Dear Anthony, I want to read a book on Teddy Roosevelt. People stopping me on the street saying, "Hey, you hear about Teddy? Guy's life is stranger than fiction." I thank them and I continue on my way. What book should I read that tells me about his wacky life? I want to read and I need your hand to guide me. Guide me, Anthony.
Hey look! It’s my old buddy, the legendary podcaster, Slim, of comiXology and Paperkeg (and before that, Nerdcast, where I was undoubtedly their biggest celebrity guest ever). Hi, Slim! Where’s my Paperkeg t-shirt?
You’re looking for a book on Theodore Roosevelt? I can certainly help you with that, although it really depends on what part of his life that you’re interested in. If you were willing to make the commitment, I’d definitely suggest going with Edmund Morris’s three-volume trilogy: The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (BOOK | KINDLE); Theodore Rex (BOOK | KINDLE); and, Colonel Roosevelt (BOOK | KINDLE). Without a doubt, that trilogy, which can also be purchased as a bundle, is the definitive account of TR’s life.
However, the Edmund Morris books are definitely a commitment, and your schedule might not be able to accommodate a trilogy of books that average about 800 pages apiece, so I’ll recommend a few books that will tell you TR’s story in one volume.
•Mornings On Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life, and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt by David McCullough (BOOK | KINDLE) -- You can never go wrong with David McCullough.
•Theodore Roosevelt in the Badlands: A Young Politician’s Quest for Recovery in the American West by Roger L. Di Silvestro (BOOK | KINDLE) -- A fantastic look at TR’s exile in the Dakota Territory after his young wife died in childbirth.
•T.R.: The Last Romantic by H.W. Brands
I have more suggestions if you need them. Also, I’ll be looking for my Paperkeg t-shirt!