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Wednesday, July 29. 2009

TR

Teddy Roosevelt rightly fascinates biographers.


I am not ready for a new one after having read Edmund Morris' multi-volume bio, but Douglas Brinkley's new one looks to be a big seller: The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America.


Our pet theory is that Americans snap up history books because they get no serious history in school. 

Posted by The Barrister in History at 14:54 | Comments (4) | Trackbacks (0)

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I am extremely reluctant to read Brinkley's work for two reasons. One is his shameless hagiography of John Kerry. The other is that he used to be the editor of a history magazine, name long forgotten, that I subscribed to. They rarely actually published and mailed out issues - IIRC correctly it was a seim-monthly but I only saw maybe three or four issues for my two-year subscription. It was a ripoff.
#1 Knucklehead (Link) on 2009-07-29 15:56 (Reply)
I appreciate your comments about the Roosevelt book. The Weekly Standard, 09/06/04, issue 48 casts some doubt on Mr. Brinkley's judgement when he speaks of his anger about the "false accusations made against Kerry's military record." He goes on to say "it's no secret I think he (Kerry) would make a first-rate president." Should we give Brinkley the benefit of the doubt by asking president of what?

It's sad in a way, since Roosevelt is such an intriguing character. For now, the Edmund Morris bio might be the way to go.
#1.1 Thalpy on 2009-07-29 18:11 (Reply)
You are right about Americans' thirst for real history. Also why the History Channel is so popular.
#2 NJSoldier on 2009-07-30 07:42 (Reply)
Those that enjoyed history in school are the ones buying the books. My schools did a fine job; most of us just wouldn't listen. (In the middle of the new Andrew Jackson bio)
#3 Wes (Link) on 2009-07-30 21:20 (Reply)

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