I must admit that prior to reading this book, I had very little knowledge of Teddy Roosevelt beyond a bit about the Spanish-American War, the legend of the Teddy Bear, and his being elected president. I love learning more about history and influential historical figures...so jumped right on this book.

As I read, I had to smile a few times, as my thoughts turned to what it would be like to be at a dinner party with a man like Teddy Roosevelt. He would be the guy with a response to everything - "Oh, I did that once....'' or a one-up for anybody's story. The difference between Teddy and That Guy (we have all met That Guy at one party/dinner/social gathering or another -- you know the type I mean) is that Teddy actually did all those things -- climbed the mountains, fought the war, hunted the dangerous predator in the wilds, traveled to the jungle, faced death, etc. The man even finished a public speech after being shot by a would-be assassin. Who the hell does that?? Teddy Roosevelt, that's who. His one-ups wouldn't just be BS -- he did the things. [I also kept thinking about the movie Arsenic and Old Lace with the mentally ill brother who thought he was Teddy Roosevelt, blowing his trumpet in the house to charge up the stairs and burying "yellow fever victims" in the basement for his murderous sisters. I think Teddy would have seen the humor in the portrayal.]

I definitely enjoyed reading this book about a larger-than-life man who really lived his life. He lived the complete hell out of life, and I'm sure enjoyed every moment.

Great book! This isn't a dry regurgitation of historical facts. Shaara keeps it interesting. This book kept my attention from start to finish. Well done! Bully! I will definitely be reading more by this author!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St. Martins Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

A Novel of Theodore Roosevelt’s Life

Many biographies have been written about Theodore Roosevelt, and he himself was a prolific writer. In the present book, the author’s idea was to write a novel rather than another biography because he wanted the book to center on Roosevelt and what he thought and felt. In this spirit, the book begins with his early life. A spindly child who had severe asthma, his father wanted to harden him up. Much of Roosevelt’s later life particularly his time in the badlands was dedicated to physical fitness.

The book then moves to Roosevelt as an old man in interviews with his biographer Hagadorn. This device allows Roosevelt to tell the tales of his accomplishments and adventures and give his perspective. I think the device works well for what the author hoped to accomplish.

I enjoyed the book. It was well research and well written. However, I have a bias against putting ideas, feelings, and emotions into an historical character. I personally, don’t think it adds a great deal to the understanding of the real person. I have read several biographies of Roosevelt and personally didn’t think this book added much to my understanding of the man. Although I can’t highly recommend this book, it is an interesting take on Roosevelt’s response to his life.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

I've read a fair amount of biographies of politicians. I would classify this as a good read - nothing more, nothing less.

In this beautiful historical fiction book, Jeff Shaara peels back the layers on one of the most well-known figures in US history, Theodore Roosevelt. From his early years to his time in the precipice of the modern industry Theodore Roosevelt embodied the American dream. Here, readers get a more detailed look at all aspects of his life. I didn’t know much about Theodore Roosevelt prior to this book, but I loved how he was portrayed so honestly. This was my first read by Jeff Shaara, but as a long time fan of his father Michael Shaara’s work, I had to check this out and I am so glad that I did!

Thank you to Netgalley, Jeff Shaara and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC! “The Ole Lion” releases May 16th.

This will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

This book from Jeff Shaara about Theodore Roosevelt should be one that's enjoyed by presidential history buffs or fans of Teddy Roosevelt. There is a lot of detail about Roosevelt's early family life and interest in wildlife and conservation. The story was a little dry for me. It is a slow read. Thanks to St. Martin's for an advanced copy.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
I have to admit that I’ll read any thing by Jeff Shaara, but also Teddy Roosevelt is my go to President. This combo was a match made in heaven for a book!
Jeff Shaara always writes these well researched and presented books. It’s always engaging but informative without being dry. This was no different! I liked the story going between Teddy telling the reporter about his life and then the story unfolding kind of present tense for him.
Teddy is this perfect combination of superman meets president. He wanted to be the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral. Although, I wouldn’t necessarily call him an attention seeker. It’s just attention seems to follow him.
I found the part about the Spanish American War to be especially gripping. I knew what lead up to him being involved in the going to war, and the result of his being in the war but had not actually read about the during part. I definitely want to read more about the Spanish American war. I also had read some on the trip down the amazon and was riveted about the descriptions in the this book.
Currently , this has been my favorite read of 2023
I was also able to listen to the audiobook and switch back and forth between the two versions. The reader for this was spot on! Teddy sounded exactly how I expected him to sound

Jeff Shaara's 18th historical novel takes him in a new direction. For the first time, his primary subject is not an American war. Rather it is the life of Theodore Roosevelt. In his forward, Shaara answers the question of why write about a president who has been written about so often (including his own plethora of autobiographical works) and write about him in the form of a novel: It gives the author a chance to retell his subject's tale from the point of view of his inner monologue.

Shaara is successful enough in accomplishing that goal. But the real attraction here is the recounting, from Roosevelt's own point of view, of his major life adventures: his time as a rancher in the wild west of the Dakotas in the late 19th century, his service in Cuba during the Spanish-American war, and his expedition down the Amazon with his son Kermit after leaving office during which he almost died.

Interestingly, his tenure as president, which of course gets plenty of time in this book, is not quite as gripping of an adventure, although Shaara makes sure to emphasize Roosevelt's sympathy toward racial issues and championing of the working class versus wealthy corporations. Interestingly, the best part of the story of his presidency is when his personal life, mainly his family life, is dramatized -- I had been thinking beforehand that that aspect of his life was not getting enough attention, but then it comes to the forefront during his presidency.

Shaara came into this endeavor claiming to not have been especially interested in Roosevelt, but he says he came out of it agreeing that he was one of the best presidents of all. I especially like that Shaara, channeling Roosevelt, exposes Woodrow Wilson's flaws, primarily his racism (although not enough is made of Wilson's imperialism, of which Roosevelt himself was perhaps guilty as well).

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance reading copy of this book.

The Old Lion by Jeff Shaara is a fictionalized memoir of Teddy Roosevelt. It basically takes place on his deathbed through memories, some for himself, some for a man writing a book. Through this book I got to know a man in a way I never had before. It was very well done and appeared to be well researched. It was written in a manner which made in comprehensive, and yet, readable. Roosevelt was a great man, but just a man. He hurt and made mistakes. He was called a “progressive,” yet was nothing like modern progressives. It was, at times, tear-inducing, and at others made one want to cheer. I liked it.

I was invited to read The Old Lion by St Martin’s Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions were mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #JeffShaara #TheOldLion

The old lion was only 60 when the former President Theodore Franklin died but his amazing life was one of many different themes. This particular book is historical fiction of his life written with the thoughts of the President. He started out as a sickly child often overcome by asthma but his father encouraged him to strengthen his body which in a few years had him being trained in boxing. He was curious about natural sciences and, while a student at Harvard, he and a friend had a reference book published about birds. His desire to explore and hunt was early in his life by spending the summer in Maine where he gained the respect of his host for his perseverance in keeping up with host in the hunt for wild animals but it was noted that the young man was not shy about stating his opinion which was a trait for which he carried throughout his life.

While at Harvard at a friend’s house he met his future wife: Alice Lee. It was to be a short marriage as his Alice died on the day their daughter, Alice, was born and also on that same day, his mother also died.

This began the time of Teedie (as his family called him) spending time out West particularly in the Badlands. Again he proved himself to be worthy of the cowboys (although his lavish costume dressing as a real cowboy and his wearing spectacles did nothing to help his reputation.). He bought land where he attempted to raise cattle and had as tenants some friends from Maine. He was so impressed with the vastness of the area that he would go on in later years as President to preserve these lands for all people to enjoy.

He would in a few years marry Edith Carow and they would have five children with the raising of the children primarily in the hands of Edith. You’re probably familiar with his title of leader of the Rough Riders starting first with training men at San Antonio and nearly lost his life while trying to discover a route through the Amazon. He was then elected as Vice President and after the assassination of President McKinley, took office as President at age 43. He would win the next election. Among one of the interesting facts was that it was Theodore Roosevelt who changed the name of the Executive Mansion to the White House.

While this is a novel, there is so much to be gathered from Jeff Sahara’s book that it would be a great book for American History readers as well as a resource for middle and high school. While lengthy, there was so much adventure in this one man’s life. It is a story that will have you laughing at various points with his expressions and crying at the depth of his sorrow over the deaths in his family. It is hard to give this book a fair review with its depth of material. I thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press to have an opportunity to have an advance reader copy of this book; the opinions expressed are my honest expression.

Theodore Roosevelt was a very interesting person. Maybe not always as politically correct or cautious or present as he should have been, but always a subject of great fascination in the history books. “Bully!” and “Dee-lighted!” have become part of our language, and “The Rough Riders” calls forth pictures of that robust, rotund man on horseback, wearing his carefully put together outfit, that big toothy grin on his face. You wouldn’t think it was possible, but author Jeff Shaara makes “Teedie” even more fascinating in his novel The Old Lion.

The book begins in about 1868 when Roosevelt is about nine years old. He’s weak, sickly, already feels he’s a failure to his father. His father believes he needs to be built up and built strong and they embark on a careful, rigid, disciplined program to increase his strength and endurance, improve his health and hopefully do something about that darn asthma that plagues the young boy. The determination this young boy displays remains throughout his entire life. The story then jumps back in forth in time, highlighting significant events and milestones in Roosevelt’s life. It’s well done and easy to follow and reminded me a bit of the way James Cagney told the life story of James M. Cohan in “Yankee Doodle Dandy” – it’s a life we can read about in the history books but the method of telling makes it all the more interesting.

The Old Lion has a feel of truth to it, truth made larger than life by Roosevelt’s larger-than-life personality. Roosevelt wanted to go everywhere and do everything, and he nearly did. Raised in society, attended the best college, wrote volumes, tried his hand at cattle ranching, led men and fought in war, made his mark in politics on both the local and national levels. Married the love of his life and lost her when still a young man. Married the next love of his life, built a home, raised a family.

Teddy Roosevelt wasn’t always the role model and hero he is sometimes made out to be, and author Shaara does a wonderful job of presenting him as just a person, a man with shortcomings, fears he worked very hard to tamp down and hide, reckless, inconsiderate, just a man. He willingly acceded to the structure and strictures of the society he was raised in, thought nothing of absenting himself for months on end for a project dear to his heart that he had determined he must do, abandoned the care of his infant daughter to his sister because she reminded him too much of his lost wife, rarely followed orders, took risks, was willful – all those things, but again always fascinating and presented as such by Shaara. I smiled every time Roosevelt said, “My Godfrey!”

Thanks to St. Martin’s press for providing an advance copy of The Old Lion via NetGalley for my reading pleasure and honest review. It was a compelling read, well written, easy to follow and had me turning pages; I enjoyed it and recommend it without hesitation. I voluntarily leave this review and all opinions are my own.

This book is perfect for fans of presidential history. Told in a fictional format rather than as a dry nonfiction biography, it’s easier to understand the motivations and desires behind one of our best known presidents, Theodore Roosevelt. Shaara is able to pack a lot of historical facts and information into a novel using writing that flows and captivates. He leaves you with a greater picture of Teddy Roosevelt’s life and extraordinary capabilities. I would have loved even more details on his life with Edith but I understand the choice to focus more on the political scene. Great book for history lovers!

A fictional biography of a looming figure in US history, President Theodore Roosevelt. The author has done a fantastic job of presenting a concise summary of the more significant events in Roosevelt's life in an easy to read manner. There are several detailed biographies of the illustrious President and it must have been an uphill task to pick and choose what to include in this novel. The end result is a lucid historical fiction that brings out the great man's life and character in its full glory. From his childhood battle with asthma to his unconventional political exploits to his lifelong love story with nature at it's wildest, the novel gives a wonderful insight into his life and times. It has definitely prompted me to read more fiction as well as non-fiction about this great man!!

Thanks to Netgalley, Jeff Shaara and St Martin's Press for the ARC.

Prolific author of military-themed historical fiction Jeff Shaara turns to iconic American Theodore Roosevelt in his latest book, “The Old Lion.”
Roosevelt has been a wildly popular subject for historians, biographers, and readers over the years. It must have been a daunting task to take on such a well-known and revered political figure as Roosevelt, but Shaara has done a fine job taking readers through the life of this iconic American. Startling with his childhood trying to overcome debilitating episodes of asthma and trying to impress his father by strengthening himself with exercise, through college, marriage, tragedy, trips into the American wilderness, military life, and politics, readers experience his life through Roosevelt’s voice. Most enjoyable and interesting to me was Roosevelt’s work preserving nature and his evolving view of hunting for sport.

Well-written and enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy for review.

From a childhood plagued with asthma to president of the United States, Jeff Shaara captures the life of Theodore Roosevelt in a way that shows how he was destined for greatness. A good portion of the story explores his life in the Badlands, where he built a life as a cattle rancher. Despite his love for the time out west, he was raised by a father known for charitable works that left a need to serve the people. His marriage to Alice Lee ended tragically with her death after giving birth to their daughter Alice on the same day that his mother died. His second marriage to Edith Carew offered support for his political ambitions and lasted until his death in 1919. Shaara also takes you through the Spanish American War and Roosevelt’s experiences with the Rough Riders from training in Texas to battles in Cuba.

Roosevelt reflects on his life as he is interviewed by Herman Hagedorn, his biographer, shortly before his death. This is a wonderful mixture of Roosevelt’s personal life and political achievements. It is well written and brings our 26th President to life for the reader. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for my review.

The Old Lion is an historical fiction book about the life of Teddy Roosevelt. It is an eye-opening account of several snapshots of Roosevelt's life: his youth, his politics, his energy, his passion for the United States and her people. Several times I had to chuckle at his attitudes toward some politicians or a military person.
The biggest reason I loved this book is because it was an easy-to-read account of a true hero. The author showed the man's good points and some of the bad. I learned quite a bit about Teddy Roosevelt and now want to learn more.
Thank you #Netgalley and # JeffShaara for the ARC.

Shaara pays credence to one of the most dynamic presidents the US has ever had, Theodore Roosevelt. The historical novel fixates mostly on TR’s time out in the Dakotas and also his service during the Spanish-American War.
Shaara captures the essence and spirit of TR and the title is very reflective. Roosevelt was always active and very lionesque for the majority of his life. After the death of Quentin, the wind went out of sails and he passed away, just like a majestic lion, lying down to surrender to fate.
TR is a giant, whether in fact or fiction and this book pays homage to that.

4.5 stars. This is an excellent piece of historical fiction that seems to have been diligently and meticulously researched. Shaara really brings Roosevelt to life, as his boisterous and charming self easily comes through to the reader. By the time you are finished reading this novel, Roosevelt may well seem to be one of your interesting and engaging friends. All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to reading other of Shaara’s works.

This is not a book where the reviewer tries to summarize a plot line - it’s is a fictionalized biography of Teddy Roosevelt. Jeff Shaara has written many historical fiction books, taking non-fiction into the fiction world giving the reader a sense of the person or event without the tedium of non-fiction or biography (I am obviously not a fan of those genres!). I really enjoyed this book, having only learned about Teddy Roosevelt a long time ago in high school. While many of his exploits were known to me, many more were not. And this book brought out his personality in a way that made me understand why he was one of the four presidents on Mount Rushmore. Shaara characterized many events in Roosevelt’s life, the ups and downs of his family (losing his first wife at the birth of his first daughter for example), his health, and his political career. Each of these was preceded by a description of him being interviewed by Herrmann Hagedorn, a real life biographer of Roosevelt which set the scene for the time in his life as well as his mental and physical condition. From his days out west through his “military” career to his presidency, the book moves along well. My only criticism (and the reason for my dropping a 5th star in the rating) was the amount of time spent in the Amazon (this part seemed to drag on forever). My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the ARC of this book.

The interesting life story of Theodore Roosevelt, from a child trying to get his father's approval to becoming president.

What a wonderful book! I was so pleased to receive an ARC of The Old Lion by Jeff Shaara. My knowledge of Theodore Roosevelt was minimal and I had been looking forward to getting to know the man better in Shaara's historical novel.

Teedy, as his family called him, was plagued with asthma in his childhood. He credited his father with encouraging him to engage in sports and grow some muscles. This formerly scrawny child grew up to love the outdoors. He originated five National Parks and has one named for him.

I also didn't know what a prolific writer Roosevelt was. Teedy and a friend loved birdwatching and wrote a published reference about the birds near their homes. As a birdwatcher myself, it's hard to imagine some of our US presidents finding joy in that avocation. Roosevelt jumped up a few points in my estimation, simply because of his ability to be still and concentrate!

The Old Lion is filled with this sort of information-- things I never imagined could be true of this president-- as well as more information about his better-known involvement in the Spanish-American War and the building of the Panama Canal.

The book moves rapidly and fully develops the characters of Teedy's two wives, his children, and his associates throughout life. We learn what bothered him, what shortcomings he believed he had.

I highly recommend this book.