Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the...

Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who ... | David McCullough | TR Fan

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Mornings on Horseb...

	Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who ... David McCullough Simon & Schuster, 1982 - 370 pages average customer review:based on 79 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

How the last "renaissance man" president was created

I'll admit up front that I believe Teddy Roosevelt is my favorite president and certainly one of our greatest. He was probably one of the last "renaissance men" of our time; a successful politician, reformer, war hero, historian, naturalist, and rancher (ok, not too successful as a rancher).

But the beauty of Mornings On Horseback is that it adds another dimension to Roosevelt. Unlike many other books on the man, which focus on his accomplishments as a politician and leader, McCullough has used diaries and letters to paint a picture of the family side of TR. Not just a more developed picture of TR himself, but also of his family and the impact of their relationships on each other and on the future president himself.

If you're looking for a book about TR's accomplishments, this is not the book. However, if you're looking for a book that provides insights into how the great man was created Mornings on Horseback fills that need. McCullough notes that he ended his story after TR came back from the "badlands" and ran for mayor of New York. Although the TR story goes beyond that time, the author feels that the essential TR had been created by then, and McCullough's focus is on that story.

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TR Fan

Excellent, well written book! One of the better biography's of the late, great TR. A must read for all TR fan's.

American Aristocrat

I commend the author for forging a career as a non-academic historian. Few of our tenured scholars write this well, few could get tenure in this day and age expressing affection and admiration for this great republican President and his family of Dutch aristocrats. McCullough is thorough and critical, but never hesitates to show his warm-hearted respect for this extraordinary man who devoted his life to conservation and social advocacy, two fields of life-endeavor totally abandoned by the modern Republicans. Founder of both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum, TD was the product of that strange era in American life when the rich identified with America but were not duped into celebrating mediocrity and such popular institutions as the public schools. TD was tutored at home and kept away from the "coarsening" influences of the general public. He then set about to enrich the masses by supporting great institutions. Interesting, TD's arch-rival, John D. Rockefeller, dedicated his life to the same goals. In the 19th century, the rich held the public in contempt for their "commonness" but also felt obliged to "give." This is a charming study of this most charmed family.

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Bully for This Book!

This has to be one of the best biographies I have ever read. David Mccullough's storytelling draws you in, and gives you an intimate look at Teddy's pre-presidential days. The only negative is that it isn't long enough!

Interesting biography of not just TR, but his family as well

David McCullough once again really had me enjoying reading about someone I have never been particularly interested in. This telling of TR's life story is different from most in that the story ends before he makes a big name in politics. TR would not have been the leader he was without the family that raised him and this is the focus of McCullough's book. We learn of his parents, his siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. We learn of his home-schooling, the family vacations, his severe childhood asthma (I learned a lot about asthma from this book), and his love of nature and natural history (though his habit of nonchalantly shooting every creature in sight, particular birds, and stuffing them is a little disturbing). Overall, it is a very interesting read.

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