Theodore Roosevelt's History of the United States

July 26, 2010
Ruddy had his work cut out for him in assembling this history of the United States from the perspective of its 26th president. Roosevelt was a prolific writer, having penned enough for 20 volumes of collected works and written, it’s estimated, more than 150,000 letters. Ruddy scoured a hefty portion of these writings, along with speeches, newspaper articles, and personal accounts left by associates, to create a colorful and highly opinionated account of some of the nation’s most dramatic episodes. Though the book is comprised entirely of Roosevelt’s own words, Ruddy is more than an anthologist; he’s an adept editor, seamlessly stitching together passages from a myriad of sources to create a cohesive, informative, and always entertaining read. As a piece of American history however, the book is less valuable, its scope too large to allow for an in-depth examination of events. But as an intimate portrait of one of our most forceful leaders, it’s a resounding success. Roosevelt’s words breathe life into historical personalities long since reduced to ink and paper. Though his descriptions can be unflattering (Thomas Paine is deemed “a filthy little atheist,” and William McKinley purportedly had “no more backbone than a chocolate éclair”) they’re certainly never dull.