Reviews

Leave It As It Is: A Journey Through Theodore Roosevelt's American Wilderness by David Gessner

coric's review

adventurous hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

 

Gessner magically blends past and present with his personal memoir and travelogue alongside his explorative study of Theodore Roosevelt and western environmental history as he winds through the western states. Through research, conversations, and his travels through places where Roosevelt left his legacy, he gives us a fresh character study of a well-known and complicated American hero. While highlighting his accomplishments, Gessner does not shy away from his problematic actions and beliefs nor defend him as a man of his time. It will be a compelling and inspiring read for those who need a gentle nudge or encouragement to continue advocating for what needs protection. His goals are relatable as he uses this journey to examine his own purpose and role in protecting the non-human world and re-claiming it for those who were here first. It is a timely tale about advocating for this glorious world we inhabit and bringing awareness to the current issues of the west.

 

triceratopper's review

1.0

This book is part memoir, part love letter to Theodore Roosevelt, part hate letter to Donald Trump, part commentary on the current state of conservation in the United States. It tries to do all of these things, but doesn't quite succeed in any of them. I suppose I learned some things about Roosevelt's conservation efforts, which were more numerous than I had realized, but to get there, I had to slog through a drug trip with the author's nephew and commentary from various politicians and environmentalists both of the past and present.

Edit: I'm currently reading the book [b:Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America|53056522|Mediocre The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America|Ijeoma Oluo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569299522l/53056522._SY75_.jpg|66444954], and in the first chapter, Theodore Roosevelt is touched upon in a very different light. In some ways, I feel like I learned more about him from Medoicre than I did in this book. (And it also works as a hate letter to Donald Trump.)