TR Bibliography

Prepared by Jim Kratsas, Deputy Director

Curator of Teddy Roosevelt:  A Singular Life

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum

  1. H.W. Brands, T.R. The Last Romantic 1997.  Highly readable life story of Theodore Roosevelt looking more at the personality of TR than most biographies. Brands utilized published letters and correspondence from the Library of Congress and Harvard for the majority of his research. 897 pages.
  1. Edmund Morris, The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt 1980. 1980 Pulitzer Prize winning account of Theodore Roosevelt’s life from birth to his ascendancy to the presidency. The best inspection of TR’s early life, very detailed but beautifully written and entertaining. 920 pages.
  1. Edmund Morris, Theodore Rex 2001. New York Times best seller and second volume of Morris’ life of Teddy Roosevelt focusing on the presidential years. As in the earlier volume, very detailed but highly readable. When Morris’s third and final volume focusing on TR’s post-presidential life is published, the three volumes will surely be THE account of our nation’s 26th president. 772 pages.
  1. Nathan Miller, Theodore Roosevelt: A Life 1992. An easy read lacking the depth of the above works but still entertaining and informative for a very good overview of TR. 624 pages.
  1. David McCullough, Mornings on Horseback 1982. Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough lends his unique style of storytelling to the early life of Theodore Roosevelt. As with his other works, the author combines great research with enthralling prose that leaves most other historians far behind in popularity and readability. Winner of the National Book Award for 1982. 370 pages.
  1. Louis Auchincloss, ed., Theodore Roosevelt: Letters and Speeches Library of America series, 2004. A must for the semi-serious scholar of TR. Correspondence hits nearly all of the highlights of his life and some of the more memorable letters from the immense number generated by TR. 915 pages.
  1. Louis Auchincloss, ed., Theodore Roosevelt: The Rough Riders, An Autobiography Library of America series 2004. TR’s own accounts of his “crowded hour” in the Spanish/American War and his life. Provides great insight into his perception of the battle at San Juan Hill and doesn’t hide his pride and boasting of his accomplishments—published right after his return from Cuba. The Autobiography shows his views on many topics such as his father and mother, his time out West, America’s future and his love of the “strenuous life.” 895 pages.
  1. Louis Auchincloss, Theodore Roosevelt 2004.The American Presidents Series, Times Book volume on our 26th president. Brief overview of his life and accomplishments. 205 pages.
  1. Margaret Leech, In the Days of McKinley 1960. Pulitzer Prize winner focusing on the years that McKinley was president. Not truly a biography but an engrossing work with plenty of focus on the Spanish/American War.  686 pages.
  1. Kevin Phillips, Arthur M. Schlesinger, William McKinley 2003. The American Presidents Series, Times Books volume on our 25th president. Brief overview of his life and accomplishments. 208 pages.
  1. Ivan Musicant, Empire by Default: The Spanish-American War and the Dawn of the American Century 1999. Thorough but highly readable account of the “Splendid Little War” which Musicant says was anything but splendid and how that conflict ushered America onto the world stage. 740 pages.
  1. James Chace, 1912:Wilson, Roosevelt, Taft and Debs—The Election that Changed the Country 2005. Points out the uniqueness of this unusual election where four candidates not just two brought us Woodrow Wilson and our eventual entry into World War I. 336 pages.
  1. Eric Raucway, Murdering McKinley: The Making of Theodore Roosevelt’s America 2003. Interesting work that makes a good case for Roosevelt murdering the memory of McKinley. Focuses on McKinley’s assassin Leon Czolgoz’s background, Roosevelt’s initial reaction to the murder and some on the subsequent years of TR’s administration. Too much emphasis on the assassin and forensics. 250 pages.
  1. Warren Zimmermann, First Great Triumph: How Five AmericansMade Their Country a World Power 2004. Brilliant study of Roosevelt, Henry Cabot Lodge, John Hay, Alfred Mahan and Elihu Root and how they weaved their beliefs and actions together and influenced America’s role in the world. 576 pages.

Prepared by Grand Rapids Public Library, Youth Services Division

Jeffers, H. Paul  ROOSEVELT THE EXPLORER:  T.R.'S AMAZING

                                                ADVENTURES AS A NATURALIST, CONSERVA-

                                                TIONIST, AND EXPLORER  (B R672 J3)

Keller, Morton                THEODORE ROOSEVELT; A PROFILE (B R6735 K2)

Kraft, Betsy                   THEODORE ROOSEVELT:  CHAMPION OF THE

                                                AMERICAN SPIRIT  (jB R677 K8)

Meltzer, Milton   THEODORE ROOSEVELT AND HIS AMERICA

                                                (YA B R6735 M4)

Renehan, Edward           THE LION'S PRIDE:  THEODORE ROOSEVELT AND HIS

                                                FAMILY IN PEACE AND WAR  (973.911 R293L)

Roosevelt, Theodore       A BULLY FATHER:  THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S

                                                LETTERS TO HIS CHILDREN  (B R6735b)

Roosevelt, Theodore       THE ROUGH RIDERS  (973.894 R677r 1999)

St. George, Judith          YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY, TEDDY ROOSEVELT 

                                                (jB R677 Sa2)

Walker, Dale L.  THE BOYS OF '98:  THEODORE ROOSEVELT AND THE

                                                ROUGH RIDERS  (973.894 W151b)