What do you think?
Rate this book
Talks With T. R.: From The Diaries Of John J. Leary, Jr.
Talks With T. From The Diaries Of John J. Leary, Jr. is a book that offers a unique perspective on the life and times of one of America's most iconic presidents, Theodore Roosevelt. The book is based on the diaries of John J. Leary, Jr., who was a close friend and confidant of Roosevelt. Leary's diaries offer a fascinating glimpse into the private thoughts and conversations of the president, as well as the social and political climate of the early 20th century.The book is divided into several sections, each of which focuses on a different aspect of Roosevelt's life and presidency. The first section covers his early years, including his childhood, education, and early political career. The second section focuses on his time as president, including his domestic and foreign policies, his relationships with other world leaders, and his efforts to preserve America's natural resources.The third section of the book covers Roosevelt's post-presidential years, including his travels, writing, and advocacy for various causes. Throughout the book, Leary's diaries provide a rich and detailed portrait of Roosevelt, offering insights into his personality, his beliefs, and his leadership style.Overall, Talks With T. From The Diaries Of John J. Leary, Jr. is an engaging and informative book that will appeal to anyone interested in American history, politics, or the life of Theodore Roosevelt. It offers a unique perspective on one of America's most beloved presidents, and sheds new light on his legacy and impact on the world.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
376 pages, Paperback
First published January 11, 2014
4 people are currently reading
About the author
John J. Leary Jr.
1 bookJohn Joseph Leary, Jr. was an American reporter and newspaper editor who worked for the Lynn Press, the Boston Adviser and Record, the Denver Times, the Boston Post, the Boston Journal, the Boston Herald, the New York Herald, the New York World and the New York Tribune. He was a 1920 Pulitzer Prize winner for reporting on the labor problems of the coal industry in West Virginia for an editorial entitled Law and the Jungle.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 16, 2023
Leary was one of the few newsmen with personal access to TR. Most of their meetings took place between 1916 and 1919, the year of TR's death. Being a reporter, Leary transcribed their private conversations. After TR died Leary decided to publish his notes so that posterity would have a record of the "real and true" TR. This is that record.
The form it takes is as a collection of short stories. They're not organized in any particular fashion (except roughly chronological I suppose) nor are they connected from one to the next. Each stands alone. Some are only one page long. Others are a handful of pages at most. This format makes for an easy book to grab when you only have a few minutes free.
If you're new to TR, Leary's anthology is not a good starting point. But I would guess that if you have come looking for this book, then you have already read quite a bit about TR (this book is not a chart topper in other words). And in that case, the real value of Leary's work is that it will sharpen the resolution of the picture you already hold in your mind TR. It will add dimensions to his personality which you will not find anywhere else.
For instance: TR has a reputation for craving the spotlight. But what comes through in these stories is that he was actually quite self-aware. He had an acute sense of the commotion that inevitably followed him around. He therefore declined many invitations to events where he thought it unfair to take attention away from others. That is just one example of the nuance conveyed in Leary's conversations. There are many more.
In terms of pure entertainment value, I would only give this three stars. But relative to its purpose—bringing us inside the mind of TR—it's more successful, brief and incomplete though it is.
The form it takes is as a collection of short stories. They're not organized in any particular fashion (except roughly chronological I suppose) nor are they connected from one to the next. Each stands alone. Some are only one page long. Others are a handful of pages at most. This format makes for an easy book to grab when you only have a few minutes free.
If you're new to TR, Leary's anthology is not a good starting point. But I would guess that if you have come looking for this book, then you have already read quite a bit about TR (this book is not a chart topper in other words). And in that case, the real value of Leary's work is that it will sharpen the resolution of the picture you already hold in your mind TR. It will add dimensions to his personality which you will not find anywhere else.
For instance: TR has a reputation for craving the spotlight. But what comes through in these stories is that he was actually quite self-aware. He had an acute sense of the commotion that inevitably followed him around. He therefore declined many invitations to events where he thought it unfair to take attention away from others. That is just one example of the nuance conveyed in Leary's conversations. There are many more.
In terms of pure entertainment value, I would only give this three stars. But relative to its purpose—bringing us inside the mind of TR—it's more successful, brief and incomplete though it is.
Displaying 1 of 1 review