Raising the literary bar to a new level, Jerome Charyn re-creates the voice of Theodore Roosevelt, the New York City police commissioner, Rough Rider, and soon-to-be twenty-sixth president through his derring-do adventures, effortlessly combining superhero dialogue with haunting pathos. Beginning with his sickly childhood and concluding with McKinley’s assassination, the novel positions Roosevelt as a “perfect bull in a china shop,” a fearless crime fighter and pioneering environmentalist who would grow up to be our greatest peacetime president.
The Perilous Adventures of the Cowboy King: A Novel of Teddy Roosevelt and His Times by Jerome Charyn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
It is true that I simply adore historical fiction, and learning about one of the most notable and intriguing characters of history in an entertaining fashion made this book a truly exciting read. I appreciated the fact that the author had a cast list at the beginning of the book (I highly recommend copying this for easy reference as you read). Furthermore, the fact that the story was told from Teddy Roosevelt’s perspective made the story that much more engaging. While much of the story was entertaining, I truly enjoyed the character of Josephine the most! By far my favorite part of the book!
Now, since Teddy Roosevelt was not one of the most polished people in history, at times, the book has some content and language that not every reader may find appropriate. I never felt that anything included was too graphic or too offensive. In fact, I believe what was included fit perfectly with the story being told and was never superfluous nor shocking in any way.
I will say that I found myself “lost” on occasion due to the fact that I had not brushed up on my history of this time period. I would have preferred a little more factual insights from time-to-time as I occasionally got confused or was unclear about some of the details and/or the people. But that is only my opinion, and if anything, it inspires me to investigate the real story of Teddy Roosevelt in order to discover the wonder of this man’s life and perspective on my own. I assume the historical nature of the book is correct in most aspects, but of course, being somewhat of a scholar, I do like to research things on my own.
I do believe this was a brilliant tribute to a man who impacted history in ways we may not even understand today. Or perhaps we have forgotten.
With an operatic cast, including “Bamie,” his handicapped older sister; Eleanor, his gawky little niece; as well as the devoted Rough Riders, the novel memorably features the lovable mountain lion Josephine, who helped train Roosevelt for his “crowded hour,” the charge up San Juan Hill. Lauded by Jonathan Lethem for his “polymorphous imagination and crack comic timing,” Charyn has created a classic of historical fiction, confirming his place as “one of the most important writers in American literature” (Michael Chabon)
ABOUT JEROME CHARYN
Jerome Charyn, a master of lyrical farce and literary ventriloquism, published his first novel in 1964. A columnist for Charlie Hebdo, and the author of Johnny One-Eye, The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson, and dozens of other acclaimed novels and nonfiction works, he lives in New York.
Website: http://www.jeromecharyn.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeromecharyn
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