Rating: 
Summary: Interesting subject interesting writer
Review: There are two things that a autobiography must have to be readable. It first must have an interesting subject and second it must have a writer with talent. I got this book as a gift and was pleasantly surprised to find that both requirements were met. Never had an interest in TR before but McCullough does a good job of drawing you into his world. He also shows some interesting personality quirks including the fact that he never mentioned his first marriage (with ended in the brides tragic death due to sickness) in his own biography.
Rating: 
Summary: A portrait of a family
Review: This book is the first concentrated work I've ever read on the life of Theodore Roosevelt. But it would not be accurate to call this work a biography of TR, rather it is the story of his entire family and the way in which his upbringing shaped the man he was to become.The book chronicles "Teedie's" life from birth up until his second marriage to once childhood friend, Edith Carow. The author goes into great detail about the family's struggles with Theodore's asthma, their trips abroad which included a year long exploration across Europe and a boat trip down the Nile, the beginnings of Theodore's life-long interest in natural science ( which even extended to taxidermy), his years at Harvard and his first significant jump into the political arena at the Republican National Convention in 1884. Like anyone else, Theodore's life was not untouched by tragedy but still it comes as a devastating blow when both his first wife, Alice Lee, and his mother pass away on the exact same day. Theodore then retreats to the Badlands where he is enthralled with the idea of being a cowboy and spends a total of three years pursuing this interest while regaining his focus on life. Yet for all the biographical information included in the book its most enduring theme is the importance of Theodore's family life, especially the tremendous influence of his father, Theodore Roosevelt senior ( Greatheart), an influence that would remain with him his entire life. Mr. McCullough also brings to life a marvelous portrait of Theodore's mother, Mittie, a strong and resilient Southern born beauty who was greatly adored by Theodore and his three siblings. If you have even the slightest interest in reading about one of our greatest Presidents, this book would definitely be worth your time. It is not a dry sort of biography but instead a warm and intimate look at a family of extraordinary wealth and privilege leading a life with very ordinary values and morals.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Perspective On A Legendary Family
Review: This book offers something new to the history of Theodore Roosevelt: The reader gets a close look at the environment and family life that shaped and molded this great leader.
After reading this book you will have new insight into seeing why T.R. acted as he did.
The author mentions in the preface that he was told by a relative of T.R. that the one thing all the other bigraphies and books on the Roosevelts lacked was seeing how the family was part of a clan - that this was indeed a huge influence on T.R. This book will show you what this means.
Mr. McCullough is a brilliant and entertaining author. This book will also be enjoyable for those of you who enjoyed him in the Presidents series on PBS. Highly Recommended
Rating:
Summary: Bully!
Review: This book was dee-lightful! I recommend it to anyone who has an interest in American history, biographies of our presidents. It was easy to read and wonderful. The inclusion of so many paragraphs from personal letters was particularly fun because Teddy does seem like fun. I didn't know much about him before but now I am going to check out other biographies recommended by the author. I am also going to read Truman (by the author) and as many of his other books as I can! (If they continue to be as good as this one!)
Rating:
Summary: Bully!
Review: This is the best biography I ever read. It was a fascinating page-turner. I always thought well of TR, but now I feel like I understand who he was and how he became that person, and I like and admire him even more. For anyone interested in the Roosevelts, TR, or just a history-lover, this is the book for you. I can't say enough good things about it.
Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly enjoyable account of TR's early social life
Review: This was a fun and quick read that makes me want to study more about the great man known as TR. Be aware, however, that fully half of the book is about TR's father and his career as a prominent, socially conscious New York businessman. The book cuts off shortly after TR's return to NY from the Badlands; So if you want to learn anything about his presidency, you will need to look elsewhere. If, however, you want to know more about TR's upbringing and social environment, then this is a great place to start.
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