Theodore Roosevelt's History of the United States: His Own Words

Theodore Roosevelt's ideas about the nation's early days and his own times can be found sprinkled throughout his volu-minous writings, but these "pearls of thought" (as one of his book reviewers described them in 1888) have never before been pulled together into one volume. Now, through the skillful editing of Daniel Ruddy, Theodore Roosevelt's History of the United States provides readers with Roosevelt's unique view of American history from the Revolution to the beginning of the twentieth century.

An astute historical observer, Roosevelt was a hanging judge who did not hesitate to render harsh verdicts about leaders and events from America's past. His razor-sharp opinions cut to the core, capturing the essence of obscure and prominent figures alike: in his view, Andrew Jackson was "not more than half civilized," John Tyler was "a politician of monu-mental littleness," and William McKinley had "no more backbone than a chocolate Éclair." Roosevelt did not spare his contemporaries from criticism, either, particularly Woodrow Wilson, whom he believed to be "rotten through and through." What emerges from these pages is, of course, as revealing about Roosevelt as it is about the United States. This colorful compendium is a wonderful new angle on both American history and one of the country's most energetic, brilliant, and entertaining men.