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Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt Review

David McCullough's writing style, paired with his decision to feature Roosevelt's early years, gives a fresh approach to a much-written-about subject. Mornings on Horseback takes us through TR's childhood, first marriage, and foray into politics. A lot of things I thought I knew about Theodore Roosevelt went out the window as his life is explained through fascinating letters and contemporary commentary. Anyone who is in love with this part of American history or Theodore Roosevelt will want to read and reread this book. Thank you, David McCullough!

Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt Feature

ISBN13: 9780671447540
Condition: New
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Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt Overview

Mornings on Horseback is the brilliant biography of the young Theodore Roosevelt. Hailed as "a masterpiece" (John A. Gable, Newsday), it is the winner of the Los Angeles Times 1981 Book Prize for Biography and the National Book Award for Biography. Written by David McCullough, the author of Truman, this is the story of a remarkable little boy, seriously handicapped by recurrent and almost fatal asthma attacks, and his struggle to manhood: an amazing metamorphosis seen in the context of the very uncommon household in which he was raised.

The father is the first Theodore Roosevelt, a figure of unbounded energy, enormously attractive and selfless, a god in the eyes of his small, frail namesake. The mother, Mittie Bulloch Roosevelt, is a Southerner and a celebrated beauty, but also considerably more, which the book makes clear as never before. There are sisters Anna and Corinne, brother Elliott (who becomes the father of Eleanor Roosevelt), and the lovely, tragic Alice Lee, TR's first love. All are brought to life to make "a beautifully told story, filled with fresh detail", wrote The New York Times Book Review.

A book to be read on many levels, it is at once an enthralling story, a brilliant social history and a work of important scholarship which does away with several old myths and breaks entirely new ground. It is a book about life intensely lived, about family love and loyalty, about grief and courage, about "blessed" mornings on horseback beneath the wide blue skies of the Badlands.

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Customer Reviews

Great Read - TonyB -
This biography gives a fresh perspective on how Theodore Roosevelt developed into the person that become president. The level of detail of his family and the influence of his experiences is enlightening. Anyone interested in gaining knowledge of the man before his presidency must read this book.

I was already a fan of Teddy Roosevelt. This book gave me a deeper level of understanding, respect and awe!

very well written - porkrind276 -
Couldn't put it down. Also read "truman" by same author. He has a very good writing style.

Misinformation and Myth - Rhode Island Reader - Rhode Island
This book is one of the worst political biographies - of the type that purport to be scholarly - I have ever read. Its continuing appeal is a mystery to me. It is truly a piece of misinformation of the worst kind. It is unfortunate that it is still in print.
McCullough misuses Roosevelt's asthma as a vehicle to interpret his personal characterics and political ethos. Due to his poor research and dependence on obsolete stereotypes of asthma and pop psychology, McCullough labels Roosevelt's asthma attacks as mainly psychosomatic in nature, rather than physical manifestations of asthma. In particular, McCullough portrays young Roosevelt's asthma attacks as calls for attention. McCullough should have asked asthma specialists, rather than a psychologist, about the nature of young TR's symptoms. If he had, it would have forced him to change his thesis.... Even when he wrote the book nearly 30 years ago, McCullough's characterizations of asthma did not reflect contemporary medical standards. As described in McCullough's book, young TR often had asthma attacks after or during large family meals. This is hardly psychosomatic. A Victorian-era meal in an affluent household of the time could easily be responsible for an asthma attack. It is now understood that reflux disease (GERD) and asthma work in tandem. The massive amount of food - we know that they had multiple meal courses - and the fat content used in preparation (butter or lard), would be a sure prescription for a severe episode of GERD. It is understood today by most asthma specialists that the acid from a GERD attack is drawn into an asthmatic's upper respiratory system, causing inflammation and asthma attacks. Overeating has also triggered asthma attacks from constrictions of the airway. This is a physical symptom, not a psychosomatic cry for attention. Young TR's asthma attacks during heavy family meals have a sound medical explanation. That he had fewer asthma attacks later in life was probably attributable to being able to choose what he ate and the size of the serving. TR also grew up in a big city where heating was from wood and coal burning - a direct contributor to poor respiratory health.
This book not only does a disservice to TR, but misinforms people about asthma. Using misinformation about a disease as a basis for political biography makes this book obsolete.

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Wednesday, October 20, 2010