Great story about Teddy Roosevelt and Booker T Washington! These two men were incredible individuals, who were influential, different and yet very similar in their backgrounds and beliefs. The 1900’s were a turbulent time in racial history! Both men came together to fight racism and strived to promote equality. Teddy R was a man of conviction and conscience! Brave and persistent his entire life, which reflected his character, and helped align with Washington to change the relationship between the Whites and Blacks. Booker T Washington rose from slavery to become the most successful educator of his time!
Very compelling read of both men and the time they lived together in!

Brian Kilmeade does it again. He brings the story of two men, born in the same time, one black, one white, two different backgrounds yet so much the same. This should be required reading in school. Brian brings forth in ready to read script the lives of these two men, Booker T. Washington and Theodore Rosevelt. How with their different backgrounds, they strove for the same thing, equality and fairness to all people in the early 1900's. Fascinating reading for this time period, a truly captivating read.

Teddy and Booker T: How Two American Icons Blazed a Path For Racial Equality by Brian Kilmeade is an engaging look at the history of equal rights for all through the snapshot of history with two influential figures, Booker T. Washington and Teddy Roosevelt.
As I began the book I wondered if there was a deep connection between these two figures or if the author would force them into one narrative. Having read the work, it is clear that the destinies of each not only intertwined but affected one another.
The opening biographies of each person could not be more different, one born a slave and the other into wealth. One became a leader as head of university and the other a US President. Yet each contributed to working towards the betterment of the nation in his own way.
What makes this work stand out is that it is written in such a way that the story comes alive and reads less like a textbook. Having known little about each of these tremendous figures, I learned a lot about them and was drawn into their vision, work and relationship.
For those interested in the topic of equal rights, US history or the period, Teddy and Booker T is a worthwhile read for the reader who enjoys an immersion into a period of history.

I know that author is a popularizer of history, but I think that he tried to pack way too much US history into this short book. He took a scattershot approach, and did not cover anything with depth. Washington and Roosevelt don’t even meet until the half way point of the book. Then there are examples of how Washington influenced Roosevelt’s decisions as President. Before that, we get parallel histories of the two men. Both men led fascinating and accomplished lives, and the book races through them. Roosevelt’s life, in particular, takes volumes to relate.

I hope that this book piques the interest of people who knew little about Washington and/or Roosevelt and convinces them to read further. There is a reading list at the end of book. Unfortunately, this book was too condensed for me. 3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

I have read every one of Brian Kilmeade's books.. They have all been excellent. This one is no exception.
I have read several biographies of Theodore Roosevelt but none on Booker T. Washington. These two men were quite similar in their passion for justice. They did make mistakes along the way but made decisions they believed were right and accepted by God.
When these two met they liked each other very much visiting each other quite often. When Roosevelt invited Washing to the White House for dinner he had no idea what a scandal it would cause. Roosevelt admitted it was probably a mistake but remained friends with Washington, However, he later disappointed Washington with his decision regarding an incident which occurred later.
If you love history and have like Mr. Kilmeade's other books you will love this one. Highly recommend it.

Teddy and Booker T. by Brian Kilmeade

What could a wealthy man who would one day become president of the USA and a poor black man born in slavery have in common? Well, a whole lot more than you might ever imagine! This book is a well-written, fluid, biography of two men well known in history. I had a bit of knowledge about both men but this book, well, it opened my eyes and made the two men come alive as I read.

I sometimes think we have come “a long way” and then read books like this and do see change but also see that there is still oppression, bias, bigotry and cruelty over a century after the civil war.

So, what did these two men have in common? Drive, ambition, wanting better for others, the willingness to reach out and make things happen for themselves and for others. They both revered education and the spoken and written word. They wanted to see the betterment of the fellow man. BUT, they were also men of their era and influenced by the beliefs of their times.

Both men lost women they loved, gave much to become who they were, and became symbols of their era that live on today.

The author managed to make both men come alive through his writing and made me see them, experience some of what they did, and come away with admiration for both men. I also was happy to NOT live back then when medical science was less than it is now and women and children (and perhaps men, too) died too young.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Teddy Roosevelt and/or Booker T. Washington because this book is easy reading with information that is relevant now while telling the stories of two great men of the past.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sentinel – Penguin Random House for the ARC – this is my honest review.

5 Stars

Did you know that the first guest Theodore Roosevelt invited to the White House was Booker T. Washington? I knew that since I've read most of the books about Roosevelt that have been published in the last half century, and I'm glad to see this event, and their relationship, is finally getting closer attention.

The author does a great job taking real history and making it accessible to the masses, written in a way that makes it read like a novel. Alternating chapters show how these men grew up, one as a slave who had to claw his way up, and another who was born to privilege and wealth. Some of their experiences were similar in their personal lives, while some diverged greatly.

Teddy Roosevelt was a progressive who believed in a lot of things you don't associate with the Republican Party. In fact, many of the things he pushed for during his life were brought to fruition by his fifth cousin, the Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt. Theodore was ahead of his time when it came to race relations, while at the same time said some things publicly that make us cringe today. He definitely had a dichotomy about him. The fact that he brought Booker T. Washington to the White House almost immediately after succeeding to the office shows he was willing to test the waters of society. Unfortunately, the backlash was so severe in the press and from the south that Washington was never invited for dinner again.

That's not to say the two men didn't work together. Many times, Roosevelt consulted with Booker T. about race relations and tried to surreptitiously move the country forward. Roosevelt appointed many black men to posts that had previously not had any, or not since Reconstruction ended. They relished in their similar goals but came to loggerheads a few times.

If you want to know more about race relations in the United States at the turn of the last century and how two powerful men attempted to make things better, I highly recommend this book.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and Sentinel Books. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

For more reviews, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com.

I thought this was a good book until I reached the acknowledgments, which included a series of homages to Rupert Murdock and his cronies at Fox. Now I don't trust that anything in the book is accurate.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I always look forward to new books about Teddy Roosevelt but this one also compares and contrasts the life of Booker T. Washington exhibiting their challenging the customs involving systematic racial division. Roosevelt existed at a time where progressives fought for the rights of people to live freely and thrive as opposed to their fights today. Roosevelt always fought for fairness and lead the way as a democratic force. I learned considerably more about Dr. Washington than I had known before, it was fascinating to see his rise adjunct to Roosevelt's. He, like the Colonel, was an educated man who lead people in search of a better life but having to deal with the world as it actually was and not as they had wished it to be. It's hard to fathom in this day and age the depths that racial division existed and how pernicious it was. Washington and Roosevelt fought against it both in their own ways, and we should be thankful they did, imagine how it would be if these two great leaders weren't there to bring us out of the darkness. Kilmeade writes as eloquently as he speaks, with great intelligence and purpose, illuminating the strides made by those giants drawing this nation forward into the 20th century. Any good history book leads a curious student to other tomes and this is no different. I now have a desire to look at more concerning the life of Dr. Washington and his successors to give voice to the suffering they chose to overcome. Kilmeade shows us the successes and failures these men endured in their lives and their attempts to move this country and its people into the world of modern nations without the stain of bigotry and hatred. This will not be the final book written by this author that I will read, knowing now how carefully he examines both sides of all these issues makes it imperative I give him the time to instruct me where my education may be lacking. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can teach me. Very well written and well researched, I highly recommend this for both the serious history buff as well as the occasional curious readers.

A well-written dual biography of two men who played a pivotal role in American history. Washington and Roosevelt: they were of different races, different backgrounds, and different familial cultures; yet, their lives seemed to be on parallel paths - something I learned by reading this book. This is a definite must-read for any American history buff.

Thanks to NetGalley & Penguin Group Portfolio for this advanced copy, which I voluntarily read and reviewed.

This book gives an inside look at the relationship between Theodore Roosevelt and Booker T. Washington. Though from completely different worlds, these two influential leaders bonded over a shared belief that America could move beyond entrenched racial divides. It's an eye-opening account of their bold steps to promote racial equality during a rocky time in our nation's history.

4 ST⭐️RS

I received this book as an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Brian Kilmeade has done a great job of taking a HUGE topic in history and compressing it all into a coherent and meaningful history book.

As a middle school teacher, I wouldn't push this title. As a person who enjoys history and knew nothing about these two figures, I highly recommend. Quick, easy to understand information.

Brian Kilmeade is fast becoming as known for his accessible books about some of the lesser covered aspects of American history as he is already known for his conservative political commentary on radio and television. Past Kilmeade books have included volumes on Andrew Jackson's miracle win of the Battle of New Orleans, on Thomas Jefferson's "forgotten war" against the Tripoli Pirates, on Sam Houston's army of "Alamo avengers" who won Texas from Santa Ana's Mexican army, on Abraham Lincoln's relationship with Frederick Douglas, and on George Washington's Revolutionary War spy ring. This time around, Kilmeade tackles the special relationship that developed between Teddy Roosevelt and Booker T. Washington around the turn of the twentieth century.

In the two decades prior to the turn of the century, Southern backlash to the policies of Reconstruction at home and in Washington D.C. had effectively ended the Reconstruction Era. Any further progress of America's black citizens was practically impossible in many states, but as so often happens in history, the exact right people to help right this wrong came along just when they were most needed. Teddy Roosevelt and Booker T. Washington stepped up and took over where Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas left off.

It is hard to imagine a more unlikely pair, with one born into wealth and the other into slavery. But the two also had much in common, and they worked together during and after Roosevelt's time in office to get black men appointed to positions of power they would otherwise not have achieved for decades. But it all began with a single misstep that almost doomed their efforts before they had a chance to accomplish a thing when Roosevelt, in his naive audacity, invited Washington to the Roosevelt family's private White House dinner table. The backlash was quick and it was fierce, and in the eyes of many Southerners it overshadowed anything that Roosevelt would go on to accomplish as President of the United States.

Teddy and Booker T is a reminder of just how unique, brave, and accomplished Roosevelt and Washington were, and how important a role they played together to make this country a better place for all of its people. Their struggle was at times frustrating and dangerous, but we are very lucky that each of them came along when they did - and even luckier that they found each other.

Brian Kilmeade writes a great biography about these two men. It had everything that I was looking for in this type of book. It does a great job in creating a realistic view of history.

I have always enjoyed Brian Kilmeade's nonfiction. I have read them all and several were five star books for me. All of his published books have a place on my bookshelf. However, upon opening this galley, I found that he has conformed to the Black and white world. Which as a conservative I disagree with. Capitalize both, or neither.
We do not need Black or White supremacy. I was disappointed to see his introduction to this agenda.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to preview this title.

I am a huge Teddy Roosevelt fan, and this is another reason that is the case. This was the story of an unlikely duo that did wonderful things.