Jeff Cheers can do no wrong when it comes to historical novels. This novel of Theodore Roosevelt is perfection for historical fiction buffs. What a man and what a story! Read this now!

Jeff Shaara states in his foreward "To the Reader" that The Old Lion is intended as "a story" about Theodore Roosevelt, "exploring his life from his point of view." I feel he does an excellent job of making this legendary man a human being; a man who has an adventurous spirit, who grieves deeply, is passionate about the things he believes in, and, at times, acts like a grown up child.

I found parts of the book very interesting and other parts very boring. I can't imagine the time and research that went into writing this book. However, I felt Shaara was selective about which aspects of Roosevelt's life he chose to write about: he goes into great detail about his experiences in the Badlands and exploring the Amazon, but there is scant details about his roles as Governor and Vice-President. I liked the fact that Hermann Hagedorn, Roosevelt's biographer, was interviewing him in the 1918 sections of the book.

Overall, The Old Lion is a good read if you are wanting a glimpse into the life of Theodore Roosevelt. If you are wanting something more comprehensive and detailed about his political career, this is not the book for you.

I would sincerely like to thank Jeff Shaara, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read a copy of this book for my honest review.
#NetGalley #TheOldLion

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I caught a glimpse of the life of a boy to the death of this gregarious man. He loved life and intended to live it to the fullest. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do as he got older but went out and tried things that others would quake at doing. He loved his father who died too soon but did things to make his dad proud.

Most people loved him and his "get it done" attitude while others hated the ground he walked on, but he did his best to work with everyone.

I hated to see the book end, it made me feel as if I were on the adventures with this man and I even shed a tear at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I like history but find reading about it dull. I guess you can say I am a fan of "history-lite". When I was given the chance to read a novel about Teddy Roosevelt, I jumped at it (thank you Net Galley).

I can't say I enjoyed the book (it is >400 pages) but I can say I liked it. I have read many of Jeff Shaara's books and have found his writing to flow smoothly and hold my attention. I learned a lot about Teddy...simple things such as assigning the executive mansion the title White House! I learned that he had great passion whether for those he loved or for the people he served as President. I can certainly see now why he is held in such high esteem.

Teddy Roosevelt is so fascinating, it seems like he would be a perfect protagonist for a novel. He is in fact a significant character in several, most notably in my mind at the moment the Caleb Carr novels set when TR was the NYC police commissioner. He's a marvelous personality, full of charm and passion and action. But in a story of his life that doesn't drive into spec fic or alt-history, there really isn't much to say beyond the truth - and the truth has been documented in a number of excellent biographies which, themselves, read in a narrative style akin to what Shaara is trying to accomplish here.

Maybe that's where I struggled with this one. I was engaged but not as much as I thought I would be, and I realized it was because I basically already knew this story thanks to Edmund Morris. There's nothing wrong here, the writing is easy enough to fall into and of course Roosevelt's life is fascinating. For someone new to the story, and perhaps wary of non-fiction for some reason, it is likely a fine place to start. But if you've read any of the biographies, you may find yourself - like me - wondering why you were reading it and what exactly you were going to get out of it...

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. Unfortunately, I had a really hard time reading this book and seriously considered DNF'ing it multiple times. Shaara is well renowned and I felt obligated to read this book in its entirety because it was my first Shaara, but I made it to the end and felt like I had no idea why he is so beloved as a historical fiction writer. He gave his characters almost no emotion and it felt more like he truly wanted to write a history book but only wanted to examine certain parts. The framing of this, where each part opened with Roosevelt being interviewed on his death bed by a biographer, felt like Shaara just needed an expository device to help move through the history he did not find as interesting. From there, he went into a series of discrete vignettes that were supposed to connect into some greater narrative. This is a structure that I admittedly find hard to deal with in other novels, so that perhaps colored my experience. Overall, I just don't really understand how one of the most interesting presidents couldn't redeem the sheer dryness of this book.

This is my first time reading a book by Jeff Shaara, which is surprising because I love a meaty historical fiction novel. I picked this one up, in particular, because I have conquered Edmund Morris’s Biography trilogy about Theodore Roosevelt and wanted to read about his life from a fictional perspective. I like the history covered in this book and even though at times the author jumps around between events, I felt like it covered a good amount of his life. I did not, however, love the writing. The dialogue was especially hard to read and I almost put the book aside for that reason. I did keep reading, because I find Roosevelt fascinating but I am not sure I will pick up another by this author.

I received a digital Advance Reader’s Copy of this book from the Publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read countless books about Theodore Roosevelt and believe he was one of the top three U.S. Presidents we’ve ever had. What could a historical fiction novel tell me that I didn’t already know?

Not much, it turns out. The story begins with Roosevelt on his death bed, talking to his biographer. This setting is interspersed with flashbacks to the past, starting in childhood and ending post-presidency.

Roosevelt certainly led and interesting life and the author had a multitude of life events to choose from, but I personally think he missed the mark on what he chose to concentrate on. While many say Roosevelt’s time in the Badlands as a cowboy and rancher made him the man who could become president, I found the section overly long and lacking much insight; I found myself skimming this portion of the book.

The section on the Spanish American War was also overly long and tedious. While I appreciate the fact that Theodore Roosevelt was a hero of the war and this catapulted him into New York’s governor’s mansion when he returned, I felt like this section could also be shorter.

In fact, very little time is spent going over Roosevelt’s political career and the choices he made while holding office. It’s as if Shaara decided to spend more time upon Roosevelt’s adventures and less on what made him such a well-known and much beloved figure in the American populace. This was confirmed when much time was spent covering Roosevelt’s trip down the River of Doubt in South America in 1914.

I didn’t find any insights into Roosevelt’s psyche or new takes on how he formed his views. The controversies that surrounded Roosevelt, like the machinations behind the building of the Panama Canal, or his handling of race relations with Booker T. Washington, aren’t given much of a chance. The mistakes he made were glossed over, just as Roosevelt himself tended to do. I think a further exploration of them would have made a more interesting book.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Old Lion was a fascinating read about Theodore Roosevelt. I am going to give it a very well deserved five plus stars.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Jeff Shaara, and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Having read a number of Jeff Shaara’s historical fiction novels based on various wars, I was surprised to see a biography of Theodore Roosevelt come from him. However, once I got a little deeper into the tome, I could see that Shaara’s powerful writing abilities shone through, illuminating the life and times of one great US President. While the book must be called fictional, it is merely due to the use of character dialogue that gives it thins moniker. Shaara does a fabulous job illustrating the life of Teddy Roosevelt and his various experiences, sure to impress the attentive reader.

Teddy Roosevelt was always a passionate person, who invested his time in many projects. Even in his youth, Roosevelt made strong connections with others and sought to always ask how the world worked, as well as what he could bring to it. Roosevelt used this passion to propel him forward, gaining access to Harvard, where he could study and enrich himself. That being said, he did not stick strictly to the books, choosing to look outside, to nature, to fuel his mind and open new doorways to potential future studies.

Even with his education, Roosevelt was always looking to add to his personal foundation. He headed into the Dakotas, where he helped develop nature preserves and establish a connection with others. Some saw him as a great advocate for the Dakotas, such that he should run for Congress to represent those who lived there. Roosevelt had not yet found his passion for national office, choosing instead to educate himself and those around him. He remained a name on everyone’s lips, which would prove fruitful in the years to come.

When he did take the plunge, Roosevelt served in New York, rallying the people around his ideas and sentiments, in hopes of better shaping the country as it inched towards the 20th century. One detour he took was to help settle the Cuban territory during the Spanish-American War, feeling that it was his duty to protect the small country and ensure its freedom, while also keeping American interests at the top of the pile. He did so effectively and without complaint, feeling that it was his duty to forge onwards and make a difference.

While his ascension to the presidency was a fluke, Roosevelt took on the role effectively and without criticism. He sought to shape America in the very early 20th century in his own image, as a place where people could learn and challenge the rules. While there was certainly blowback for many of his views, Roosevelt never shied away from making the tough choices, all in hopes of making a difference and creating a better America for the next generation.

While politics could be a bloodsport, something Roosevelt tired of quickly, he never lost his spark for discovery and used the post-presidential yers to find new hobbies and discover new adventures that could help him feel satisfied. He used nature as his playground and sought to open his eyes, as well as those of people around him, to see what they could do, rather than waiting for others to take up the task. This enamoured him to many, while it baffled others as well. Whatever people said, Teddy Roosevelt left his mark and will forever be remembered as someone who tried to make America greater for others, something Jeff Shaara makes sure is clearly visible throughout.

Jeff Shaara is one of the great writers of history that I have encountered in my reading life. Choosing to flavour his novels with a fictional angle through dialogue does not lessen the impact of what he has to say or the end result for the reader. His books, this one included, tell of history as pulled from the various tomes that have documented American involvement in all corners of the globe. Shaara uses his passion for storytelling to bring to life those vignettes he feels as worth the reader’s time. While this was not a comprehensive biography, choosing to skip across certain aspects and focus on others, Shaara does a masterful job at illustrating the life and times of Teddy Roosevelt. The characters who emerge, as well as the banter they share with one another, cannot be dismissed and should be noted for all to see. Teddy Roosevelt lived a varied life and his interactions with others proved fruitful, no matter where he was. The book’s progression touches on a number of great parts of the Roosevelt legacy, though does not dive too deeply into any of them. This is a conscious choice Shaara made and I applaud him for it. Short chapters help push the story along and provides the reader with a number of stopping points, or at least moments to regroup before forging onwards. I am eager to see if there will be others branch-offs from those epic war stories, or if this one-off was a treat for readers, before returning to the trenches. I suppose we will have to see.

Kudos, Mr. Shaara, for a great piece of writing that captured my attention.

Jeff Shaara has long been one of my favorite writers for his well-researched, engaging historical fiction. The Old Lion tells the story of one of the biggest personalities in US History: Theodore Roosevelt. Shaara manages to cover the span of Roosevelt's entire life without becoming tedious. I liked the way the book was divided into parts, covering natural sections of Roosevelt's life, experiences, and contributions. The story moves quickly and represents many aspects of Roosevelt's personality and emotions. I'm curious to see if Shaara will continue to write in this vein, exploring more historical figures. This is a great read if you're looking for an interesting overview of Teddy Roosevelt's without the intimidating volume and academic language of a biography.

I was so pleased and excited to read about one of my favorite Presidents. This is my first book by Jeff Shaara but I can tell you honestly it won’t be my last.

To me, Jeff Shaara created a wonderful history of the remarkable life of Teddy Roosevelt. The book was very thoughtfully written with much research behind it. I had always felt that Teddy Roosevelt was one of nations most fascinating and colorful people in the history of our nation. Mr. Shaara has managed to weed through the myths and come up with a truly expansive narrative of President Roosevelt. As I was reading I felt the heart and essence of this extraordinary man.

This book spans a significant part of President Roosevelt’s life, from when he was a small boy to his love and fascination of the western United States. Mr. Shaara adeptly shows how President Roosevelt’s love of the west developed into his quest to create as many National Parks and Forests as he could so it would be saved for future generations. The book also shows his tremendous leadership during the Spanish American War, his presidency and his love of his country and family.

If you are a fan of history, this is a must read. Mr. Shaara definitely captured the essence of this national treasure. It showed me that President Roosevelt definitely earned his place on Mount Rushmore. This book was so “dee-lightful” that I am going to start read Mr. Shaara’s other books. I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us next. I would like to thank Mr. Shaara, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I was contacted through e-mail to read and review this book, and I am so happy I was chosen for this job. I thought this book was fabulous! I have read other books about Theodore Roosevelt and his family, and they were very good. I liked this book because it focused mostly on just TR. It was interesting to learn about his earlier life, before he became President. He sure was a go-getter and didn't seem to be afraid of anything. .I REALLY liked this book, and I hope Author Jeff Shaara continues to write more books about famous people. I would read all of them. Highly recommend this book!

Wow, just blow me away… Jeff Shaara knocked this one out of the ballpark. I especially love a biography that has been well researched and it is told as if the person is telling you about his life and his experiences. One that makes you feel that you interacted with and listened to their stories. This is a fine, yes, a fine example of that style.
I immediately followed this story with Mornings on Horseback, and I did find they both complemented each other, but if you have a choice, this one is my favorite.
I will highly recommend this story and I learned so much about President Roosevelt. What a kind, great man. One of the best presidents. I can only wish we had someone that would fight the corruption that our politics are consumed with now.
I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my unbiased review – This one comes in with high 5 stars.

I've been a long fan of Jeff Shaara's novels and also a big fan of Theodore Roosevelt. I was very excited to get my hands on this book. My knowledge of Roosevelt was already pretty extensive due to reading multiple non-fiction books about his life, but I was excited to see what Shaara could do to bring this colossal giant to life on the page. I was not disappointed. Shaara uses his talent to create a very life-like and relatable Teedie from his youngest years to his final moments. The scope of this novel is amazing but is also its weakness. Part one of the book focuses on his early years and his time out in the Dakotas. It really shed light on that part of his life. The rest of the book focuses on his military and political life. I really wish this could've been divided into two books because I felt that a lot of his later life was rushed through and it would've been more interesting if we could dive into some of that history. I also enjoyed the fact that Shaara didn't make Roosevelt perfect. He had his flaws and acknowledged that he made some decisions that he viewed as right at the time, but looking back was wrong. Overall, this was a great book for fans of Roosevelt and those who don't know the history.

Jeff Shaara’s The Old Lion, is a fictional telling of Theodore Roosevelt, told from his perspective, covering primarily several major periods in his life. This includes childhood, early adulthood, his time in the Badlands after the death of his first wife Alice, his time serving with the Rough Riders in Cuba during Spanish-American war, his time as president, and his journey through the Amazon. This book, as historical fiction, does presume conversations, interactions and feelings that Roosevelt may have had, but is grounded in real life events. This may make this a more palatable alternative to learning about Roosevelt’s life and major events in it than working one’s way through the many nonfiction works that exist, some that specifically cover some of the major events addressed in this novel. That being sad, for me personally, since Roosevelt is such a high profile historical figure, reading a fictional novel felt more than a little bit uncomfortable to me. He’s so much larger-than-life, so well-known that it feels weird to read a fictional story where words are put into his mouth. And even though non-fiction writers can be less than objective and can gloss over negative events, this story mainly feels like a role call of Teddy feel good moments, with very few blunders – most of which are reflectively and remorsefully viewed by Teddy in retrospect as mistakes that he’s learned from. Often, any time he gets his dander up in this book it reads like someone else caused him to do so justifiably. Any reader can tell from reading this book that Roosevelt was an ambitious, adventuresome, patriotic man that was more comfortable speaking his mind and leading from the front, but it doesn’t really reflect any flaws or shortcoming of the man himself with viewing them with a more than glass half full approach. It’s a very readable book, but flaws and foibles make a man just as much as their accomplishments and I would have liked to have seen more of that. A complimentary copy of the book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m sure there are many who will enjoy this novel that seeks to tell the life of Theodore Roosevelt (“TR”). Unfortunately, I found it tough sledding and a work that often invited me to become absorbed only to then throw huge roadblocks in the way.

Yes, “The Old Lion” has its good points. Mr. Shaara, who has produced a number of best-sellers about historical events, has succeeded in imparting a broad outline and the major events and phases of TR’s life. Readers unfamiliar with that life may find “The Old Lion” an enjoyable alternative to the many biographies currently available.

However, those seeking an accurate portrayal of TR, or to discover how he might have been a transformative figure in American politics and history, may be disappointed.

To give potential readers an idea of the scope and content of the novel, Mr. Shaara divides TR’s story into five phases: 1) childhood through service as a New York state legislator; 2) ranching in the Dakota Territory; 3) his involvement in the Spanish-American War as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and then Colonel in the “Rough Riders;” 4) his vice-presidency and presidency; and 5) his post-presidency.

Shara specifically details, among other things: TR’s struggle with asthma, his family relationships with parents, siblings, spouses, and children, the death of his first wife Alice, his love of hunting including his trips to Maine and the Dakotas which led to his purchase and operation of a cattle ranch that ultimately failed, his time in Washington with the Navy Department, his battle experiences in Cuba, the assassination of William McKinley, and TR’s ascension to president, his and second wife Edith’s renovation of the White House, and some of the travels and activities he engaged in once out of office Interspersed amongst these are depictions of Roosevelt at the end of his life reminiscing (sometimes to biographer Hermann Hagedorn) about major events not covered in the contemporaneous chapters.

It's a long book. Some of it I found interesting and engaging. Some of it I found drawn out, repetitive, and slow, indeed “skim-worthy.” Much of the writing is expository, designed more to convey information (as one might expect in a history or biography) than to draw the reader into the story (as one hopes for in a novel). This tendency towards exposition often found its way into dialogue, with characters “speechifying” for whole paragraphs and pages, expounding on subjects it seemed odd for them to talk about. This “information dump” kind of writing had the unfortunate effect of damaging the credibility of many scenes and pushing me out of the story. Time and time again, I found myself thinking: People don’t converse this way. I don’t believe these characters ever talked this way.

And I thought the portrayal of Theodore Roosevelt himself sometimes melodramatic and, many times, not very believable – a caricature who spouts “bully” or “dee-lightful” or “By Godfrey!” at every turn (indeed, some 56 times according to my Kindle’s search function). More important, while Mr. Shaara’s was able to portray TR’s brash energy, he was less effective in explaining or depicting why Roosevelt should be counted as one of our three greatest presidents. I know that’s a difficult task, but it is one Mr. Shaara set for himself in his “Note to the Reader” at the front of the book.

Part of the problem, I suspect, lies in the settings Mr. Shaara chose. Major portions of the novel are devoted to Roosevelt’s time ranching in the Dakota Badlands, soldiering in Cuba, and exploring the Amazon River with his son, Quentin as part of a large, very dangerous expedition. Conversely, his service as New York City Police Commissioner and Governor of New York, his receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize and what he did to earn that honor, his voluminous writings, and his 1912 campaign to retake the presidency are given little attention. Indeed, Roosevelt’s term as president in his own right (1905 – 1909) is not treated at all. Consequently, I came away from this novel knowing very little about the political or foreign policy issues of the time, what Roosevelt thought about them, his skills as a politician, or how his presidency was in any way transformative.

So, while I can respect all the work that went into this novel, I can’t say I wasn’t disappointed by it.

If you cross historical fiction with biography

A book recounting the life of Theodore Roosevelt could be one of (at least two) things: a biography (including in that category autobiography -- these exist) or a novel. The subtitle of The Old Lion: A Novel of Theodore Roosevelt makes it clear which of these author Jeff Shaara was aiming for. And his "To the reader" note explains that choice

The best way to describe this book is perhaps to describe what it is not. This is not a biography (and there are many), nor is it an academic examination of the man or his political policies (and there are many of those). Consider that the definitive biography of the man, by Edmund Morris, covers three volumes and totals more than 2,400 pages. Morris’s admirable work is essential to anyone seeking the most minute details of Roosevelt’s life. I did not have the means to expand this story into three volumes, nor would I wish to.

What I have tried to do is create a story, with Roosevelt as the center point, exploring his life from his point of view, through the events as he creates them, as he marches or sometimes struggles through them. This is a novel because, often, you are in his thoughts, seeing events directly through his eyes. No writer can pretend to know what any character thinks or feels at every moment.*

Fair enough. A novel can go inside the head of a character and tell you the unknowable: what he was thinking and feeling. That purpose, however, has less force for Roosevelt than for most historical figures. Roosevelt was a prolific author and speaker. His thoughts were recorded contemporaneously by many writers, included his first biographer Hermann Hagedorn (who is a character in this novel). Now, of course, one must always doubt that what a person writes and says honestly report his thoughts and feelings. But there is less reason to doubt Roosevelt's honesty than that of most politicians. He was a man of action, actions speak, and what his actions said is for the most part close to what his mouth and pen said.

As a novel The Old Lion is severely handicapped by the constraints the author labors under. Unlike most novelists, Shaara doesn't get to invent a plot or characters. To be sure, Roosevelt himself is as interesting a central character as any novelist could invent, and his life was full of incident. But still, there is little scope for creativity.

As I read, I could not help asking myself, "Why does this book exist?" Why read fiction instead of one of the many excellent biographies? (Even if you don't feel up to to tackling a 3-volume, 2400-page biography, there are many shorter biographies, including some that have been highly praised.) I honestly couldn't come up with a really convincing answer. My disenchantment was confirmed by my feelings upon finishing the book. When I finish a book with a feeling of relief, of satisfaction with a long job completed, I can't call that a really good book.

In summary, The Old Lion is a gentle introduction to one of our greatest presidents. However, there are probably better ways to accomplish that.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an advance reader copy of The Old Lion. This review expresses my honest opinions. Release date 16-May-2023.

*Quotes are from an advance reader copy and may change before publication. Any misquotes will be connected on the release date.

The Old Lion is, without a doubt, one of the best books I have ever read.
Jeff Shaara has written a novel about the remarkable life of Teddy Roosevelt that spanned a significant period of that life, including his fascination with the western United States, out of which grew his commitment to developing so many of our major national parks; his leadership of the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American war in Cuba; his presidency; and his love of his family and country.
While I have read non-fiction books about Teddy Roosevelt's life, and enjoyed those books, none were as compelling as the stories so ably communicated by Jeff Shaara. I could not stop reading this book once I started it and I suspect others will share that experience.

I received a free ARC of this book, but I am leaving my honest opinion voluntarily.

I was recently pleased to receive an ARC of Jeff Shaara's latest historical novel, entitled "The Old Lion" to be published by St. Martin's Press. I came to this book after having read most of the rest of his canon. He tends to write historical fiction, generally in the area of military fiction (not surprising from a man whose father wrote the iconic Civil War novel, "The Killer Angels"). This one is a fictionalized biography which put me in mind of much of the kind of history I read when I was a young adult. The topic is that most charismatic of American Presidents, Theodore Roosevelt. Now candidly, I must confess that while the book was generally engaging and well-written, I have a more than passing knowledge of Teddy Roosevelt's life and career, and probably as a consequence of that, I found this interesting but somewhat disappointing. The book is ambitious in trying to expose the reader to the key features of Roosevelt's life and personal development, focusing on his youth, his early tragic love life, his attraction to the American West and last but not least his political Progressivism (don't necessarily confuse this with the modern iteration). Given this vast canvas, it is no wonder that the reader is given only a light taste of all of these many facets of Teddy's life. You will recall that I started out by pointing out how similar this book seemed to much of my YA reading many decades ago; that is both its greatest charm and its greatest weakness. If you come to this with minimal knowledge of Roosevelt's life and career, this can be quite illuminating and might well spark more study, but if you have already spent some time studying Roosevelt and his many eclectic interests, your time might be better spent elsewhere. It certainly belongs in secondary school libraries (I would argue that most of this author's canon is a bit more appropriate to the generalized public library). Taken on it own terms, I would certainly recommend it to young readers exploring American history and wanting just a bit more than they encounter in high school classrooms. Don't get me wrong, there is much here to commend it, taken on its own terms, but to me, it is a springboard to further reading.