The Golden Book of Dutch Navigators

by Hendrik Willem van Loon

The one permanent move for obtaining peace, which has not yet been suggested, with any reasonable chance of attaining its object, is by an agreement among the great powers, in which each should pledge itself not only to abide by the decisions of a common tribunal but to back with force the decisions of that common tribunal. The great civilized nations of the world which do possess force, actual or immediately potential, should combine by solemn agreement in a great World League for the Peace of Righteousness. -from "World Peace" Theodore Roosevelt was still a young man when he left the Oval Office, and he remained a vigorous force on the American scene. The great influence he continued to hold over the public allowed him to contest the policies of President Woodrow Wilson, particularly Wilson's conduct in the leadup to America's belated entry into World War I. In this 1915 work, Roosevelt lays out the moral and political case for coming to the aid of the nation's European allies, from the ethics of self-defense to the practicalities of preparing for war. Roosevelt's arguments are compelling and humane, but agree with him or not, here is an essential part of the powerful basis for his place in American history as the architect of the American Century, as well as a revealing picture of the character of one of the great American personalities. Also available from Cosimo Classics: Roosevelt's Letters to His Children, A Book-Lover's Holidays in the Open, Through the Brazilian Wilderness and Papers on Natural History, Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail, The Strenuous Life: Essays and Addresses, and Historic Towns: New York OF INTEREST TO: Roosevelt fans, students of the American presidency, readers of World War I Politician and soldier, naturalist and historian, 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.

344 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2006

About the author

Hendrik Willem van Loon (January 14, 1882 – March 11, 1944) was a Dutch-American historian and journalist.

Born in Rotterdam, he went to the United States in 1903 to study at Cornell University. He was a correspondent during the Russian Revolution of 1905 and in Belgium in 1914 at the start of World War I. He later became a professor of history at Cornell University (1915-17) and in 1919 became an American citizen.

From the 1910s until his death, Van Loon wrote many books. Most widely known among these is The Story of Mankind, a history of the world especially for children, which won the first Newbery Medal in 1922. The book was later updated by Van Loon and has continued to be updated, first by his son and later by other historians.

However, he also wrote many other very popular books aimed at young adults. As a writer he was known for emphasizing crucial historical events and giving a complete picture of individual characters, as well as the role of the arts in history. He also had an informal style which, particularly in The Story of Mankind, included personal anecdotes.

Reviews

[Kenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting stories of the Dutch Navigators. There are harrowing tales of arctic voyages, round the horn trips and sailing in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Well worth reading for the tales of human heroism and endurance. I listened to a Libravox audio, and some chapters were too difficult to listen to, so the lower rating.