Scan barcode
rheren's review against another edition
5.0
This was extremely interesting reading. I like to read biographies, but I have not read many autobiographies. I imagine with autobiographies you often get someone trying to convince the reader to take their point of view, so you have to be careful to keep in mind that you're getting a slanted picture of events. I tried to approach the book with that outlook. However, especially for the pre-Presidency history, I felt like he tried to take a pretty neutral tone on events: he admitted where he was wrong or where he hadn't come to fully understand things yet, and had some fascinating thoughts on politics, life and morality. I loved it. The chapters on his presidency felt more like he was defending himself, so the tone felt a little different, but there was still some good stuff. He wasn't a perfect man, certainly, but I came away feeling very impressed by him and by his good-hearted, sincere and tough-minded approach to life.
timnorman's review against another edition
4.0
I was surprised at how progressive this was considering he was a Republican politician from 100 years ago. I was also surprised at how little things have changed in the political machine over the last century (and gives me some perspective next time I hear a politician promising change.) I also thought he had a very balanced and progressive view on the military, workers rights, work-life balance and *gasp* socialism.
It is an auto-biography, and he does talk very favourably of himself and his accomplishments, but he is also very generous in his praise for his colleges and opponents, so I'm not sure how skeptical I should be of what he wrote.
Regardless, I think this is an excellent biography of someone who's often thrown around the internet as the go to example of the bad ass manly-man's man and paints him as a much more rounded character than popular culture would have lead me to believe.
It is an auto-biography, and he does talk very favourably of himself and his accomplishments, but he is also very generous in his praise for his colleges and opponents, so I'm not sure how skeptical I should be of what he wrote.
Regardless, I think this is an excellent biography of someone who's often thrown around the internet as the go to example of the bad ass manly-man's man and paints him as a much more rounded character than popular culture would have lead me to believe.
rissaleighs's review against another edition
3.0
This is a treasure for the ardent Roosevelt scholar, but for the casually interested reader it got a little long. His voice strikes me as a curious mix of Mark Twain and Donald Trump --- the vocabulary and verve of Twain with the self-importance of Trump. Though granted when you are Teddy Roosevelt a little self-importance is probably well warranted. To be honest, I was more interested in his discussion of family life and bird-watching than in his political life, so that is probably most of my problem as a reader of this book. It was interesting to note the lost history, though, of current events that worried people a hundred years ago -- for example, the coal strike of 1902 which genuinely threatened lives and has been long forgotten now even by most history books. I also found his description of the first Spanish War battle he participated in to be hilarious and surprisingly relateable. He makes no bones about admitting how clueless he felt! That, set down in writing, by a war hero. All in all, it's a great book, but I have to admit I skimmed a great deal of the second half, ready to get on to the next thing.
abigaileve's review against another edition
I started reading Edmund Morris's biography of Roosevelt, and Morris integrates this autobiographical account's best stories and quotes. It felt redundant to read both.
tinfoil_ghost's review against another edition
4.0
I never knew what an interesting man he was, really glad I read this autobiography!
More...