By Jon Knokey
Lots of books are written about historical figures and leaders, including many about the subject of this book. I am a strong proponent for reading biographies for the insights we can draw from them, and I am a big fan of American History in general, so you might think I would be drawn to this book for those reasons, and you would be correct.
This book is about Teddy Roosevelt – a truly excellent and versatile leader (who is also, like all of us, flawed); and while he is a well-respected President, when he lived isn’t among the most “popular” times in our history. After all – more is written and most lay people know far more about the American Revolution, and three wars – Civil and WW1 and WW2 – than they do about 1890-1919.
Those would be reasons enough to read about President Roosevelt. But as a leader, here is the most compelling reason of all: It is a well-researched and written biography, written specifically through the prism of how events helped make him the leader he became.
This book makes me want to urge the author to do the same treatment to other great leaders – to research and study their life, and write about their life through this important lens.
If you need another reason to buy and read this book, the time of history and the nature of politics provide great insights into our world and political system today too.
If you like biographies and history and are a leader, this needs to be the next book you read. If any one of those three statements is true about you, you still need to put this on your reading list.
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