The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey | 
 enlarge | Author: Candice Millard
Publisher: Broadway
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
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Rating:  211 reviews
Sales Rank: 2138
Media: Paperback
Pages: 432
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.1 x 1
ISBN: 0767913736
Dewey Decimal Number: 918.113045
EAN: 9780767913737
ASIN: 0767913736
Publication Date: October 10, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
At once an incredible adventure narrative and a penetrating biographical portrait, The River of Doubt is the true story of Theodore Roosevelt’s harrowing exploration of one of the most dangerous rivers on earth.
The River of Doubt—it is a black, uncharted tributary of the Amazon that snakes through one of the most treacherous jungles in the world. Indians armed with poison-tipped arrows haunt its shadows; piranhas glide through its waters; boulder-strewn rapids turn the river into a roiling cauldron.
After his humiliating election defeat in 1912, Roosevelt set his sights on the most punishing physical challenge he could find, the first descent of an unmapped, rapids-choked tributary of the Amazon. Together with his son Kermit and Brazil’s most famous explorer, Candido Mariano da Silva Rondon, Roosevelt accomplished a feat so great that many at the time refused to believe it. In the process, he changed the map of the western hemisphere forever.
Along the way, Roosevelt and his men faced an unbelievable series of hardships, losing their canoes and supplies to punishing whitewater rapids, and enduring starvation, Indian attack, disease, drowning, and a murder within their own ranks. Three men died, and Roosevelt was brought to the brink of suicide. The River of Doubt brings alive these extraordinary events in a powerful nonfiction narrative thriller that happens to feature one of the most famous Americans who ever lived.
From the soaring beauty of the Amazon rain forest to the darkest night of Theodore Roosevelt’s life, here is Candice Millard’s dazzling debut.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 206 more reviews...
 Roosevelts on the River November 26, 2008
Brian Lewis (Ridgefield, CT)
This is a tremendous book, retelling a significant voyage of discovery in the early 20th century involving the former president; his son Kermit and Brazil's foremost explorer Candido Rondon.
Following his resounding defeat in the election of 1912, when he ran as a third party candidate, and badly splintered the Republican Party, Roosevelt decided, as was his habit, to recuperate by throwing himself into a vigorous physical challenge.
Initially intended as a combination speaking tour/excursion, Theodore Roosevelt's impulsive decision to expand the trip to include exploring the uncharted River of Doubt, turned the journey into a life threatening experience. First time author Candice Millard does a great job of building suspense and defining the characters.
Brazil's Col. Rondon, who had devoted his life to exploring the Amazon, and whose committment to the native population was such that he expected his men to die rather than fight back if they were attacked, comes across as a fascinating character in his own right, and obviously, there are conflicts with his co commander, the hero of San Juan Hill. Roosevelt's, dutiful son Kermit is also a finely drawn character, with his quiet acceptance of his father's demands, until the ex-president finally asks too much of him and the son over rules the old man and basically takes command of the operation.
Mallard's background as an editor for National Geographic comes into play here as she describes the difficulties of jungle exploration, and sets the scene in the Amazon wonderfully.
I read this after reading two parts of the projected three volumne biography of Roosevelt by Edmond Morris, and was actually a little fearful this would suffer by comparison. But Mallard tells this slice of the Teddy Roosevelt story exceptionally well and brings other characters, places and events into the story.
River of Doubt October 28, 2008
Rosemary D. Stone (Jacksonville, NC United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The story of T. Roosevelt's trip down this perilous river was interesting and exciting. It certainly increased my knowledge of this adventuresome man. I would highly recommend it.
River Of Doubt October 19, 2008
Betty Camp (White Lake,, MI United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
We thought this was an outstanding book. I read it outloud to my husband.
Each evening, after work, we would have a glass of wine and enjoy "The River of Doubt". It is a non-fiction, but it reads just like a fiction novel. If only our high school history books could read half as well, all of our children would be in love with history!
Although a professional writer for National Geographic, it is hard to believe that this is Candice Millards first book. Her research is unbelievable. Both my husband and I learned many things about the Amazon and Teddy Roosevelt. Three cheers to Ms. Millard ! Don't miss this one !
Betty CampThe River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
Teddy tests his doubts; pace cracks like a page-turning novel October 10, 2008
Todd Stockslager (Raleigh, NC)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Fastpaced account of the South American River journey that hastened TRs early death a few years later. What started out as a sight-seeing trip turned into a journey of exploration of the River of Doubt--then the official name of a river nearly a thousand miles long that had never been mapped. Ex-President Teddy was invited to make the journey casually by Brazilian politicians, and when he accepted, the team of leaders and Brazilian Telegraph workers ended up on a journey that involved deaths, capsized dugout canoes, and Indian encounters any of which could have left the entire team dead.
As it was, TR became deathly ill from an infection and malaria, and in fact at one point he told the team to go forward without him so he could put himself out of his misery. The team (including TRs own son) refused, and he and the rest just made it out alive.
Millard tells the tale with few wasted words and keeps the pace cracking like a page-turning novel.
A Magnifent Portrayal Of An American Hero October 4, 2008
DJY51 (Westchester County, NY USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
How delightful to read of a former president who was truly a man of honor. In Teddy Roosevelt's treacherous expedition down the River Of Doubt, a previously unchartered tributary of the Amazon River, you see a man who consistently could have used his status to gain privilege. However, this Roosevelt, time and again, rather than being an elitist, shows himself to be a true meritocracist, always honoring hard work, determination, and discipline over rank.
The circumstances the men on his expedition found themselves in, constantly tested the metal of each of them. Roosevelt, fell deathly ill. Rather than burden the others, and put them at peril, he decided to take his own life. Realizing the damaging effect his death would have on his son (his son Kermit went on the expedition to protect his father), Roosevelt decided not to take the lethal dose of morphine he brought with him. Despite high fevers, and painful infected abscesses from a former injury, he did all he could to carry his own weight and not burden the other men.
In adventure, after adventure, you will come to love TR, and to see his humanity as it was never before portrayed.
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