The Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt - (American Presidency) 2nd Edition by Lewis L Gould (Paperback)

About the Book

A comprehensive account of Theodore Roosevelt's important presidency, updated to take into account two decades of additional research on the subject.

Book Synopsis

First published in 1991, The Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt has won acclaim as a lucid and thorough narrative of Roosevelt's two terms in the White House. Reviewers praised the depth of Lewis L. Gould's research, his comprehensive coverage of major aspects of Roosevelt's tenure, and the persuasiveness of his conclusions about his subject's personalized presidency. Writing in Reviews in American History, Willard Gatewood called the book "essential reading for all who wish to understand the complex, charismatic, and perennially fascinating political figure that was Theodore Roosevelt.""

Long considered the standard work on its subject, Gould's book is a trusted source that newcomers to Roosevelt's years in the White House and experts in the field could consult with confidence in its research and historical judgments. It has also become an essential adoption for courses on the era, effectively engaging undergraduates and graduate students who have praised the author for his clarity and evenhandedness. Responding to frequent suggestions that the book be brought up-to-date to incorporate the excellent studies of Roosevelt's presidency that have appeared since 1991, Gould has provided a new edition that he believes "will reintroduce a new generation of readers to the fun and importance of an ebullient, lively chief executive."

In this revised and expanded edition, Gould has built on the sterling qualities of the first edition and added new information and analysis based on continuing research and a command of the literature on Theodore Roosevelt's presidency published during the last two decades. He has tightened the prose and added numerous references to the latest scholarship on this most engaging of presidents. Interested readers will find new discussions of the origins of Roosevelt's creation of the Tongass Forest in Alaska, his treatment of a dissenting federal employee named Rebecca Taylor who took her grievance to the Supreme Court, the recent controversy over Roosevelt's relationship with Japan, the dispute over whether the president issued a warning to Germany about Venezuela in 1902-1903, and the important role of a little-known conservative senator named Winthrop Murray Crane.

With these and other changes, the updated version of Gould's text provides an even more compelling narrative that broadens the already fascinating story of Roosevelt in power with new insights and perceptive conclusions.

Review Quotes

"A balanced and thoughtful account of Roosevelt's years in the White House, combining scholarly detail with insightful judgments."--Presidential Studies Quarterly

Praise for the first edition:

"Skillfully blending insightful interpretation with detailed narratives, Gould has made an invaluable contribution to understanding Theodore Roosevelt's presidency and its influence over reform and the evolution of the national government in the twentieth century."--Journal of American History

"A clear, balanced, insightful account that establishes itself as the best treatment yet done of its subject."--American Historical Review

"A gracefully written, deeply researched, and judiciously argued book [that] deserves to be read by a large general audience."--Robert Dallek, author of Hail to the Chief: The Making and Unmaking of American Presidents