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

A comprehensive and meticulously researched biography that offers an insightful exploration of an extraordinary individual's life, chronicling their remarkable achievements, profound impact, and significant contributions across various domains, providing readers with a deep understanding of the subject's personal journey, professional milestones, and lasting legacy.

On the cover of David McCullough’s MORNINGS ON HORSEBACK, a young Teddy Roosevelt stares past the reader, rugged and confident. But don’t be fooled: the former president isn’t this book’s true focus. If it were, it would just be another Roosevelt biography. But it’s much more. It’s the story of a family. It’s a look into an age that swelled with exuberance and possibility. To understand the 20th Century’s first president, one needs to understand his fascinating roots. McCullough ushers us into the Roosevelt’s Manhattan enclave, where we’re introduced to Teddy’s parents: Mittie (the consummate Southern lady) and Theodore (the dapper New York scion). They inhabit a life ripped straight from an Edith Wharton novel. These opening chapters bring into focus the complex, charming nest that hatched such a peculiar, dynamic President. Undoubtedly Teddy is iconic - the man has his face carved into a mountain for Pete’s sake - which can make us forget that he was more than just a President: he was a brother, a son, and a nephew. The book’s opening hundred pages explore this simple truth. When Teddy leaves Manhattan for Harvard and, later, a budding political career, the book loses momentum. The slowness hits a particularly dense shoal when McCullough details the 1884 Republican primary. Anyone who’s read enough 19th century history knows that era’s political conventions are fatally boring - page after page of bargaining, politicking, and negotiation. McCullough tries his very best, but is unable to add much color to the convention’s blandness. Some redemption is delivered in the chapters devoted to Teddy’s Dakota years. The man rode horses across the steppe, speculated on cattle, dealt with scofflaws, and nearly found himself drawn into a duel with a local kingpin (and sharpshooter, mind you). It’s exciting stuff. Despite the flaws, it’s a good book. McCullough brings a fascinating era to life and makes the reader a part-time resident for 360 wonderful pages. You’ll come away from the experience with a fuller understanding of an historical figure. And, ultimately, isn’t that the goal of every biography?

Wow, amazing! I was expecting just information on Roosevelt, but got a whole lot of backstory to the family, too. David McCullough is an amazing author!

I have to admit that this book was not what I expected when I ordered it. What I experienced was the story of a loving family with all their quirks, virtues, and flaws. The book is well written and historically correct, however at no time is it dry or humdrum. The real lives of the Roosevelt family is filled with so many memorable characters, scenes, twists, and turns that the reader cannot wait to turn the page and plunge headlong into the next family experience. It is only at the end of the book when the afterward is read that one is brought back to reality and is reminded that this story is true and of the profound effect the family had on our nation is made evident. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves a good, sweeping family drama filled with interesting characters, multiple generations, and unique places during the late 1800's. Readers who love history will revell in this book, but don't let the word "history" scare you off. Truth is as good a read as fiction in this case!

Excellent.

A disappointment coming from McCullough. Almost seems someone required him to write it. If you really wanted to know about TR there are many better choices

The book was, as is every McCullough book, very well written and very well researched. However, I did not find it as interesting as many other McCullough books are. Teddy lead a charmed childhood.- parents of extraordinary wealth, a physically beautiful and loving mother, a brilliant, highly ethical and loving father. Except for Teddy's bouts with asthma, the story is so picturesque that it does not provoke any powerful emotions. But I did feel more than a little bit of disappoint with Teddy, because he essentially abandoned his daughter by his first marriage and why did he get such pleasure in killing a multitude of animals. However, I have to remember the times were different and I have to recognize in the best of times even the best of people have flaws. There is one thing that bothers me about a multitude of history books - they will tell the day and month of an event but do not mention the year. I have to go back and read and research to find the year. I wish these writers would also mention the year when they give the date.

Some people have the gift of making history and the people that they are writing about really come to life. David McCullough is one of them. TR came from a family that was so incredibly caring and nourishing. When you read this book you will feel happy for him that he came from such and environment and sad for ourselves that the type of people whose values and kindness do not seem to exist anymore. Of course he came from wealth, but that is not necessarily the reason that his family environment was so rich. It was because the parents possessed true love for each of their children. The father, Theodore Roosevelt Sr was a fine example of manly love. His morality was of the commandment that when much has been given, much must be required. He gave back to his community, cared more about philanthropy than about business which he found tedious and was equally giving of himself to his children. I think he is an excellent example of a person creating an environment of greatness that produced incredible fruit for his family and community.

This lovely book is focused entirely on TR's younger years, just up to his mid-20s or so. This is a period of TR's life that other books about him often deal with relatively lightly, if at all, focused as they understandably are on such things as the Rough Riders and (particularly) his Presidency. In McCullough's introduction to the book, he argues that "one cannot really know Theodore Roosevelt, the twenty-sixth President of the United States, without knowing what sort of man his father was." He goes on to say he hopes readers "come away from the book with a strong sense of what a great man" TR's father indeed was. I believe he persuasively makes his case, entertainingly illuminating how TR developed (both before and after his father's early death at only 46) into the personality we remember. The book has a great deal of interesting information from original sources (particularly letters) that I've not encountered elsewhere, and it's easy to see why it won McCullough's second National Book Award and his first Los Angeles Times Prize for Biography. However, I'll note one small criticism of, at least, the Kindle version: the unusual number of typographical errors, most relating to punctuation. For example, apostrophes were too often missing in words that without a doubt needed one, or vice versa. It occurred often enough to be a bit of a distraction. I should note once again that I read it in Kindle format, not print form, and it appears to be one of his earlier books (the original edition being 1981). It may possibly be that when the Kindle version was produced later, it did not receive adequate editorial review. That small reservation to one side, this was a marvelous book, one which I enjoyed almost - but not quite - as much as my favorite book by this author, "The Wright Brothers."

A great read.

David Mc Cullough is a great historian and a very good writer.

A vivid biography of the young Theodore Roosevelt finding his way in life, but with wide enough reference to contemporary history to work as a "life and times". Readable, instructive, and responsive to Roosevelt's boldness in moving beyond the confines of the privilege into which he was born and raised.

The author is well versed in the subject and is quite readable