Carrie Pawlovich’s Reviews > The Cowboy President: The American West and the Making of Theodore Roosevelt > Status Update

“If you are afraid of hard work and privation, do not come West. If you expect to make a fortune in a year or two, do not come West. If you will give up under temporary discouragements, do not come West.”
-Theodore Roosevelt

“As with the Badlands, animals and man do not conquer the prairie; they live with it and accept the daily lessons it hands out.”

So true. Those of us living on the prairie know this as fact, and a way of life. We live with it, and do not conquer.

“Now he would further test himself by living in the West, by living a free but hard life, pushing himself against the elements, the wild animals, and most importantly, himself.”

“Watching Theodore ride away, Gregor turned to his son and said, ‘There goes the most remarkable man I ever met. Unless I am badly mistaken, the world is due to hear from him one of these days.’”

Fun Fact about the old west. Cattle ranching was a huge lucrative industry in the 1880’s. And ranchers and hunters HATED fenced in land. Most of the west was not fenced which aided free range cattle and hunting plenty. Until one Frenchman fenced his cattle in (now Medora, ND), and drove three cattle men to try and kill him for doing so!

“The Democrats were quick to earn his abhorrence, (Teddy) noting that the chairman of the Committee on Affairs of Cities ‘adds a great deal of stupidity’ to his position, while another politician was ‘either dumb or an idiot-probably both.’”

Teddy Roosevelt….what a gangster.

Of course I’m still not done with my U.S Grant Book. But I couldn’t resist a book about my other Favorite US. President!