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Roger-isms: The Cowboy Philosopher on The Peace Conference

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According to Wikipedia: "William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers (November 4, 1879 - August 15, 1935) was a Cherokee cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer and actor. He was the father of U.S. Representative and WWII veteran Will Rogers, Jr. Known as Oklahoma's favorite son, Rogers was born to a prominent Indian Territory family. He traveled around the world three times, made 71 movies (50 silent films and 21 "talkies"), wrote more than 4,000 nationally-syndicated newspaper columns, and became a world-famous figure."

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1919

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About the author

Will Rogers

132 books161 followers
People noted wry homespun commentary of American humorist William Penn Adair Rogers, known as Will, on society and politics.

This Cherokee cowboy, comedian, vaudeville performer, and actor fathered Will Rogers Jr., the congressman and veteran of World War II.

A mother bore Rogers, known as favorite son of Oklahoma, into a prominent family. This world-famous figure traveled around the world three times, made 50 silent films and 21 "talkie" movies, and wrote more than four thousand nationally-syndicated newspaper columns.

The American people adored Rogers, the top-paid movie star in Hollywood at the time before the mid-1930s. Rogers died with aviator Wiley Post, whose small airplane crashed near Barrow, Alaska territory.

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5 stars
22 (21%)
4 stars
31 (30%)
3 stars
26 (25%)
2 stars
16 (15%)
1 star
6 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
500 reviews8 followers
December 1, 2016
Politics, Nations, Wilson & Congress...

This is a single transcript of the act Rogers performed during the period immigrants following WWI . Wilson was in Europe, trying to get an Armistice signed AND trying to set up the "League of Nations". He was having the same luck with Republicans in Congress as Obama...

It is amazing: few things have really changed since 1918 in politics, between nations, or Congress. The names have changed, but the arguments remain the same! This is a fairly short act, Rogers must have been doing a lot of rope twirling. The spelling in the transcript is spotty, but only a few references are obscured by time. Highly Recommended
133 reviews3 followers
October 13, 2019
Brilliant but too far removed in history to really enjoy

Most modern readers don't know Viet Nam, WWI is beyond comprehension and Will Rogers' humor in this offering is lost in history. To anyone other than the history buff the criticism is like a foul ball.
4,421 reviews40 followers
July 23, 2022
Historical or Hysterical.

A brief, comical report from the end of world war one and the start of the league of nations. Amazing how much political corruption was right out in the open.
358 reviews2 followers
November 12, 2023
I like Will Rogers

His commentary is about the ending of WWI and the forming of the league of nations. He has held up really well. There are a few wince worthy lines, but the book is entertaining, just the same. Give the book a try!
1,150 reviews5 followers
June 26, 2024
I love Will Roger's witticisms and how he was able to state truth to powerful people with common man humor. I read anything I can find about and by this man.
Profile Image for Renee.
1,086 reviews
November 6, 2021
Comedy routines don't always transfer well to printed form. In other words, I think I'd have liked this more if it was a recording of Rogers' act.
Profile Image for Susan Molloy.
Author 153 books90 followers
April 12, 2023
Published in May 1919, Rogers-Isms, The Cowboy Philosopher On The Peace Conference by Will Rogers is a surprisingly small book, and it actually reads more like notes for a comedy routine with snappy and biting one-liners, from which I believe then he would have added much more content right on the spot as he played the audience.

In this book, Rogers comments much on the Paris Peace Conference, Woodrow Wilson, war, peace, and all the players in The Great War. There is plethora of misspellings throughout this book, which drove me to distraction, yet I am glad nothing was corrected at publication because this leaves this book as close to a primary source for research as possible. It does, also, give a better insight into Rogers' intellect and personality.

Here follows a few examples of his wit:

“One thing we got to be thankful for our Soldiers [sic] can win wars faster than our Diplomats [sic] can talk us into them . . .”

“Lets hope the Turkish Deligation dont [sic] bring all their WIVES or we never will get PEACE . . .”

“Its [sic] always the same, the fellow who originates anything or starts something new is generally called a nut, The next fellow comes along takes his Idea [sic] improves on it and of course is a smart man . . .”

I enjoyed reading this, as I have always gotten a kick out of Rogers humor and his work in movies. There is a lot of truth and frankness in his commentaries, which makes his legendary work poignant and timeless. Rogers-Isms, The Cowboy Philosopher On The Peace Conference is a fun and surprising discovery.



🟣Kindle version.
Profile Image for David Hamrick.
3 reviews3 followers
March 23, 2013
This was Rogers's first book, and it reads like notes for a stand-up routine: a list of one-liners, some better than others, from which he might have used about half and made up the rest on the spot. His "Letters of a Self-Made Diplomat to His President" from a few years later shows much better how well he could handle this kind of satirical journalism.

Rough as it is in style, it is well worth the reader's time to get Rogers's reactions to the Paris Peace Conference. His opinion of President Wilson's performance was often savage, with several variations on the joke, "See where Pres Wilson and Italy have compromised on that town down there Italy got it." He saw the danger of the punitive approach taken to Germany: "I thought the Armistace terms read like a second Mortgage, But this reads like a foreclosure." He was also skeptical of the forcible redrawing of the political map in the former Ottoman Empire: "Guess the reason they put a four year limit on it, Was that they figured that would about cover the existence of any of those new Nations." We are still dealing with the aftermath of those decisions today; it is ironic that an Oklahoma Cherokee cowboy saw through so much of it at the time.
468 reviews7 followers
April 22, 2015


This is a really fun little book, IF you know the history enough to understand what he was joking about. It also helps if you've seen footage of Will Rogers doing one of his routines so you know what his timing and delivery sounded like, because the book is mostly a compilation of jokes he was using during this particular period.
Profile Image for Kamas Kirian.
412 reviews19 followers
February 18, 2012
I love how whitty he is, but this edition is somewhat garbled, making it annoying to read. The eBook needs better formatting.
Profile Image for Phillip.
673 reviews59 followers
March 10, 2012
There are things that I love that Will Rogers did. This is not one of them. This is a book of his aphorisms about the peace talks.
Profile Image for Jeffrey.
816 reviews28 followers
March 3, 2013
Clever little book about America at the meetings for the Treaty of Versailles by this great Native American humourist!
379 reviews2 followers
February 7, 2019
It was short.

Interesting little booklet. It seem like Mr. Rogers had an easy way of getting to the point with just a few words.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews