The soon to be released Theodore Roosevelt biography, In the Arena by David S. Brown, is filled with top notch research. This biography will NEVER confuse you with a fictional plotline that MAY be or COULD be true. Brown will SOMETIMES allow you to feel you are inside the thoughts, emotions, and thinking process of his quirky and complicated Theodore's well established outside the box genius. You will ALWAYS appreciate how Brown balances the factual timeline of Roosevelt's life with both his personal story AND the nation's concurrent history. You will be immersed in detail from Theodore’s childhood and coming of age into his privileged but personally manipulated education. Next you will follow his unexpected political rise as our 26th President. President Theodore Roosevelt’s uniquely expressed beliefs and larger than life personality not only inspired his leadership over the nation he loved, but left his fingerprints all over it.

Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC of this biography to be published 12/2/2025. It will fully satisfy the questioning historian in you.

In this book, the author's thesis is to dispel the twenty biggest Lost Cause myths.. Thoroughly researched, and she gives reasons why the lost cause myths seem to still permeate throughout the United States. Politicians and the Daughters of the Confederacy rely on the Lost Cause to justify white supremacy and their superiority over other races. With the use of statues, movies, books, and even history curriculum, they promote an idealized picture of the antebellum South and the rebel, Confederate fighters as benevolent, chivalrous men whose aim is to maintain this ideological lifestyle. During the reconstruction period and beyond, they portray the KKK as men who help their neighbors and protect women from the evil boogeyman. She also highlights recent events used to dispel the lost cause myth, through the tearing down of monuments and the renaming of bases.

Ms. Buam presents her argument in an approachable manner for middle-grade readers. She effectively disproves the fallacies. I recommend it to people who want the unfiltered truth about American history with all its good, bad, and ugly truths

Publish or Perish at its most extensive best. But a little drier than it might be. Very well researched and documented, the bio begins early in the saga for independence from the king and looks into the lives of TR's ancestry before working its way through his personal and political life by examining both the positive and culturally negative aspects. Well done.
I requested and received a temporary digital galley of this book from Scribner via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Pub Date Dec 02, 2025
#InTheArena #TheodoreRoosevelt by David S Brown, PHD @scribnerbooks
#nonfiction #biography #historicalicon #historicalresearch #wartsandall

This was an excellent book. It was well-written. I would highly recommend this book. It's very easy to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

A big, bold biography for a big, bold life.

David S. Brown brings Theodore Roosevelt vividly to life—warts, contradictions, and all. From his privileged beginnings and personal tragedies to his rise as a reformer, conservationist, and global force, this book captures the complexity of a man who shaped the modern presidency.

It reads like history with heart—meticulously researched, but never dry. You see Roosevelt the rough rider, the reader, the performer, and the power broker all in one. If you love presidential history that feels alive on the page, this one’s a must.

A dense but rewarding read—perfect for fans of McCullough or anyone who wants to understand the roots of 20th-century America.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review on my Goodreads page. The book is due out December 2, 2025.

Having explored the lives of several influential American figures, historian David S. Brown now turns his attention to one of the most dynamic and endlessly fascinating personalities in U.S. history—Theodore Roosevelt. As someone who has read many biographies and analyses of TR over the years, I approached this book with curiosity as to how Brown would tackle his latest subject. Thankfully, Brown delivers a thoughtful, engaging, and refreshingly accessible narrative.

What makes this book stand out is its readability. While Roosevelt’s life is often told in epic, almost mythic tones, Brown keeps the narrative grounded without sacrificing detail or depth (although there are messianic vibes from the subject himself, of course). From Roosevelt’s sickly but determined boyhood, to his larger-than-life presence in the political and cultural arenas of the early 20th century, the biography traces his arc with clarity and a strong sense of momentum. It’s comprehensive but never overwhelming and mired in minute detail.

This isn’t a heavy academic deep dive if you are looking for one, nor is it an overly romanticized portrait. Brown strikes a balance—respectful of Roosevelt’s accomplishments, but unafraid to examine his contradictions. Whether it’s his progressive reform agenda, his imperial ambitions, or his deep-rooted nationalism, or his views on race, the author presents Roosevelt in full complexity, allowing the reader to engage critically with both the man and the myth.

For those new to Roosevelt, this book is a terrific starting point. For seasoned readers familiar with Edmund Morris’s trilogy or Doris Kearns Goodwin’s work, this book serves as an excellent complement—a more streamlined overview that nonetheless manages to offer fresh insight and some interesting parallels to today's times.

I enjoyed this biography and look forward to adding it to my personal library upon its release. It may not be the most exhaustive account of Roosevelt’s life, but it’s one of the more readable and rewarding ones I’ve come across in recent years. Highly recommended for fans of American history, political biography, or simply anyone curious about the man who helped shape the modern presidency.

From school days, I recall Theodore Roosevelt’s “Bully Pulpit,” but not why that term was applied to him. I knew he created numerous national parks and monuments. That was good. This book paints him as a monumental egotist and bully.
He loved books and wrote dozens, many of them self-serving. He lobbied for the Medal of Honor for his role in Cuba. Two reviews found that he had performed his duty, and nothing more, yet persistent congressional pressure overturned this decision, and in 2001, Roosevelt posthumously received the award, which degrades the honor of the medal.
He romanticized the West, loved his hunting trips and collecting trophies, but denigrated the native peoples, believing might makes right. He desired the US should claim Hawaii and Cuba, but then was insulted when the Filipinos, Cubans, and Puerto Ricans didn’t show gratitude for what was done for them.
TR has dropped considerably in my estimation.

In the Arena by David S. Brown is a thoroughly interesting biographical look into the life of Theodore Roosevelt. In Brown's pen, Roosevelt comes alive warts and all. It's fascinating to read what drove him and the parallels between him and a certain other child of privilege president, Tr*mp, are more than a little eerie. Unlike Tr*mp,, Roosevelt did appear to have functioning brain cells. Brown does not spare his subject when it comes to the way he treated his oldest daughter, Alice. Bit tough to take. It all makes for a compelling read. Thanks to #netgalley and #scribner for the opportunity to preview this book.