The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt

Reviews

“Forget all that Rough Rider stuff; Roosevelt was a mushy romantic at his core, and… also quite progressive, which is another pleasant shocker in this very fine book.”
—Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan “O’Keefe presents a perceptive and persuasive argument that adds a sensitive dimension to the masculine persona of Theodore Roosevelt.”
—Washington Independent Review of Books “With meticulous research... [and] perceptive insights... O’Keefe has performed a most valuable service by reminding us how much Theodore Roosevelt, the most virile of presidents, owed to the brilliant women in his life.”
—The New York Times “Entertaining…. [O’Keefe] celebrates [these extraordinary women’s] devotion, skills and accomplishments. In doing so, he leads us to a better understanding of an equally extraordinary man.”
—The Wall Street Journal “Edward F. O’Keefe has given us an elegant and illuminating account of the human side of one of the most consequential Americans in our history. By detailing Theodore Roosevelt's emotional connections to the women in his life, O’Keefe reminds us that leaders are not made of marble but of heart and flesh. This is a wonderful book.”
—Jon Meacham, New York Times bestselling author of And There Was Light “A graceful, powerful book that lets us into the lives of the remarkable women who shaped an extraordinary man. If you want to truly understand Theodore Roosevelt, this book is an essential guide.”
—Candice Millard, New York Times bestselling author of River of Doubt ““It is not only feasible but advisable to make women equal to men before the law,” Theodore Roosevelt wrote as a Harvard senior, anticipating suffrage by 40 years. The sentiment was consonant with the life, one shaped, advised, fortified, and energized by women. O’Keefe assembles that extraordinary cast here, nimbly cataloguing the strategic, transformative power of Roosevelt’s mother, daughter, sisters, and wives, all of them complicit, to different and often remarkable degrees, in TR’s meteoric career.”
— Stacy Schiff, New York Times bestselling author of The Revolutionary “An extraordinary portrait of the women who nurtured, advised, and propelled one of America’s most compelling leaders. The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt is history unearthed and more fully understood, at last.”
—Susan Page, New York Times bestselling author of The Matriarch “A brilliantly written and entertaining look at the crucial role women played in our 26th president’s political career. Highly recommended!”
—Douglas Brinkley, New York Times bestselling author of The Wilderness Warrior “The language is beautiful… and seeing Theodore’s life through the lens of his female family members gives it an intimacy sorely missed in many other biographies.”
—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Expand reviews