The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey

by Candice Millard

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1,209 ratings, 4.11 average rating, 422 reviews (more data...)

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5		33%
4		46%
3		17%
2		2%
1		0%

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published

October 10th 2006 (first published 2005) by Broadway

binding

Paperback, 416 pages

isbn

0767913736 (isbn13: 9780767913737)

description

At once an incredible adventure narrative and a penetrating biographical portrait, The River of Doubt is the true story of Theodore Roosevelt’s harrow...more

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10/05/07

Kevin rated it:

bookshelves: history

Read in October, 2007

recommends it for: anyone who likes TR and exploration

Teddy Roosevelt is a MAN. I was a big TR fan before and an even bigger one now which is a nice surprise considering that I wasn't expecting much from this book.

There is one scene that I think sums up how impressive TR was. It comes when they are slightly more than half way through their journey, although the exploration party has no way of knowing that. TR has an infected leg, a fever, and has already stated that he should be left behind for certain death because he is a burden on...more

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06/06/08

Kelly rated it:

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in July, 2008

This is an account of Theodore Roosevelt's descent down a previously unchartered tributary to the Amazon. What is amazing is that anyone, much less a former president, would make such a journey as poorly prepared as Roosevelt's expedition. For instance, to lighten the load on the overland journey to reach the headwater, they left behind a number of light weight canoes and arrived at the river with no boats whatsoever. Poorly crafted dugouts purchased from natives were unable to carry all of t...more

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06/05/08

Lucy rated it:

Read in February, 2009

Theodore Roosevelt's leadership and charisma is a well documented part of American history. Although I'm sure I learned about him in my required history classes, and I've been to Mount Rushmore, I can't say that I knew much about him beyond the fact that he was a Rough Rider, a president, a large man, that he created the idea of a protected national park, and that he supposedly said, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." I also suspected that he was related, somehow, to FDR, but ...more
Theodore Roosevelt's leadership and charisma is a well documented part of American history. Although I'm sure I learned about him in my required history classes, and I've been to Mount Rushmore, I can't say that I knew much about him beyond the fact that he was a Rough Rider, a president, a large man, that he created the idea of a protected national park, and that he supposedly said, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." I also suspected that he was related, somehow, to FDR, but never bothered to find out exactly how.

After reading River of Doubt, Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey, I can happily announce that I know much, much more about this phenomenal man. Like he's actually more closely related to Eleanor Roosevelt, who was his niece. But, don't let me fool you. This book isn't a biography of Teddy Roosevelt.

Instead, Candice Miller, a National Geographic contributor, details one incredible year of his life - the year he decided to travel to the Amazon and risk all to charter a 600 mile previously unknown river: the Rio Duvida or River of Doubt.

Miller doesn't limit her writing to being a travelogue. Instead, she carefully sets up the background story and motivation for his trip. Roosevelt had just lost his bid for a third term as President of the United States and in his humiliation, agreed to an acquaintance's suggestion for high adventure.

The year was 1912 and the Amazon and it's many tributaries remained mostly unmapped and mysterious. Roosevelt was an advocate for "the strenuous life" so taking a year to rough it in the jungles of Brazil was not a big stretch for him personally. In spite of his own willingness, a man of his status and prestige does not just travel to the Amazon anonymously. His trip included a pre-adventure diplomatic tour through South America - a continent containing several countries who strongly disagreed with his foreign policy while president. It also included a large entourage in an attempt to ensure for this important man's safety.

For a non-fiction book about a dead president, a jungle and river I've little desire to explore and a country I've never been to, I was sucked into this drama. Miller is an excellent writer and the story unfolds in a very readable way. There was no textbook or even National Geographic feel to it at all. The only time I got bored was when she included information about the Amazon's soil or the properties of sedimentation on the river. Both were absolutely necessary to completely understand the present dangers, but, still....soil. It's not very sexy.

Highly recommend. A fascinating chapter in a fascinating man's life.(less)

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09/12/08

John rated it:

bookshelves: recently-read

Read in December, 2008

So now I know why Teddy Roosevelt's face is etched on the side of Mt. Rushmore, along with our other great Presidents: Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson. What an incredible giant of a man he was. This story tells of Roosevelt's explorations of an uncharted river in the middle of the Amazon rain forest, initially called "River of Doubt". The author delved into the mindset of Roosevelt and why he would engage in such a dangerous journey. Coming off his loss in the Presidential elect...more

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03/26/08

Abby rated it:

bookshelves: non-fiction

Read in April, 2008

GASP - Non-fiction!!! And I didn't hate it!

A notorious loather of non-fiction, I might just have found the one to break the cycle. River of Doubt was a brilliant, well-crafted narrative of Theodore Roosevelt's arduous journey down a previously unmapped tributary of the Amazon River. Barely surviving, Roosevelt makes it to the end in weary triumph.

One of my big problems with non-fiction is that there is no suspense. (Ok, one might argue that about romance novels, to...more

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08/26/07

Dorothy rated it:

Read in June, 2008

Teddy Roosevelt was fifty-five years old when he journeyed through Brazil to explore the River of Doubt, a heretofore unchartered thousand mile body of water. The journey changed the map of South America, but it also proved to be the greatest test of Roosevelt's adventurous life, and would eventually shorten the span of his years. In clear, unsentimental prose, Candice Millard uses the story of the expedition to paint the portrait of an extraordinary man. Roosevelt was a force of nature, as f...more

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01/14/08

Susan rated it:

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in September, 2007

The account of Teddy Roosevelt's wild Amazon journey. After losing his bid for a 3rd term, a depressed Roosevelt heads for Brazil on a mission for the Natrual History Museum in NY. What started as a benign tour turned into a harrowing expedition to chart an unknown tributary - The River of Doubt. It was a journey that drove Roosevelt to the brink of suicide. The story is a page-turner - - an adventure or a calamity awaits the team around every corner. Just as gripping are the personalities ...more

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02/18/08

Shaun rated it:

Read in February, 2008

This is an exceptionally documented story of Theodore Roosevelt’s 1913-1914 journey down an unmapped river in the Brazilian Amazon. The expedition’s descent of the River of Doubt is such a fantastic tale wrapped in grandeur that it at times reads unbelievable. Candice Millard is able to lend credibility to the adventure through her diligent research and the supporting quotes pulled directly form the personal journals, published articles, and interviews of the expedition members and descendan...more

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05/13/07

Alicia rated it:

Read in May, 2007

I'm currently reading this book, and it's meeting the need I'd hoped it would meet: I wanted to read about what a complete animal Teddy Roosevelt was. Indeed, he was a serious animal. I can't believe how unprepared these guys were as they barged into this totally unforgiving terrain. I'm only 100 pages in, but this book has made me think about how soft we've become as a people.
**It's now late September, and while I finished this back in May, I never updated this review. This book was a gr...more

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01/11/08

Dave rated it:

(review of isbn 0385507968)

Read in February, 2008

I can't imagine any ex-president taking a trip like this. There are some I WISH would take a trip like this, but the bottom line is that Teddy Roosevelt was fearless and I'm glad he was because it makes for a great book.

While much of the peril on Roosevelt's river adventure was due to poor planning, I still wonder how anybody can plan well for a trip down a river that nobody's explored before. It didn't help that Murphy's Law was pretty much in effect during the whole trip.
...more

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07/01/08

Connie rated it:

This was very informative! TR was a charasmatic individual and a self-promoter (which tends to go hand-in-hand with that type of personality). After stepping down from the office of President which he apparently could have easily won for another 4 years, he was unhappy not being in the public eye. When his run for office in 1912 ended in failure, he undertook the journey to the Amazon to take part in mapping one of its tributaries. I never knew this fact and I am sure that most Americans today p...more

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01/07/08

Mark rated it:

Read in January, 2008

Theodore Roosevelt is my personal historical hero. He acomplished more in his "strenuous life" than most people even dream about. He was a Progressive liberal who championed personal responsibility, an ardent militant who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for stopping an ongoing war. He read and wrote constantly.

At a time when most men would have sought out retirement, he took on one last, great adventure - travelling and mapping out the "River of Doubt", a tribut...more

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3 comments

07/04/08

Crystal Hammon rated it:

bookshelves: biography

Once the set-up for this book is complete, you'll be engulfed by the brutal conditions Roosevelt and his team had to navigate on their exploratory journey down what's now known as the Roosevelt River. I'm not a nature buff, don't like to camp, and would certainly never rate such an experience on my "Bucket List." That's why I was totally surprised to feel treated by long descriptions of creatures and plants encountered on this previously uncharted South American river, not to mention...more

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01/22/09

Morgan rated it:

Read in January, 2009

Incredibly well-written. Just the right amount of detail about the region and the potential dangers to the Roosevelt expedition, blended perfectly with personal (both heartwarming and repulsive) details about the men on the journey.

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

6 comments

07/10/08

Margi rated it:

Read in August, 2008

nonfiction usually requires a bit more from me than fiction--not the case here. this book is hard to put down. the book centers around theodore roosevelt's trek along an unexplored river in the amazon rainforest. an incredible journey that takes you into the heart of the amazon--i am still fathoming some of the life forms described there. whew!-- as well as into the character of the larger than life character of theodore roosevelt. i couldn't figure out how to feel about this former president......more

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10/01/08

Alison rated it:

Read in July, 2008

recommended to Alison by: Pirrie Bingham
recommends it for: Anyone interested in Brazilian culture/history, American presidential biographies

Loved this book for the fact that I learned a bit about an American president that I can say I knew absolutely nothing about previously. Also learned a good deal about the flora and fauna and native inhabitants of the Brazilian rain forest and the Amazon basin, which totally made me want to visit there. The story itself, in my opinion, lacks some meat: there seemed to be a lot of potential for calamity and drama, but not a lot actually occurred. That's not to say that Roosevelt & Co.'s trip down...more

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01/22/09

Jeff Kelly rated it:

Read in January, 2009

http://kellylowenstein.wordpress.com/200...

Today marks Day Two of the Obama presidency and almost exactly a century since William Howard Taft replaced Teddy Roosevelt as U.S. president.

For Roosevelt, his departure from the land’s highest and most powerful political office marked the beginning of a period in which he struggled to find meaning and purpose.

He initially channeled his prodigious energy into big game hunting in Africa, but eventually found that ...more

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06/24/09

Beth rated it:

In 1913, following an unsuccessful reelection bid, former President Theodore Roosevelt planned a trip to South America that would include an exploring expedition. What started out as a rather tame itinerary, however, was changed to a trek down an unexplored tributary of the Amazon River. Along with his son, Kermit, and others including General Candido Rondon of Brazil, the exploring party was challenged by inadequate gear and supplies, heavy and unwieldy boats, threats from insects and other d...more

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02/05/09

Bookmarks Magazine added it (review of isbn 0385507968)

Every critic enjoyed Millard's yarn about an ex-president's fervent desire for adventure and self-acceptance. By focusing on the vivid details of Roosevelt's journey to the Amazon as well as his relationship with his son, Millard creates much more than your typical ho-hum adventure. The beauty of this story is not just that Roosevelt's rich history could spawn a thousand adventure stories, but that Millard's experience with National Geographic is evident in her beautiful scenic descriptions and

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01/06/09

Kathleen added it

bookshelves: 2008-audio-books, 2008-nonfiction

Read in July, 2008

The River of Doubt, by Candice Millard, narrated by Paul Michael, produced by Books on Tape, downloaded from audible.com.

This is the true story of Teddy Roosevelt;s adventure down one of the most dangerous rivers in the world-a tributary to the Amazon, called by the Brazilians, “The River of Doubt”. Roosevelt was not young and he wasn’t healthy at the beginning of the trip.
Publisher’s note:
At once an incredible adventure narrative and a penetrating biographical...more The River of Doubt, by Candice Millard, narrated by Paul Michael, produced by Books on Tape, downloaded from audible.com.

This is the true story of Teddy Roosevelt;s adventure down one of the most dangerous rivers in the world-a tributary to the Amazon, called by the Brazilians, “The River of Doubt”. Roosevelt was not young and he wasn’t healthy at the beginning of the trip.
Publisher’s note:
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
became so ill, that at one point he wanted his men to go on without him and let him commit suicide. Kermit refused, and Roosevelt had to be carried for most of the second half of the trip. . 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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