Historic Towns: New York

by Theodore Roosevelt

[C]olonial New York was always a turbulent little town, thanks especially to the large number of seafaring folk among its inhabitants. The sailors had an especial antipathy to the soldiers of the garrison, and rows between them were frequent; with more reason, they hated the press-gangs of the British frigates, and often interfered to save their victims, with the result producing actual riots, wherein bludgeons and cutlasses were freely used. -from "The Unrest Before the Revolution. 1764-1774" A man of prodigious and wide-ranging interests, Theodore Roosevelt-politician and soldier, naturalist and historian-was the youngest president in American history, ascending to the office when he was only 42, but he had already distinguished himself before then. In 1891, for instance, he published this wildly enjoyable and impressively informative history of New York City, from its first settlement by Europeans in the early 17th century-by the West India Company, charged with "peopling the world's waste spaces"-up to Roosevelt's present moment, at which he notes that "the average New Yorker yet possesses courage, energy, business capacity, much generosity of a practical sort, and shrewd, humorous common-sense." This is a charming valentine to a great American city by one of America's great personalities. Also available from Cosimo Classics: Roosevelt's Letters to His Children, A Book-Lover's Holidays in the Open, America and the World War, Through the Brazilian Wilderness and Papers on Natural History, Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail, and The Strenuous Life: Essays and Addresses. OF INTEREST TO: Roosevelt fans, readers of New York City history, armchair time-travelers American icon THEODORE ROOSEVELT (1858-1919) was 26th President of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909, and the first American to win a Nobel Prize, in 1906, when he was awarded the Peace Prize for mediating the Russo-Japanese War. He is the author of 35 books.

Genres: History

252 pages, Paperback

First published February 4, 2004

About the author

Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., also known as T.R., and to the public (but never to friends and family) as Teddy, was the twenty-sixth President of the United States, and a leader of the Republican Party and of the Progressive Movement.

He fathered Alice Roosevelt Longworth, a daughter.

He became the youngest President in United States history at the age of 42. He served in many roles including Governor of New York, historian, naturalist, explorer, author, and soldier (posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 2001 for his role at the Battle of San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War).

Roosevelt is most famous for his personality: his energy, his vast range of interests and achievements, his model of masculinity, and his "cowboy" persona.

Reviews

[Stuart Endick · Rating 4 out of 5]

During his long career of public service Theodore Roosevelt supplemented his income by writing books on history, nature, politics, and his personal adventures. This volume was envisioned to be part of an “historic towns” series in emulation of a series about cities in Great Britain, but only the present volume on New York and one on Boston (authored by Roosevelt’s friend Henry Cabot Lodge) were evidently produced on American cities. Although TR likely received the commission through his connections, his scholarship and background made him eminently qualified to author this vigorous popular and opinionated history. Except for the colonial period the book is relatively light on details about geography, architecture, and details of the city’s history. Instead it is TR’s take on the shaping of the character of NYC and the American character in general as influenced by historical movements and major events. Be prepared that Roosevelt was influenced by the prejudices of his era, although these are tempered by his progressive sentiments, such as recognizing the evils of gross income inequality. Fans of Roosevelt will appreciate the vigor of his writing style although the last half of the book clearly seems dashed off. It’s definitely worthwhile for those interested in TR and this type of antiquarian book.

[Billy · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I read is an abridged version. It's an interesting history of New York City from its Dutch beginnings to about 1890. Written with a deeply paternalistic 19th century mindset, the book is tempered with a democratic, if somewhat progressive bent about the virtues of people choosing their rulers. The evil of the robber barons who care only for money deeply offends TR. Those blessed with success and fortune need to give back and help the struggling masses. The genius of polyglot New York is clear to Roosevelt -- an early paean to diversity.