The inaugural volume of Edmund Morris's trilogy on the life of Theodore Roosevelt was the first book I ever read about America's 26th president. Because of this, it had a defining influence in shaping my perceptions of the man. Part of reason for this is that, knowing as little as I did about Roosevelt, his book was my introduction to his outsized personality. Yet this effect was magnified by the quality of Morris's writing. An excellent storyteller, Morris had an eye for insightful detail and the telling anecdote, both of which make his book an engaging read that brings Roosevelt's colorful character to the forefront.

It was only after I moved on from Morris's book that I came to appreciate its limitations. Though full of informative descriptions about Roosevelt's privileged childhood, his many adventures, and the tragedies that befell him, what is lacking is any context for his political rise. Like all of us, Roosevelt was a product of his era, and operated within the context of late 19th century America. Yet there is little to no coverage of American society during this period, the intricacies of Gilded Age politics, or the progressive movement of which he would become the foremost champion. What we get instead is Roosevelt the energetic crusader fighting for causes in a corrupt and selfish world. This warps any understanding of how he became a national leader, and limits the book's effectiveness in recounting his life in ways that are easy to miss amid the enjoyable tales of chasing bandits and fighting crime in New York City.