| |  | Books The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey |  | | | | | | | | | | Rating:  - It's a great book!
It should not be easy to mix history, action, geography, ornithology...in one book, but this book is exceptionally well balanced. The author gives not only the details of Theodore Roosevelt and his companions heroic journey across the uncharted rain forests of the Amazon, but provides amazingly deep insight of the wild life of the rain forests, and it's first explorers. I rarely find books that makes me 100% satisfied, but this was that kind. It is a really great book!
Rating:  - Holy Jumping Monkeys!
What an amazing story this was! Reading this book blew my mind in so many ways I'm not sure where to begin. Let's start with saying Teddy Roosevelt was one amazing man and an incredibly tough SOB. They sure don't make them like they used to. There was just so much in here that I didn't know about and I can't believe that I didn't know about. Did you know that TR was shot immediately before a campaign speech? The bullet was partially slowed by its passage through the folded speech and his glasses case he had in his jacket but it still penetrated five inches into his chest. Then, with a bleeding chest wound, he still gave the speech before getting medical attention!
That's just one little anecdote in this book about the amazing exploration that TR did with his son Kermit, Amercian ornithologist George Cherrie, and Brazilian Colonel Candido Rondon, charting the River of Doubt in Amazonia. This was one of the most amazing true stories that I've read and it makes all the action adventure heroes you've ever admired seem like complete wimps. The headwaters of the Rio da Duvida were discovered by Colonel Candida in the early 1900's but although he wanted to chart it his expedition was too battered by simply getting there to proceed and they had to turn back. TR shows up in 1913 after loosing the presidential election and decides to go down the river with Rondon. No white man had ever been down the river and no one even knew where it went. They mount an expedition, take months to even get to the headwaters, lose most of their livestock, provisions and all their boats before they even get there but they still head down the river using dugouts bought from local indians. The story of their four month river trek is marked by harrowing privation, disease, near starvation, hostile indians, despair, drownings, and murder. I was so amazed by what I was reading I gave a running commentary to my wife as I went along and I remember telling her at one point that I just don't see how they are going to make it. I really didn't. Not everyone does make it unfortunately. TR himself was so close to death through malaria, infection and starvation that it is incredible that he survived, although his privations did catch up with him later and was likely responsible for his early death a few years later at age 60. I don't want to talk about the details of the book so much that this review becomes a spoiler but everyone should read this book. It will probably leave you savagely disappointed with the quality of presidents we've had recently but it will also leave you amazed at how unbelievably courageous and special one of our presidents was. The life story of Colonel Rondon is just as remarkable as TR's, if not more so, and I'd unhesitatingly recommend the book just for the parts about Rondon. They were two amazing men and true heroes. I mean it. Hero is a word that gets too indiscriminately applied today, but if there is such a thing as heroes these guys are it. The book actually got me thinking about who would win a toughest president competition....then I remembered Washington and his war campaigns, especially Valley Forge, and Old Hickory was pretty darn tough too. I don't know who would win that competition but I don't think anyone would want to bet against TR afer reading this. I highly, highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone, you won't be disappointed by this story.
I do have one reservation about this book, which involves the writing style, which is the only reason I give this book four stars instead of five. The actual story was an amazing six star reading experience, but Millard's writing, while mostly beautiful, clear, and compelling could become very irritating at many points because of repetitious foreshadowing. One example has to do with the murder that takes place. Millard presages the event and identifies the murderer no less than four or five times before the actual event takes place. I feel the book would have been much more suspenseful and a better read if she hadn't done the foreshadowing at all, but if you're going to do it, once is enough. The repetition in this book lengthened the book unnecessarily and detracted from the reading experience. Do not let this keep you from reading the book though, you'll learn to just skip a paragraph ahead when she starts repeating herself. Don't miss this one, you'll not read a better true story this year.
Rating: - The River of Doubt Has Many Tributaries
This fascinating account of Theodore Roosevelt's disastrous trip on the River of Doubt is well-written and meticulously researched. It has many "micro histories" on the flora and fauna of Brazil (hint: don't read this outside around a lot of bugs) as well as the native peoples of the region. My only frustration had to do with all the diversions when, on a few occasions, I just wanted to find out what happened next. The epiloguetells the reader the sometimes tragic personal stories once the journey ended and was one of the portions of the book that I shall remember the most. I read this as a book club assignment and we had a lengthy and lively discussionon Roosevelt, his son, and the men who played such a critical part of their journey. If you like a lot of detail in harrowing stories of exploration and adventure, this would be a perfect choice.
Rating: - Wonderful Read
Wonderful Read
Candice Millard's book about Theodore Roosevelt's darkest journey, The River of Doubt, is absolutely superb.5+ stars.Not only does Ms. Millard's work read like a suspense thriller, but it is very informative, highly educational and all true as well.The book is about Teddy Roosevelt's nearly disastrous exploration of the then unknown Amazon after his humiliating presidential defeat in 1912.During the difficult journey both TR and his son Kermit almost die while most in the expedition feared they ALL would.It is an amazing and educational book not only about TR the man, but also about the mysterious, dangerous, unknown Amazon of 1914.It is the best non-fiction book I've read in the last few years.
Ms. Millard writes in a very engaging style.Very well documented, The River of Doubt presents this extreme exploration challenge of a then unknown Amazon tributary in such a way as to reel the reader into the heart of the adventure.You actually feel as if you are on the trek along with Teddy Roosevelt and the other explorers.Feeling their heartaches, emotional swings, fears, and physical victories and failures, you root for their success.As the expedition nears disaster and TR faces death, the expedition finally reaches the outside world and success.
An amazing story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, I heartily recommend this superb book.It is one of the best biographical works I have read in several years.
Enjoy.
Rating: - Best book I've read in a long time
If the events in this book weren't so well documented I would have accused the author of making them up to increase the drama.I haven't been so engaged in a story in a long time.
An amazing story, extremely well excuted by the author.
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