Bully for TR

What an experience to be President during one of the best periods of American life -- before the Depression and World Wars, when America was young and optimistic. I have always liked the period in American history from 1880 to 1910 -- despite problems, that sense of optimism always came through. In this book, Morris shows Roosevelt as the epitomy of this optimism. He is facing an uphill battle (worse than San Juan!) from the moment he assumes the presidency on McKinley's assassination. Senators, robber barons, and an assortment of political riff-raff all see him as absolutely the wrong person to be President and set out to remove him as soon as possible, yet Teddy overcomes or at least compromises through all.

You will enjoy the "history as current events" style of writing in this book. Rather than allowing his historical perspective to overshadow the unfolding events, Morris allows history to once again unfold as it happened (or as close as possible). This "novelistic" approach adds life to a history, and keeps the reader's interest throughout. In addition, Morris is careful to include necessary details, many of which never have been told before, without becoming overcome with trivia.

Pick it up and relive a young America's (and a young President's) optimism again.