“[W]ell crafted and entertaining. . . These two men genuinely liked, respected, and trusted each other, and Andrew Vietze makes us like them, too.”
Description
Today we think of Theodore Roosevelt as a larger-than-life figure, but before he became a legendary outdoorsman, Badlands rancher, Rough Rider, trust buster, and political maverick, he was “a thin pale youngster with bad eyes and a weak heart,” in the words of William Wingate Sewall, the upcountry Maine woodsman who became Roosevelt’s mentor and lifelong friend. The two met at a crucial time in Roosevelt’s life, and Sewall exerted a quiet but profound influence on the man who would become America’s twenty-sixth president.
Becoming Teddy Roosevelt is the story of the remarkable bond between these two men of completely different backgrounds but surprisingly similar outlooks, a bond that endured well after one of them moved into the White House.
Genres
Pages220
Released2026
LanguageEnglish
PublisherDown East Books
ISBN9781684752928
SellerSimon & Schuster
Reviews
"Highly readable and entertaining. . . Vietze's excellent story-telling skills revive the life of a remarkable Mainer who left an indelible mark on his state and the nation."
“Vivid and dramatic. . .a fascinating story of a famous American hero and an unassuming Mainer, and how each man positively affected the life and career of the other.”
“It’s easy to see why the author has won awards for his historical writing. . .it flows at times like a good novel. . . Becoming Teddy Roosevelt is crucial reading for anyone interested in TR.”
“A ‘must’ for any political or biography collection strong in Presidential histories.”
"In Becoming Teddy Roosevelt, Vietze celebrates the extraordinary qualities of two men: the one largely unsung, the other well-known, larger than life, but rarely shown in so intimate and human a light. It is a joy to read."
“[M]eticulously researched . . . remarkable . . . reading this book really brings you into every setting the two men shared, from the lumber camps of Maine to the White House.”
"Now the friendship between Roosevelt and Sewall is fully explored. . ."
"(An) amazing, true-life tale of lasting camaraderie between great men of strikingly different backgrounds and stations. Highly recommended."
