The History Book Club discussion

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.

Review:
"This is a marvelous chronicle of manners and morals, love and duty, and as captivating as anything you will find between books covers in a long while." Detroit News

Review:
"A fine account of Roosevelt's rise to manhood, well written and, like its subject, full of irrepressible vitality." Denver Post

Review:
"We have no better social historian." John Leonard, The New York Times

Review:
"An extraordinary and fascinating picture of the family, home life and background that created the endlessly interesting man and President." Barbara Tuchman

About the Author

David McCullough has been called a "master of the art of narrative history." His books have been praised for their exceptional narrative sweep, their scholarship and insight into American life, and for their literary distinction.

Here is an excerpt - Chapter One from Barnes and Noble:



Interview with David McCullough: (Powell's)



Simon and Schuster:

With a Video with David McCullough where he talks about his favorite movies;
you can also listen to an audio excerpt of the book



AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS:

National Book Award Winner (1982),
Los Angeles Times Prize for Biography (1981) ,
New York Public Library Literary Lion Award (1981)

Bryan will be leading this discussion beginning May 30th (due to his vacation schedule the kick-off will be a few days early). This book will be discussed during the months of June, July and August and is a Presidential Series read.

David McCullough

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This should be an interesting read. McCullough is a gifted writer.

I think it will be terrific; I love McCullough's style of writing as I do Doris Kearns Goodwin.

When the group did My Early Life by Winston Churchill which is the only book where I clearly made the recommendation (it was our first book). I was struck by how much the early life of a great individual really leaves a distinct mark on the person and makes them what they are as an adult. I suspect we will find the same thing true about TR.

Winston S. Churchill

This is an interesting story about a group of women called the Roswell women:



Interesting from the standpoint that Theodore Roosevelt's mother came from this area.