Heir to the Empire City: New York and the Making of Theodore Roosevelt

by Edward P. Kohn

Theodore Roosevelt is best remembered as America's prototypical "cowboy" president-a Rough Rider who derived his political wisdom from a youth spent in the untamed American West. But while the great outdoors certainly shaped Roosevelt's identity, historian Edward P. Kohn argues that it was his hometown of New York that made him the progressive president we celebrate today. During his early political career, Roosevelt took on local Republican factions and Tammany Hall Democrats alike, proving his commitment to reform at all costs. He combated the city's rampant corruption, and helped to guide New York through the perils of rabid urbanization and the challenges of accommodating an influx of immigrants-experiences that would serve him well as president of the United States.

A riveting account of a man and a city on the brink of greatness, Heir to the Empire City reveals that Roosevelt's true education took place not in the West but on the mean streets of nineteenth-century New York.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, American History, New York, Historical, Audiobook

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

A political and diplomatic historian.

Assistant professor of American history and chair of the American Culture and Literature Department at Bilkent University in Turkey. He earned his PhD from McGill University.

Reviews

[Mark Fallon · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was difficult deciding whether to give this book 2 stars or 3 stars. This may be the weakest biography on Roosevelt that I've read (and I've read about 20). The 3 star rating is earned by the author's frankness in revealing Roosevelt's often overlooked prejudices, especially those concerning the Irish and Catholics.

Kohn's main premise is that Roosevelt's experiences in the west are overstated and the influence of New York City are understated. And in case you forget, he repeats that assertions many times. Too many times.

Roosevelt was influenced by many experiences - his father, New York, Harvard, the deaths of his wife and mother on the same day, being a rancher, decades of public service - state, local and national offices - and war. What Kohn misses about Roosevelt's time as a rancher, is that at a pivotal moment in his 20s, Theodore intentionaly exposed himself to physical, emotional and intellectual hardship. Enduring that hardship impacted Roosevelt as a person, as a man. An impact that he carried for the next 3 decades.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book recounting the early political years of Roosevelt's career. It focuses on city and state government roles and honestly I don't really care about him being an alderman and various offices. It makes the claim that New York is really what shaped Roosevelt, and for certain that's at least partly true, but it also seems to kind of pick and choose it's evidence. The book barely touches on his presidency, almost not at all, which is unfortunate. In general, it was just pretty dry listening to the Republican party's machine of the late 1800s.

[Kurtbg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a quick and interesting read.

Theodore Roosevelt was raised as a New Yorker and the author builds the case in just how strong of an influence that was in compared to the western and romantic myth of Teddy. His youth, education, and New York political days of fighting Tammany Hall are touched on in chewable amounts to give a basic impression without diving into a definitive tome, which for Teddy, are many.

Many of the things that TR was fighting is still pertinent in the 2010's: monopolies & oligopolies, political collusion and strong-arming for power and control. At the same time he planted a stake in the United States care and protection of nature creating the national parks we have today.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heir to the Empire City is an interesting book that focuses on portions of TR's life that rarely receive top billing. The author also offers some interesting analysis. For instance, he makes a strong argument that TR's progressive credentials may be exaggerated by modern writers. On the other hand, Kohn also engages in some rather wild speculation. For example, he includes a detailed exploration of what TR's policies would have been, if he had been elected mayor of New York City. Such flights of fancy cast serious doubt on Kohn's credentials as a serious historian. Nevertheless, this biography will be valuable to true TR fans who are eager to learn more about a less covered period of his life.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but it isn't entirely convincing of its main thesis: that Theodore Roosevelt was a man shaped more by New York City than he was by the American West. There are several contradictory aspects of Roosevelt's life, but the book doesn't really acknowledge those. The writing style is also a but stilted and sometimes repetitive; the author could have used a better editor. But there is a lot of great information In the book, and some interesting (and new at least to me) historical facts -- TR is still the only US president born in New York City, for example. Worth the read and a good look at some different aspects of Roosevelt's life and legacy.

[Mantsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting arguments on how NYC did more to shape T.R. than most people appreciate. Not the most stirring writing though.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating stuff. Kohn makes a strong argument that TR's NYC roots defined his political skills, primary motivations/priorities and finally, his popular appeal. From cleaning the streets to cleaning up the police force, TR's head and heart were mostly in the right place. His actions on NY's alcohol laws were an especially interesting sidebar to this beer journalist and show again just how thorny America's relationship to adult beverages has been throughout our history. His attitude toward inequality, tho perhaps not fully woke, is as fresh as yesterday's NY Times.

And you gotta love his "words and sentiments," regarding labor and capital, which Kohn says TR copped from Lincoln: "Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration."

To the extent that some would like to cancel TR (okay the American Museum of Natural History's statue is misguided, as Kohn acknowledges) shows just how intolerant we've become in the supposed pursuit of tolerance.

[Tom Rowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can I ever get tired of reading about Teddy Roosevelt? He is a complicated man who offers writers so many facets to focus on. Kohn has chosen to look at TR through the lens of a New York City politician and how his "western manliness" stems from Victorian Era urban masculinity which was common for the elite class of his time. While the book does become tedious through some of the political wrangling, wherein there are lots of unfamiliar names tossed about debating unfamiliar agendas, this is more likely a reflection of myself as the reader being unfamiliar with those people and agendas.

While I don't recommend this as an introduction to TR. As a 12th book on the president, it satisfied me nicely in its ability to bring up and bring out different aspects of this fascinating president who is Theodore Roosevelt.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following Teddy Roosevelt's upbringing and early career in New York, Heir to the Empire City makes a compelling case that New York, not the rough West, cast the Bull Moose into the man we remember. With careful analysis of Theodore Roosevelt's upbringing, trips out west, and political savviness, Kohn gives me good reason to believe his thesis (although, I don't feel my background on Theodore Roosevelt is strong enough to make a firm statement for or against it).

I enjoyed the descriptions of how New York City and America changed over the course of Theodore Roosevelt's lifetime, and the thoughtful hypotheses about the motivations behind some of Roosevelt's political moves.

[Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theodore Roosevelt (TR) conjures images of the cowboy, rancher, rough rider, hunter, and other men of the west. Kohn persuasively argues, in contrast, that TR a New York urbanite from first to last. The great city shaped him and he shaped it. It wasn't the west who made TR, but the urban east. Actually, it was probably of the interaction of the two that gave him such a broad appeal and understanding of America, as well as his ability to communicate with common people, but Kohn moves the emphasis back towards the east.

[Devan Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. I thought that Kohn's style was interesting and fun to read, and I found his central thesis about Roosevelt being much more of a New York man than a Western man compelling and fairly convincing. It really was a page-turner and offered an enlightening glimpse into the mindset of turn of the century wealth and intelligentsia.

My only criticism of the book is that it is a little thin towards the end. The last twenty years of Roosevelt's life are dealt with quickly, but I suppose that should be expected for a book subtitled "the Making of Theodore Roosevelt."

[John Yingling · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author makes a good case that Theodore Roosevelt became the politician and man he was not from his time out West when he was in his late 20s, but rather from this upbringing and life in New York City. His immersion in NYC politics and culture influenced him much more than his time in North Dakota, the author asserts. A quite interesting look at a man and a politician of the first rank.

[Justin Hartwig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good! Original biography of Theodore Roosevelt. Learned a lot about him that I didn’t know before, as well as much about the politics of late 19th-century America. Would be an interesting era to study in more depth.

[Marce Duque · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have only read 2 autobiography of Teddy, but I was not impressed by this one. My opinion is humble and maybe naive, but I found so many unknown names and dates overwhelming, I wanted to hear about him and his life, not a calendar of events.

[Bob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got bored.

[John Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

An attempt at a historical correction to place TR as a definite New Yorker versus the Edmund Morris view of him as being also a westerner.

[Kevin Koppelmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had no idea that during the Spanish–American War, Wood (Ft Leonard Wood) commanded the Rough Riders, over Theodore Roosevelt.

[Kami S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great summary of how New York City impacted Teddy Roosevelt and vice versa

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who doesn't love Theodore Roosevelt. Okay, I love him too much.

This little volume was written to link Roosevelt to New York City. Although he was born here and lived his life in the environs, many historians try to describe him as a "western" man. He certainly spent some time on his ranches in the Dakotas and traveling in the west, but he is certainly a New Yorker.

While Kohn does a good job of describing some of the intricacies of NY politics and how well Roosevelt knew how to maneuver the people, he tries to do to much. His last chapters are the presidency and the years after. They are too rushed and if you haven't read other TR biographies, you'll find yourself wanting more.

However if you are a fan of Teddy (as I am), this book will give you more insight into his character.

[Veronika Pohl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heir to the Empire City by Edward P. Kohn is an insightful look into how New York City shaped the early life and political career of Theodore Roosevelt. As required reading for a college course, it provided a detailed and academically focused account of Roosevelt’s rise, particularly how the urban and political landscape of New York influenced his development as a leader.

While the book is well-researched and full of historical detail, I found the writing to be a bit dry at times. Kohn does a great job of exploring Roosevelt’s relationship with the city, but it didn’t quite grip me like other biographies of Roosevelt. That said, it’s a solid read for those interested in Roosevelt’s early years and the impact of New York on his political outlook. A good resource for history students or anyone curious about the intersection of place and personality in shaping a great leader.

[Bruce · Rating 1 out of 5]

Being a fan of Teddy Roosevelt but not particularly interested in New York City I found this book disappointing. Perhaps, because of that, I also didn't think the book was particularly convincing in its argument. I read.....a lot.....and I thought the writing a little forced and the author at times downright snarky ("snarky" borrowed from another reviewer of this book).

New York City,and to a lesser degree, New York State politics was the focus of this book. Roosevelt seemed to me to be a vehicle to carry the events forward.. If your primary interest is in Theodore you might want to pass this book by.

[Lauri · Rating 3 out of 5]

The central thesis of this book - that the West did not influence Teddy Roosevelt but his upbringing and lifetime in New York did - really served no purpose and was only annoying in the author's constant reiteration of that position. The response was a big "so what?". The book could have easily stood on its own as simply a detailed accounting of Teddy's rise through New York politics to the vice presidency and presidency. The book was interesting but limited in scope, given the author's narrow theme.

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess I was expecting the author to deliver more evidence to support the claim that T. Roosevelt was shaped by New York and his upbringing. (Of course we knew that there was some influence but at least support it with how he made decisions please) It just seems that there are intervals where the author isn't staying close to the main idea. The writing itself was okay, but sometimes it read like the author was trying too hard. Good idea on the subject, but not the greatest book.

[Kyle Hoffman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Edward P. Kohn's 'Heir to the Empire City' is a brief, accessible account of Theodore Roosevelt's early career. While very informative, Kohn's book does not add anything new to TR history and this story has been more elegantly recounted in Edmund Morris's 'The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt' and David McCullough's 'Mornings on Horseback.'

[Mark Holencik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot about one of our most important public figures. Not just being President of the United States. His work at reforming a corrupt government was his main life's work. I can see how this country would be in a real mess if he would not have done what he did.

[Yosef Shapiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book's central theme is that NY made TR the man and president that he became.

[Shirley Lally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Teddy.