.

The naval operations of the war between Great Britain and the United States, 1812-1815 , by Theodore Roosevelt. Boston, Little, Brown, 1901.

Thomas Hart Benton , by Theodore Roosevelt. Boston, New York: Houghton, Mifflin, 1903.

Hunting the grisly, and other sketches ; by Theodore Roosevelt. New York: Review of Reviews, 1904.

The naval war of 1812; the history of the United States navy during the last war with Great Britain, to which is appended an account of the battle of New Orleans , by Theodore Roosevelt. 2 vols. New York: Review of Reviews, 1904; Reprint with an introduction by H.W. Brands. New York: Da Capo Press, 1999.

A square deal , by Theodore Roosevelt. Allendale, N.J.: Allendale Press, 1906.

Abraham Lincoln , by Theodore Roosevelt. New York: Collier's, 1909.

The new nationalism , by Theodore Roosevelt; with an introduction by Ernest Hamlin Abbott. New York: Outlook, 1910.

America and the World War , by Theodore Roosevelt. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1915.

Why America should join the allies , by Theodore Roosevelt. London: C. A. Pearson, 1915.

Theodore Roosevelt, an autobiography . New York: Macmillan, 1916; Reprint, with a new introduction by Elting Morison. New York: Da Capo Press, 1985.

The man in the arena: the selected writings of Theodore Roosevelt, a reader . Edited by Brian M. Thomsen. 1st ed. New York: Forge, 2003.

More about Theodore Roosevelt

Presidential Address

My Journey Through the Best Presidential Biographies

The Best Biographies of Theodore Roosevelt

19 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by Steve in Best Biographies Posts , President #26 - T Roosevelt

≈ 28 Comments

American history , biographies , Candice Millard , David McCullough , Doris Kearns Goodwin , Edmund Morris , H.W. Brands , Henry Pringle , Jean Yarbrough , John Blum , Kathleen Dalton , Nathan Miller , Patricia O'Toole , presidential biographies , Presidents , Pulitzer Prize , Theodore Roosevelt , William Harbaugh

He almost makes Andrew Jackson look tame.

Roosevelt was a prolific author, part-time science nerd, rancher, conservationist, legislator, reform-minded police commissioner and government bureaucrat, soldier, governor, naval enthusiast, thrill-seeking adventurer, Nobel Peace Prize winner…and the youngest president in American history.

Theodore Roosevelt is easy to caricature, but extremely difficult to study, unravel and adequately interpret. At once he could be both brilliant and insane, logical and yet completely delusional. He was remarkably self-confident, a quick study in the art of politics, a gifted communicator, extremely sociable and enormously devoted to his family and his country.

Unfortunately, his incredible life story has a less-than-perfect ending. After letting go the reins of political power and concluding that his successor wasn’t quite up to the task, Roosevelt worked himself into a perpetual state of agitation and, eventually, became almost unhinged.

Over 18 weeks I read 14 books on Roosevelt: Edmund Morris’s three-volume series and 11 one-volume biographies, totaling about 7,000 pages. Among other things, I walked away absolutely convinced it would be difficult to write an uninteresting book about Teddy Roosevelt.

* I began with Edmund Morris’s beloved three-volume series on Roosevelt. Published between 1979 and 2010, this series remains enormously popular – and for good reason.

The trilogy’s first volume “ The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt ” covers TR’s pre-presidency and is filled with adventure, discovery and political maturation (to the extent Roosevelt ever really “matured”). This volume won the 1980 Pulitzer Prize for biography and fully captures TR’s spirit and soul spirit. It demonstrates the author’s affinity for Roosevelt, is a bit lengthy, and doesn’t exhibit the smoothest style…but it is hard to imagine a better introduction to this larger-than-life character. ( Full review here )

The second volume, “ Theodore Rex ,” is more sober and serious and focused on Roosevelt’s presidency. Although less lively and exciting than the first volume, Morris’s writing style in this volume is more fluid and natural. I was surprised Morris didn’t have more to say about Roosevelt’s political legacy, but this volume is clearly intended more as a historical narrative than a political analysis. It performes its task admirably. ( Full review here )

The final volume “ Colonel Roosevelt ” covers the last decade of Roosevelt’s life. This period offers an author a panoply of wonderful topics to cover: TR’s African safari, his journey through the Amazon forest, his third-party presidential campaign and his vitriolic attacks on Taft and Wilson. Morris proves up to the task, and this volume exhibits the vitality and engagement of the first volume along with the literary sophistication of the second volume. ( Full review here )

* Next I read Henry Pringle’s Pulitzer Prize winning “ Theodore Roosevelt: A Biography .” Published in 1931, this was long considered the definitive study of Roosevelt. I found this biography both frustrating and rewarding: it spends too much time knocking TR off his pedestal but is liberally infused with thought-provoking insights and observations. In the end, its non-linear journey through TR’s life, its over-weighted focus on TR’s political career and its distracting negativity wore me down. But it makes a very good “companion” book to a more modern, and balanced, biography. ( Full review here )

* John Blum’s “ The Republican Roosevelt ” was my next biography. Published in 1954, this comparatively brief review of Roosevelt helped establish TR’s reputation as a president of consequence. Far less a biography than a 161-page analysis of TR’s moral and political core, readers new to Roosevelt will not find his complete portrait here. But anyone interested in this complex political figure will find this an intriguing study. ( Full review here )

* William Harbaugh’s 1961 “ Power and Responsibility: The Life and Times of Theodore Roosevelt ” is considered by many scholars the best single-volume biography of TR. I’m inclined to agree. Despite some shortcomings – the book focuses far more heavily on TR’s political career than on the numerous other fascinating events of his life – it is a careful, penetrating and thoughtful study of Roosevelt. Harbaugh is a careful observer and an excellent writer. But as good as this biography was, some readers may prefer to first digest a biography of TR that more fully captures his early years (and his family life) before moving on to this excellent book. ( Full review here )

* David McCullough’s 1981 “ Mornings on Horseback ” is a colorful and engaging account of the first twenty-eight years of Teddy Roosevelt’s life and was the 1982 Pulitzer Prize finalist for biographies. This book provides a fascinating window into the young TR and should prove entertaining to even the most picky reader. While much of TR’s life is uncovered, the years of focus are explored with uneven intensity. And, regrettably, the book is not able to fully capture the soul of this future president. But while this may not be McCullough at his very best, “Mornings on Horseback” is endlessly colorful and entertaining, if not interpretive and revealing. ( Full review here )

* Nathan Miller’s “ Theodore Roosevelt: A Life ” was the first comprehensive biography of TR in over three decades when it was published in 1992. It is well-balanced between Roosevelt’s personal and professional lives and provides a thorough introduction to nearly every aspect of TR’s life. But it lacks a sense of vitality and, compared to other TR biographies, feels somewhat lifeless and antiseptic. More a matter-of-fact review than a colorfully descriptive or keenly insightful review of his life, readers can do better elsewhere. ( Full review here )

* “ TR: The Last Romantic ” is H.W. Brands’s 1997 comprehensive review of Roosevelt’s life. This biography is both detailed and exceptionally readable. Brands offers a sober, penetrating perspective on TR’s life and provides a far less complimentary view of Roosevelt than many other biographers. But the author’s theme of TR as a philosophical “romantic” eventually feels forced, and there is no escaping that the book’s first half is far better than its second half. ( Full review here )

* Kathleen Dalton’s 2002 “ Theodore Roosevelt: A Strenuous Life ” was next. Unlike most biographies of TR, Dalton’s book is extremely balanced in its opinion of Roosevelt. But in order to avoid over-dramatizing TR’s most bombastic, dramatic and adventurous moments, she abbreviates or extricates too many of the most important events in his life. As a result, the book often feels austere and bland – and Roosevelt almost certainly would not recognize himself in these pages. In an effort to reveal the real TR and avoid the caricature, Dalton fully conveys neither. ( Full review here )

*Next up was Candice Millard’s “ The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey .” This enormously popular 2005 narrative follows Roosevelt on his post-presidential adventure through the Brazilian rainforest. Millard’s writing style is vivid and gripping and there appear to be no details of TR’s journey that were overlooked in her research. Although it is not a comprehensive biography of Theodore Roosevelt and only briefly reviews TR’s earlier life, it is a dramatic and compelling tale of adventure and perseverance. Anyone fascinated by TR, or just enchanted by a great story, will want to read this book. ( Full review here )

* Jean Yarbrough’s 2012 “ Theodore Roosevelt and the American Political Tradition ” proves to be, at best, a semi-biography of Roosevelt. Although it proceeds chronologically through Roosevelt’s life, touching at least briefly on each event of significance, the emphasis is always on TR’s political philosophies. But while readers seeking a thorough introduction to Roosevelt will do better to look elsewhere, Yarbrough provides a great service to TR scholarship with this book and its analysis. ( Full review here )

* I looked forward to Doris Kearns Goodwin’s 2013 “ The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft and the Golden Age of Journalism ” above all other TR biographies. Often described as three biographies in one (of Roosevelt, Taft and the journalists of their era) “The Bully Pulpit” is heavier on facts than on colorful description or keen insight. But it proves very well-written, often extremely interesting, and quite clever in in the way it follows TR and Taft in parallel throughout their early lives.

Fans of Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals” will recognize much of her style in this book. But although it offers a unique and compelling way to weave together the lives of TR and Taft, Goodwin probably tries to cover too much ground in one place…and I was eventually annoyed by its heavy use of embedded quotes and phrases. Nevertheless, this is a great book and a must-read for anyone interested in Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft or this period of American history. ( Full review here )

*At the end of my TR journey I read Patricia O’Toole’s 2005 “ When Trumpets Call: Theodore Roosevelt after the White House .” Published five years before the final volume of Morris’s three-volume series (and covering nearly the same ground), this biography is relatively lively and fast-paced. To her credit, O’Toole takes the time to expertly review the huge portion of TR’s life which falls outside the book’s primary scope. And while there seemed to be little new about TR in this biography, O’Toole tells a mostly-familiar story in a new and interesting way. If not for the final volume in Morris’s series, O’Toole’s “When Trumpets Call” would perform a unique and invaluable service. ( Full review here )

– – – – – – – – – – –

Best Biography of Theodore Roosevelt: Edmund Morris’s three-volume series

Best Single-Volume Bio of TR: “ Power and Responsibility ” by William Harbaugh

Best “Unconventional” Bio of TR: Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “ The Bully Pulpit ”

Most Exciting Read about TR: Candice Millard’s “ The River of Doubt “

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28 thoughts on “the best biographies of theodore roosevelt”.

July 10, 2015 at 3:06 pm

I want to think you for your in depth study of Theodore Roosevelt, I unfortunately have only read the one volume on TR, Theodore Roosevelt A Life by Nathan Miller and enjoyed it. I have The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin which I have not began to read as of yet. I will take your suggestion in the future as I further my studies the Presidents.

Thank you Scott La Mar

July 10, 2015 at 3:36 pm

Good luck on your next biography! I think you’ll enjoy The Bully Pulpit. It is not only an interesting bio of TR, but also of Taft…so you get two-for-the-price-of-one. While far from perfect, it held my attention quite well!

July 17, 2015 at 9:55 pm

Great summary Steve! I think I will pick up the O’Toole book on your recommendation. I’m sure this seems odd, but I actually, for some reason, have a keen interest in what the Presidents have done AFTER their time in office.

April 29, 2016 at 3:33 pm

Have you read Douglas Brinkley’s “The Wilderness Warrior”? It looks very interesting.

May 4, 2016 at 10:50 am

I have not. Looks interesting, although it obviously doesn’t qualify strictly as a “biography.” But I’ll have to find time at some point to read this behemoth..!

October 21, 2016 at 1:12 pm

Would like to know if anyone read THE RISE OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT by Edmund Morris what they thought of this book.

November 5, 2016 at 3:40 pm

Super helpful and thorough assessment. Thanks! Hadn’t heard of Harbaugh. Wish it was available on Audible. I mostly only listen to books now. I suppose I’ll start with Morris though the 3 volumes is a bit of a commitment. I’m in the middle of Goodwin’s Team of Rivals and its good, but a bit slow for me.

November 6, 2016 at 5:37 am

Oddly enough – especially given how much time I spent in the car where I can’t “read” – I haven’t gotten into Audible. In part this is natural since I still take notes on a laptop when I come across a particularly clever one-liner or an interesting new fact. But it really boils down to my need to have a physical book and to be able to read at my own pace. Separately, I didn’t find Team of Rivals slow at all, but I might have if forced to listen at someone else’s pace for reading it aloud?

January 6, 2017 at 4:00 am

No fans of “I Rose Like a Rocket”? Grondahl vividly shows how rough Albany politics sharpened TR’s political edge.

January 8, 2017 at 11:40 am

Fascinating – one I haven’t encountered before! I was such a fan of TR biographies I may have to add this one to my follow-up list sight unseen!

March 15, 2017 at 9:51 am

Very helpful article. Thanks! I didn’t really reach a conclusion on which one I should read though. I’ve never read any political biographies, so I want something relatively small in size and somewhat “easy” to read and comprehend. It seems to me that moriss’ trilogy is the fullest (and propably most exciting) choice, but its length is scary to me. Mornings on horseback seems a decent alternative the way you describe it (I would like a rather adventurous version for now). What about his autobiography. I thought one existed. Was I wrong?

March 15, 2017 at 10:06 am

I understand your dilemma! Morris’s series is best, but longest. Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “The Bully Pulpit” is fantastic, but admittedly not 100% focused on TR. Brands’s “TR: The Last Romantic” is a fine 100%-focused, single-volume bio but was just “fine” and not “great” for me. “Mornings on Horseback” checks off the “adventurous” box but only covers the early portion of his life…

You are absolutely correct that TR wrote an autobiography ( which can be found here ). It is, by most accounts, typical Teddy Roosevelt – stream-of-consciousness, often fascinating, etc. I have not read it since I have my hands full just reading biographies, never mind autobiographies and memoirs! But I do plan to go back and read those later, particularly those of Eisenhower, Truman, Coolidge, TR,…

Good luck choosing a TR book to read – you will be absolutely fascinated by his life no matter what you read-

September 4, 2017 at 8:54 pm

Your evaluations of the various biographies was super helpful and exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!

September 5, 2017 at 4:22 pm

Fantastic, thanks! If you read one on TR let me know which one you chose and how you liked it-

June 16, 2018 at 11:27 pm

So I’m making my way through the presidents and am just about up to TR. I am jumping ahead a little order-wise to read Mornings on Horseback “early.” I love McCullough’s books and maybe it will help me learn about the times when his immediate predecessors were in the executive mansion.

Anyway, thinking about a womb to tomb biography to read I am stuck by a certain irony. TR is fascinating, and has attracted some of the most talented writers around, yet—to be honest—your reviews leave me thinking none of them stand out as being great. They’re all OK, but they also seem to all have some pretty big flaws.

Do you think I am being unfair?

June 17, 2018 at 5:39 am

By the time I got to TR I had read just over 100 presidential biographies, so my expectations for the perfect one were pretty well-defined at that point. It’s fair to say I didn’t find any TR biographies “perfect” (according to my subjective definition) but given how my scoring has worked itself out, anything “4” stars or higher is excellent – and there TR biographies I thought were excellent.

It’s also worth pointing out that something like “Mornings on Horseback” can make for a fantastic read but not quite provide the historical or analytical impact that a perfect presidential biography provides for me. So although I rated it 3 3/4 stars, I really really enjoyed it and would gladly read it again – but for me it erred slightly on the side of entertaining rather than penetrating.

In general, TR was a phenomenally interesting biographical subject so almost anything covering some aspect of his life is bound to be interesting 🙂

June 27, 2018 at 10:49 pm

The Edmund Morris series is fantastic. I’m about halfway through Theodore Rex after devouring The Rise of TR and they’ve both been excellent reads. I agree with Steve above that The Rise is the more entertaining book, simply because of the incredible, eclectic life TR lived before becoming president.

Additionally, I did not plan on reading the full three volumes (I actually bought the first book on amazon thinking it was a single volume biography, whoops!) but after finishing the The Rise, I felt compelled to see TRs life through. I’d recommend reading The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt and if you like it, finish books 2 and 3. Book 1 is one helluva yarn all on its own.

One more thing. I got into Roosevelt because of Millard’s The River of Doubt. I agree with Steve that the River of Doubt is also a fascinating story. I couldn’t put that book down. Of course, this book only covers a thin slice of TRs life, but it certainly inspired me to find out more!

December 12, 2018 at 6:30 pm

is Morris three volumes easy reading or is hard and dry reading?

January 30, 2019 at 11:09 am

I just finished Morris’s trilogy. I think overall they were excellent books, with a good balance of fact/historical context/entertainment that makes them worth the time investment.

The other thing I noticed is a consistency of quality from start to finish. Sometimes authors grow weary of the subject, and later books don’t have the same impact as the earlier books. I think Morris did an outstanding job keeping this trilogy consistent in tone, coverage, and writing style.

I would definitely recommend them, I think they are ‘easy’ reads, but not short books, so while the reading is easy, it will take some time to finish the series. Also, I wouldn’t stop at the end of his presidency. Unlike most other presidents I’ve read about so far, TR warrants entire books devoted to his post-presidency. The man never slowed down, and he left office quite young.

April 8, 2019 at 5:43 pm

Thank you for your reviews! Years ago I set myself a goal of at least one biography for each president and I’m just getting to Roosevelt. Again. Because I’ve already done “Mornings On Horseback” and “River Of Doubt” years ago before I started this. You’ve provided me with ideas for a volume to capture Teddy and the eras around him and to overlap those who went before as I move through history.

April 9, 2019 at 6:16 am

I *really* enjoyed Teddy Roosevelt! And given the recent “resurgence” of Grant biographies I wonder why there aren’t more authors focusing on the inimitable TR. Let me know what you finally read on him and what you thought of it-

June 9, 2019 at 11:24 am

Thank you for the great in-depth post! I was recently assigned to TR’s namesake ship and am looking for relevant reading material. I really appreciate your well written reviews!

June 21, 2019 at 6:43 am

I hope you love the USS Theodore Roosevelt as much as I loved reading about his life! That was one unbelievably fascinating guy-

July 7, 2019 at 11:34 am

I am reading through Presidents and about to start on McKinley. While in the Buffalo area recently, we visited the Theodore Roosevelt inauguration site. https://www.trsite.org/ Nice tour- gives some info on McKinley as well as Theodore Roosevelt. We found it interesting and we are trying to visit otherPresidential sites as we travel around the country.

July 8, 2019 at 9:36 am

Thanks for the tip on TR’s inauguration site! I will be in Buffalo in a couple weeks for a swim meet and may have a some free time on my hands – and it’s always good to know how I might put it to good use!

July 8, 2019 at 3:40 pm

If you like barbeque, we ate at a restaurant close to the TR site called “Fat Bob’s” which was very good.

May 4, 2020 at 10:21 pm

David McCullough writes in “Mornings on Horseback” about how an asthmatic young Teedie used to be terrified by visions of a werewolf “coming at him from the bottom of his bed”. I have been obsessed with this image ever since first hearing Jason Robards narrate about it in the American Experience documentary “TR: The Story of Theodore Roosevelt” (in which McCullough was one of the interviewees).

Would you, by any chance, know the source of where the story about TR’s werewolf nightmares first originated? I find no mention of it in Roosevelt’s autobiography, nor in the biographies written prior to McCullough’s.

The idea of this boy having delusions about werewolves seems so eerily befitting a president who would grow up to have such a profound connection to nature. I just want to make sure that it’s true, and not the invention of his biographers.

February 8, 2021 at 1:31 pm

Have just finished Edmund Morris’s ‘The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. My mark is only 2/5.

The author always uses 3 words where one would do and spends much time painting ‘imagined’ (but dull and irrelevant) scenes to the narrative. So it’s a clunky slow biography.

According to Morris, people encountering young Roosevelt foretold his great destiny: but it’s unclear if the expectations were contemporary or gathered later. And Morris writes as cheerleader for the Great Man – a distinctly partisan account.

Morris is not so blind as to ignore the heritage that Roosevelt was privileged and ill disciplined throughout his early life. Where Roosevelt claimed principles, he quickly discarded them when they were inconvenient. But Morris is exhaustive in providing explanations and justifications for the switches and is always unsympathetic to critics for example when Cleveland, as Governor of New York, vetoes Roosevelt’s Civil Service Law because the legislation is technically defective.

Roosevelt ended with a small fortune – having started with a large one. It would be good to hear more about the financial pressures and the influence (if any) but the topic is not developed.

If Roosevelt had a truly enduring principle, it was to be the showman ensuring, always, that the press was there to watch: Morris appears to envy the attention Roosevelt generated and so describes his publicity campaigns in unnecessary detail.

Roosevelt was not untypical of hyperactive privileged sons of the late nineteenth century in seeking empire (think of Rhodes) but Morris does not mention the zeitgeist of colonialism in the era. Indeed Morris ignores the similarities between Roosevelt’s initiatives and similar efforts in many Western countries: such comparisons would have been illuminating but, presumably, do not fit with the preferred Morris line that Roosevelt was a one-off.

It’s a pity; he is celebrated for taking forward, especially as President, those very issues – promoting workers’ welfare, protection of the environment, and fairness for individual citizens: it would have been interesting to hear more about the international input to a man who saw himself as a citizen of the world.

So a disappointing book and a tedious read.

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The 15 Best Books on President Theodore Roosevelt

Essential books on theodore roosevelt.

There are countless books on Theodore Roosevelt, and it comes with good reason, aside from serving as America’s twenty-sixth President (1901-1909) after the assassination of President William McKinley, he brought new excitement and power to the office, vigorously leading Congress and the American public toward progressive reforms and a strong foreign policy.

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat,” he wrote in The Strenuous Life .

In order to get to the bottom of what inspired one of history’s most consequential figures to the heights of societal contribution, we’ve compiled a list of the 15 best books on Theodore Roosevelt.

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris

This classic biography is the story of seven men – a naturalist, a writer, a lover, a hunter, a ranchman, a soldier, and a politician – who merged at age forty-two to become the youngest President in history.

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt begins at the apex of his international prestige. That was on New Year’s Day, 1907, when Roosevelt, who had just won the Nobel Peace Prize, threw open the doors of the White House to the American people and shook 8,150 hands. One visitor remarked afterward, “You go to the White House, you shake hands with Roosevelt and hear him talk – and then you go home to wring the personality out of your clothes.”

The rest of this book tells the story of Roosevelt’s irresistible rise to power. During the years 1858-1901, he transformed himself from a frail, asthmatic boy into a full-blooded man. Fresh out of Harvard, he simultaneously published a distinguished work of naval history and became the fist-swinging leader of a Republican insurgency in the New York State Assembly. He chased thieves across the Badlands of North Dakota with a copy of Anna Karenina   in one hand and a Winchester rifle in the other.

Married to his childhood sweetheart in 1886, he became the country squire of Sagamore Hill on Long Island, a flamboyant civil service reformer in Washington, D.C., and a night-stalking police commissioner in New York City. As assistant secretary of the navy, he almost single-handedly brought about the Spanish-American War. After leading “Roosevelt’s Rough Riders” in the famous charge up San Juan Hill, Cuba, he returned home a military hero, and was rewarded with the governorship of New York.

In what he called his “spare hours” he fathered six children and wrote fourteen books. By 1901, the man Senator Mark Hanna called “that damned cowboy” was vice president. Seven months later, an assassin’s bullet gave Roosevelt the national leadership he had always craved.

The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin

The story is told through the intense friendship of Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft – a close relationship that strengthens both men before it ruptures in 1912, when they engage in a brutal fight for the presidential nomination that divides their wives, their children, and their closest friends, while crippling the progressive wing of the Republican Party, causing Democrat Woodrow Wilson to be elected, and changing the country’s history.

The Bully Pulpit is also the story of the muckraking press, which arouses the spirit of reform that helps Roosevelt push the government to shed its laissez-faire attitude toward robber barons, corrupt politicians, and corporate exploiters of our natural resources. The muckrakers are portrayed through the greatest group of journalists ever assembled at one magazine – Ida Tarbell, Ray Stannard Baker, Lincoln Steffens, and William Allen White – teamed under the mercurial genius of publisher S. S. McClure.

Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough

Written by David McCullough, the author of  Truman,  this is the story of a remarkable little boy, seriously handicapped by recurrent and almost fatal asthma attacks, and his struggle to manhood: an amazing metamorphosis seen in the context of the very uncommon household in which he was raised.

The father is the first Theodore Roosevelt, a figure of unbounded energy, enormously attractive and selfless, a god in the eyes of his small, frail namesake. The mother, Mittie Bulloch Roosevelt, is a Southerner and a celebrated beauty, but also considerably more, which the book makes clear as never before. There are sisters Anna and Corinne, brother Elliott (who becomes the father of Eleanor Roosevelt), and the lovely, tragic Alice Lee, TR’s first love. All are brought to life to make “a beautifully told story, filled with fresh detail” ( The New York Times Book Review ).

Theodore Roosevelt: A Life by Nathan Miller

Nathan Miller’s critically acclaimed biography of Theodore Roosevelt was the first complete one-volume life of the Rough Rider to be published in more than thirty years. From his sickly childhood to charging up San Juan Hill to waving his fist under J.P. Morgan’s rubicund nose, Theodore Roosevelt  offers the intimate history of a man who continues to cast a magic spell over the American imagination.

As the twenty-sixth president of the United States, Roosevelt embodied the overwhelming confidence of the nation as it entered the American Century. With fierce joy, he brandished a “Big Stick” abroad and promised a “Square Deal” at home. He was the nation’s first environmental president, challenged the trusts, and, as the first American leader to play an important role in world affairs, began construction of a long-dreamed canal across Panama and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for almost singlehandedly bringing about a peaceful end to the Russo-Japanese War.

Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris

Theodore Rex is the story – never fully told before – of Theodore Roosevelt’s two world-changing terms as President of the United States. A hundred years before the catastrophe of September 11, 2001, Roosevelt succeeded to power in the aftermath of an act of terrorism. Youngest of all our chief executives, he rallied a stricken nation with his superhuman energy, charm, and political skills. He proceeded to combat the problems of race and labor relations and trust control while making the Panama Canal possible and winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

But his most historic achievement remains his creation of a national conservation policy, and his monument millions of acres of protected parks and forests. The book ends with Roosevelt leaving office, still only fifty years old, his future reputation secure as one of our greatest presidents.

The River of Doubt by Candice Millard

The River of Doubt – it is a black, uncharted tributary of the Amazon that snakes through one of the most treacherous jungles in the world. Indians armed with poison-tipped arrows haunt its shadows; piranhas glide through its waters; boulder-strewn rapids turn the river into a roiling cauldron.

After his humiliating election defeat in 1912, Roosevelt set his sights on the most punishing physical challenge he could find, the first descent of an unmapped, rapids-choked tributary of the Amazon. Together with his son Kermit and Brazil’s most famous explorer, Candido Mariano da Silva Rondon, Roosevelt accomplished a feat so great that many at the time refused to believe it. In the process, he changed the map of the western hemisphere forever.

Along the way, Roosevelt and his men faced an unbelievable series of hardships, losing their canoes and supplies to punishing whitewater rapids, and enduring starvation, Indian attack, disease, drowning, and a murder within their own ranks. Three men died, and Roosevelt was brought to the brink of suicide.  The River of Doubt  brings alive these extraordinary events in a powerful nonfiction narrative thriller that happens to feature one of the most famous Americans who ever lived.

When Trumpets Call by Patricia O’Toole

Drawn from a wealth of new materials, this gem among books on Theodore Roosevelt is an analysis of the final ten years of the President’s life and describes how he went on safari after leaving the White House, unsuccessfully strived for another presidential term, worked to support Liberty bonds when the U.S. entered World War I, and lost his son on Bastille Day.

The Naturalist by Darrin Lunde

Perhaps no American president is more associated with nature and wildlife than Theodore Roosevelt, a prodigious hunter and adventurer, and an ardent conservationist. We think of Roosevelt as an original, yet in The Naturalist , Darrin Lunde shows how from his earliest days he actively modeled himself in the proud tradition of museum naturalists – the men who pioneered a key branch of American biology through their desire to collect animal specimens and develop a taxonomy of the natural world.

The influence these men would have on Roosevelt would shape not just his personality but his career, informing his work as a politician and statesman and ultimately affecting generations of Americans’ relationships to this country’s wilderness.

Theodore Roosevelt by Henry F. Pringle

Pringle’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biography not only chronicles the incidents that shaped Roosevelt’s career but also offers insight into the character and mind of this colorful American president.

The Courage and Character of Theodore Roosevelt by George Grant

Before his fiftieth birthday, Teddy Roosevelt had served as a state legislator in New York, undersecretary of the navy, police commissioner of New York City, governor of New York, and two terms as vice president and then president of the United States. He also had run a cattle ranch in the Dakota Territories, had worked as a journalist and editor, conducted scientific expeditions to four continents, raised five children, and enjoyed a fulfilling marriage with his wife. No wonder he continues to capture our imaginations as he did the loyalty and respect of his own time.

In  The Courage and Character of Theodore Roosevelt ,  George Grant explores the life and character of one of the most remarkable men of the twentieth century. In doing so, he defines the qualities that made Roosevelt such an extraordinary leader, the exploits that made him so famous, and the spiritual values and faith that he affirmed with such vigor as he walked the world stage with an impact generated by few men in his time.

T.R.: The Last Romantic by H. W. Brands

Lauded as “a rip-roaring life” ( Wall Street Journal ),  TR  is a magisterial biography of Theodore Roosevelt by bestselling author H. W. Brands. In his time, there was no more popular national figure than Roosevelt. It was not just the energy he brought to every political office he held or his unshakable moral convictions that made him so popular, or even his status as a bonafide war hero. Most important, Theodore Roosevelt was loved by the people because this scion of a privileged New York family loved America and Americans.

And yet, according to Brands, if we look at the private Roosevelt without blinders, we see a man whose great public strengths hid enormous personal deficiencies; he was uncompromising, self-involved, and a highly imperfect brother, husband, and father.

Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris

Of all our great presidents, Theodore Roosevelt is the only one whose greatness increased out of office. What other president has written forty books, hunted lions, founded a third political party, survived an assassin’s bullet, and explored an unknown river longer than the Rhine?

Packed with more adventure, variety, drama, humor, and tragedy than a big novel, yet documented down to the smallest fact, this favorite among books on Theodore Roosevelt recounts the last decade of perhaps the most amazing life in American history.

The Boys of ’98 by Dale L. Walker

Spur Award-winning author Dale Walker tells the colorful story of America’s most memorable fighting force, the volunteer cavalry known as the Rough Riders. From its members, and their slapdash training in Texas and Florida, to its battles at Las Gusimas and San Juan Hill under the command of Theodore Roosevelt, who kept riding, some say, into the White House.

The Lion’s Pride by Edward J. Renehan

Drawing upon a wealth of previously unavailable materials, including letters and unpublished memoirs,  The Lion’s Pride takes us inside what is surely the most extraordinary family ever to occupy the White House. Theodore Roosevelt believed deeply that those who had been blessed with wealth, influence, and education were duty bound to lead, even – perhaps especially – if it meant risking their lives to preserve the ideals of democratic civilization. Teddy put his principles, and his life, to the test in the Spanish-American War, and raised his children to believe they could do no less.

When America finally entered the “European conflict” in 1917, all four of his sons eagerly enlisted and used their influence not to avoid the front lines but to get there as quickly as possible. Their heroism in France and the Middle East matched their father’s at San Juan Hill. All performed with selfless – some said heedless – courage: Two of the boys, Archie and Ted, Jr., were seriously wounded, and Quentin, the youngest, was killed in a dogfight with seven German planes.

Thus, the war that Teddy had lobbied for so furiously brought home a grief that broke his heart. He was buried a few months after his youngest child. Filled with the voices of the entire Roosevelt family,  The Lion’s Pride  gives us the most intimate and moving portrait ever published of the fierce bond between Teddy Roosevelt and his remarkable children.

The Wilderness Warrior by Douglas Brinkley

In this groundbreaking gem among books on Theodore Roosevelt, Douglas Brinkley draws on never-before-published materials to examine the life and achievements of our “naturalist president.” By setting aside more than 230 million acres of wild America for posterity between 1901 and 1909, Roosevelt made conservation a universal endeavor.

This crusade for the American wilderness was perhaps the greatest U.S. presidential initiative between the Civil War and World War I. Roosevelt’s most important legacies led to the creation of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and passage of the Antiquities Act in 1906. His executive orders saved such treasures as Devils Tower, the Grand Canyon, and the Petrified Forest.

Books by Theodore Roosevelt

Through the brazilian wilderness.

In 1914, with the well-wishes of the Brazilian government, Theodore Roosevelt, ex-president of the United States; his son, Kermit; and Colonel Rondon travel to South America on a quest to course the River of Doubt. While in Brazil, Theodore is also tasked with a “zoogeographic reconnaissance” of the local wilderness for the archives of the Natural History Museum of New York.

The expedition, officially named Expedicão Scientific Roosevelt-Rondon, was not without incident; men were lost, a cannibalistic tribe tracked the group, and at one point Roosevelt contracted flesh-eating bacteria. In the end though, the Roosevelt-Rondon expedition was a success, and the River of Doubt was renamed the Rio Roosevelt in his honor.

Written by a city-born boy who grew up to be a true explorer and leader, Roosevelt’s  Through the Brazilian Wilderness is a unique and important part of history, and it is indicative of the ex-president’s true wanderlust and bravery. Candid black-and-white photos from the expedition fill the pages, adding further dimensions to this remarkable journey.

The Rough Riders

The Rough Riders was the name bestowed on the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry. Roosevelt had resigned as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to fight in the war, and his forceful personality and notoriety among the popular press of the period were probably the main driving factors resulting in the fame of this regiment. Here is the exciting story of the Rough Riders in one of the most-cherished books by Theodore Roosevelt.

The Strenuous Life

Roosevelt wrote 35 books and delivered numerous lectures on topics ranging from citizenship and success to duty and sportsmanship. His 1899 address to a Chicago audience, “The Strenuous Life,” articulates his belief in the transformative powers that individuals can achieve by overcoming hardship. Along with the other speeches and essays in this collection, Roosevelt’s work offers an inspiring vision of moral rectitude and stalwart leadership.

The Autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt

The life and times of President Theodore Roosevelt, in his own words.

The Wilderness Hunter

“For a number of years much of my life was spent either in the wilderness or on the borders of the settled country if, indeed, ‘settled’ is a term that can rightly be applied to the vast, scantily peopled regions where cattle-ranching is the only regular industry. During this time I hunted much, among the mountains and on the plains, both as a pastime and to procure hides, meat, and robes for use on the ranch; and it was my good luck to kill all the various kinds of large game that can properly be considered to belong to temperate North America,” Roosevelt writes.

Adding, “in hunting, the finding and killing of the game is after all but a part of the whole. The free, self-reliant, adventurous life, with its rugged and stalwart democracy; the wild surroundings, the grand beauty of the scenery, the chance to study the ways and habits of the woodland creatures all these unite to give to the career of the wilderness hunter its peculiar charm.”

If you enjoyed this guide to essential books on Theodore Roosevelt, be sure to check out our list of The 15 Best Books on President Abraham Lincoln !