Theodore Roosevelt: An American Mind - Softcover

Theodore Roosevelt's (1885-1919) writings collected here reflect his varied roles and interests as president, soldier, patriot, naval reformer, naturalist, conservationist, explorer and big-game hunter. A man of causes and contradictions, his contradictions are very much on dispay in these pages, as DiNunzio ( American Democracy and the Authoritarian Tradition in the West ) points out. Roosevelt expresses outrage over the wanton slaughter of game, yet he and his son Kermit kill more than 500 animals on an African safari. He supports equal rights for women but holds traditional views about their place in the home. Not a few of Roosevelt's opinions fall far short of political correctness by today's standards; TR scorns as "sentimental nonsense" the charge that white settlers stole the Indians' land and refers to the "backward race" and the "forward race" to distinguish between black and white Americans. Controversial, but consistently provoking and entertaining. Photos.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

TR continues to fascinate. More than most leaders, he embodied the contradictions of his age, and they are reflected in this most recent selection from his writings as rough rider, historian, president, and commentator. Capturing so multifaceted a personality through his words alone is difficult; doing so through a sampling of less than five percent of his writings is impossible. Here we are treated to brief excerpts that only hint at the complexity of the man. DiNunzio (history, Providence Coll.) rounds out his selection with a thumbnail biography of Roosevelt and brief introductions to topical sections dealing with TR and politics, patriotism, the outdoor life, women, race, and the arts. In many respects TR was well ahead of his time, but in others he reflected the prevailing sentiments of his era--something readers should keep in mind as they browse through this brief work.
- Nicholas C. Burckel, Washington Univ. Libs., St. Louis
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.