Colonel Roosevelt

Roosevelt bit off every word, as was his habit, with snapping teeth and wreathing lips. Narrator Mark Deakins imitates the former president's delivery, making it easy to distinguish Roosevelt's numerous quotes, taken from speeches, newspaper columns, books, and letters. As the narration begins, Teddy has just finished eight years as president and is touring Africa and Europe, being received with all the pomp befitting a sitting president. Deakins does a tasteful job of keeping the endless cast of mentioned personalities in place, using appropriate voices and accents without ever making them comedic. His exemplary diction and easy-to-follow pace make listeners' significant investment in time worthwhile. Deakins's animated narration reinforces how tireless the Colonel was, even in his senior years and at 325 lbs. J.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Starred review from October 11, 2010
Having followed his 1979 classic, Pulitzer-winning The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, with a fine account of his presidency, Theodore Rex, in 2001, historian Morris returns to top form in this enthralling story of Roosevelt's life after leaving office in 1909. As Morris says, TR's presidency was an impossible act to follow. The outgoing chief executive (1858–1919) welcomed his successor, William Howard Taft, and left the country for a year, but on his return plunged back into politics, angry at Taft's backsliding on reform. The rank-and file adored Roosevelt, but Republican leaders didn't, so he abandoned the party for the historic three-way 1912 campaign, during which two progressives, Roosevelt and Wilson, battled it out, and Taft came in third. Despite losing, only death interrupted Roosevelt's outpouring of political maneuvering, journalism, scholarship, exploration, and profuse, generally unwelcome advice to President Wilson. Like Robert Caro with Lyndon Johnson, Morris has devoted a career to one man with equally impressive results. This is a witty, insightful biography combined with a vivid political history of America from 1910 to 1919, centered on a relentlessly energetic ex-president. It is a joy to read. 64 illus.; 2 maps.