Another riveting historical journey from Jeff Shaara. Cover is gorgeous. Ole Teddy Roosevelt was a badass and a true individual who loved the beauty of America.

For me, a compelling and readable story about a significant figure in history, is the best way to learn about the person or event. Historical fiction does this when well written. This is one of those books that is telling the story of who the man, Theodore Roosevelt was. It does so in a way that is not at all dry or "textbook" like. This is highly readable and engaging. I already knew some of this history but this brought more of it to life.
Definitely recommend.

#TheOldLion #NetGalley #StMartinsPress

This was such a great read! I always liked him and truly had no clue of half of this stuff. Entertaining as well. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a great read!

The Old Lion is such a fun, adventurous, entertaining story. This is a novel that reads like a biography. I thought I knew quite a bit about TR, but I didn’t know that he was so much of a bird watcher in college that he chose to go on long walks with a friend through the Berkshires to identify all the birds they could find instead of hanging around Harvard to party. Such a gregarious man with people, yet so thoughtful and appreciative and happy to immerse himself in nature. He was intensely curious and never seemed to limit himself in his pursuits. He loved deeply and was a favorite son and sibling. He lived during a period of great and rapid change for the US as it went from a primarily agrarian way of life to an industrial economy. He did not tolerate fools and stuck with his conscience when it mattered to him, sometimes to the detriment of his own political career. One adventure that stays with me is one of his expeditions to the Amazonian jungle where he fell ill and nearly died, perhaps surviving due to sheer stubbornness. This book was ‘dee-lightful’ and I will check out additional books by Shaara as a result. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fleshing-out of history. Much of this information I had knowledge of. I enjoyed the extra life that was supplied. It made the details come alive. One area that was more unknown to me was his early life. A scene with his father is beautifully written. I knew there were two wives. Those relationships are nicely written. I did not know about Brazil or his writing. If one struggles reading history, this book will bring it alive.

Jeff Shaara's The Old Lion is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Well-told and well-researched, the author is clearly a fan of the Old Lion, as am I after having spent the time reading about our Teddy Roosevelt.

While I disagree with some of his life habits and passions (slaughter of game animals), prejudice earlier in his youth, they are far outweighed by his ability to change his mind as his life moved forward. That's not nothing. In fact it's valuable and crucial in the critical thinking of our politicians. This book educated me about all the different roles TR had engaged in serving our country, his family and the world at large.

Highly recommended.

*A sincere thank you to Jeff Shaara, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

I had this book on my TBR for a long time and started and stopped multiple times. I loved other books by this author but this one was just a little too much for me to get through. It was clearly very well researched but this felt like a lot of facts without enough narrative. I did skip around a bit but finally finished it. Probably a great book just not one for me. I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley and appreciate the opportunity to read this book - this did not impact my opinion.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. However, I am no longer interested in pursuing titles on this subject

There are a good many books that have been written about President Theodore Roosevelt, and no two are exactly alike. That said, the two I’ve read—this one, and a biography by Clay Risen—could not be more different. In fact, you would never know they were writing about the same man.

My thanks go to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the review copy. This book was published in May, but it took me some time to push my way through it. I started out not knowing what tack Shaara would take here, and it is this introductory note that caused me to sit back a bit:

“Few, very few, would disagree that Theodore Roosevelt ranks high among the most revered, most respected, and most admired presidents in history.”

I guess it’s time for me to change my name to Few.

Because I had signed on for it—on the strength of my admiration for its author, whose books I always read without regard to topic—I hunted down the audio version at Seattle Bibliocommons. The voice actor that reads it is second to none, and does a remarkable TR impression. But I also have to say that the various thoughts and conversations which the historical fiction genre permits its author to create seem a bit on the rosy side. Where is the TR that not only organized volunteers, himself included, to fight in Cuba, but used vast amounts of his family’s connections and wealth to advocate for it? Where is the braggard that crowed to his friends about how much he enjoyed shooting an enemy soldier from just a few feet away “like a jackrabbit,” and called his 45 days of combat the ultimate hunting trip?

This is one more reminder that all history is political. Nobody will, or should, write a book about a public figure that uses every single fact available, but it is when the author chooses what to include, and what to leave out, that bias shows. There’s no way around it, even for the most objective of writers.

I cannot deny that there were positive aspects of TR’s tenure in the White House (which he named,) the birth of the nation’s park system, beginning with Yellowstone; he also gets points for having seen, ultimately, that these are not meant to be preserved as hunters’ playgrounds, but rather to preserve the natural life, including animals, that are native to the park. His attitude toward women and Black peoples’ suffrage is laudatory, compared with other politicians of his time, but Shaara doesn’t comment on the ugly racist attitude Roosevelt displayed toward other races and ethnicities, most notably those from Central and South America.

This is a four star read because no matter what he chooses to write about, Shaara spins a tremendously entertaining tale. If you choose to read this one, I recommend you obtain the audio version, and take the dialogue and in particular, Roosevelt’s innermost thoughts with a larger than usual grain of salt, and also read a second, nonfiction work for balance.

I’m a history nerd and historical fiction fan. This was not my favorite. It read like a biography being written as a narrative and it was a slog to get through at some points. I had high hopes but wasn’t impressed.

Rich in historical detail, this book was fascinating. Teddy Roosevelt had a great presence in American history and this book brought him to life.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was not a fan of this book. I generally enjoy historical fiction, but I found the writing to be bland and the dialogue forced. It seemed to be well researched with a lot of details, but I thought it was slow and at times boring.

Our library purchased this title, no doubt on the strength of this author's stellar reputation. This was my first Shaara book so I had sky-high expectations. Unfortunately, I did not find this book to be at all engaging and was thoroughly uninspired by prose that was flat and often forced. As a fan of historical fiction I was looking forward to the authors take on this iconic character, but found this book totally lacking in drama and ridden with cliche. I did not finish.

Princess Fuzzypants here: We have enjoyed the novels of Jeff Shaara and his father. The blending of historical events in fictional form is enlightening and entertaining. When people say ‘they don’t make them like that anymore’ they could be talking about Teddy Roosevelt. A sickly child who often was gasping for breath, through grit and hard work and an unfailing determination, he grew up to be a real man’s man. Whether he was in the Badlands, Cuba or the Amazon, he relished challenges that took him to the limits and beyond.

He was also a man ahead of his time in many of his views. He was able to reduce the grasp of the mighty and build up the lives of those less fortunate. He believed that everyone, no matter what colour or sex, deserved the same rights and privileges as those who had the power and did not wish to relinquish it. He was never in the background. He charged ahead just like he did on San Juan Hill. It meant he had an exciting and colourful life, loved or hated with equal passion.

I realize literary license is expected in a tome of this sort. But if Teddy was half the man that is portrayed in the book, he was a lion. Five purrs and two paws up.

A very readable biography of Theodore Roosevelt. It spends a lot of time on his youth and activities before politics. The section on his ranching foray in South Dakota is especially interesting.
The biography is written in a fictional format, including presumed conversation. It is well done if you enjoy this format.

This non-fiction Novel brings to life the life of Theodore Roosevelt. It tells the story of his struggles as a boy and how he learned to live without limitations. It tells the story of his school boy days and when he grew up into his destined political future. I devoured this book because of the writers commitment to his research and his ability to tell the story as if it was fiction. You get a huge peek into the conversations between his siblings and his parents, It feels as if you are peaking into the Roosevelt mansion and having a look around at the goings on of the family.
I would definitely recommend everyone to go get a copy of this incredible novel and be prepared to be enthralled in the story Jeff Shawna tells.

I've enjoyed a number of Jeff Shaara's historical novels, reveling in his adeptness in blending history into fiction and being a generally captivating author. His choice to write a novel about Theodore Roosevelt would seem to be a good one, using his 1918 interviews with biographer Hermann Hagedorn to spark the former president's reminisces.

If anyone lived a surprising life, it was Roosevelt. From a childhood stifled by asthma, through sheer force of will he recreated himself as an athlete, outdoorsman, politician, visionary. It's a lot to pack in, to the point that it was hard to remain engaged and I found myself skimming portions. So many aspects of "Teedie's" life are well known and he did so much, that there must be new events to explore and discover--come on, someone! Much of "The Old Lion" seemed familiar and not able to spark excitement and anticipation that this kind of historical novel should. If you're a Teedie fan, you'll relish"The Old Lion." Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This novel from an experienced author of historical novels caught my interest right away. I am not a big fan of non-fiction, but this novelized version of the life of Theodore Roosevelt engaged my interest. I liked the way the author showed events through the eyes of Roosevelt himself. I learned a lot about this man from reading this novel. The author's note at the beginning adds perspective to the novel as well. He obviously did his research.

Readers of biographies, historical novels, and American history will no doubt learn more about this great man, just as I did. In addition, they will find an engaging reading experience.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Thank you for the chance to read this latest historical novel by Jeff Shaara. I didn’t know much about Theodore Roosevelt and his life, but this book was a great place to learn about his life before and up through his presidency.

This book was incredibly interesting. I feel like I learned a lot even though I feel like this space in the book world can be pretty saturated. I loved it.