The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt by Edward F. O'Keefe
THE LOVES OF THEODORE
ROOSEVELT is a new book in which Edward F. O'Keefe chooses to tell the story of
this influential President by focusing on five women who greatly shaped him.
First, there is Roosevelt’s mother,
Mittie, a resilient Southern belle transplanted to New York and living there during
the American Civil War. Two sisters, nicknamed Bamie and Conie, were
sources of strength during his childhood illnesses and also surprising sources
of political advice throughout his career. It is said of Bamie that had she
been a man, she would have been President instead of TR. And then there are Roosevelt’s
two wives. Alice, who died tragically at twenty-two just days after giving
birth to their first child, is portrayed in part through correspondence in newly
found love letters which O’Keefe discovered when researching this text. TR’s
second wife, Edith Kermit Carow, is often credited with developing the role of
America’s First Lady and noted for her ability to guide TR without him
realizing it.
O’Keefe also reflects on the ways in which Roosevelt’s time parallels our
own: massive technology changes (e.g., airplanes,
driving in cars, electricity), plus evolution from an agrarian to more
industrial society, accompanied by a wave of immigration, debates on rights for women, and resulting effects
on cultural norms. Readers will enjoy this text because of - and despite - its
brimming with obscure facts and details. The length (over 460 pages) may be a
bit daunting as well. However, O’Keefe clearly admires Roosevelt and this
unique perspective is a labor of love, adding to the stellar writing by historians
like Edmund Morris and David McCullough.An interview with the author is available from PBS NewsHour:
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