This excellent book touches the audience who enjoyed David McCullough s biography of T.R., and is in that league. The writing is self-assured, evocative, and fair-handed; the character sketches (crucial in such books) are delightful and the Roosevelt family lore is fascinating. Thompson s writing is accessible, and the choice of quotations makes the characters live in the reader s mind. - R. J. Q. Adams, Distinguished Professor and Patricia and Bookman Peters Professor of History, Texas A&M University
I warmly recommend this book to anyone interested in Theodore Roosevelt and his time. It is well-researched and well-written, as well as very timely. - Hans-Dieter Sues, Ph.D., Associate Director for Research and Collections, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History
I learned a good bit reading it, especially the fact that Teddy could not be a viable candidate in these media-driven days. He said too much, too frankly, with no little amount of balderdash thrown into the mix. Still, he was a real American of the old- school, teaching corrupt and jejune old-worlders a thing or two whenever he had the chance. - Thomas Kennedy, Professor of History Emeritus, University of Arkansas