Description
Book SynopsisDrawing on an array of approachesbiographical, ecological and environmental, literary and politicalTheodore Roosevelt, Naturalist in the Arena analyzes the different elements of Roosevelt's manifold encounters with the great outdoors.
Trade Review"This is a fine look at a complex man which brings attention to both his tragic demerits and valuable legacy."—
Publishers Weekly, starred review
"The collection makes a valuable scholarly contribution on multiple fronts: Roosevelt as a naturalist is the subject of the collection, but his life and work also provide a fulcrum to explore U.S. environmental history during one of its most transformative moments."—Kristen R. Egan,
Western Historical Quarterly"Editors Char Miller and Clay Jenkinson identify as special strengths of this collection the care the contributors have given to reading TR correctly by intense immersion in the primary and secondary sources, by bringing personal perspectives to bear, and by using insights from multiple disciplines. The editors can be proud of the uniformly readable and diverse collection they present."—Dr. Spencer Davis,
Nebraska History"
Theodore Roosevelt: Naturalist in the Arena is a book about small things. This is good. In the immense scholarship of Theodore Roosevelt . . . the small things have often been over-looked. Editors Char Miller and Clay S. Jenkinson have done fine work knitting together a compendium of these small things—chance acquaintances, wildlife encounters, and political collaborations. . . . It is good for us today that these small things resulted in something big: the protection of our natural and wildlife treasures and efforts to educate the nation about them."—Gregory A. Wynn,
Annals of Iowa"
Theodore Roosevelt: Naturalist in the Arena is a welcome addition to the Roosevelt historiography. Its interdisciplinary approach allows for diverse topics and points of view, grounded by their shared connection to the natural world and Roosevelt's place within it."—Julie Courtwright,
Great Plains Quarterly"
Theodore Roosevelt: Naturalist in the Arena is suited for an audience interested in presidential history and environmental studies. I recommend this book because his policies continue to impact the nation."—Nicholas Christopher Francis Wooden,
Chronicles of Oklahoma“Char Miller and Clay Jenkinson have brought together a remarkable collection of smart essays that is compulsively readable and thought-provoking. It is a volume full of spritely writing and rich insights.”—Virginia Scharff, distinguished professor of history emerita, University of New Mexico
“A marvelous job of reminding the world why Theodore Roosevelt was America’s first green president. All the essays included in this volume are first rate. A dazzling addition to Progressive Era and environmental history studies. Highly recommended!”—Douglas Brinkley, Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and professor of history, Rice University
Table of ContentsList of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Char Miller and Clay S. Jenkinson Part 1. Field Notes
1. Beauty and Tragedy in the Wilderness: The Naturalism of Theodore Roosevelt
Darrin Lunde 2. Theodore Roosevelt: “The Outdoor Man Who Writes”
Thomas Cullen Bailey and Katherine Joslin 3. “I So Declare It”: Roosevelt’s Love Affair with Birds
Duane G. Jundt 4. Urban Wild: Theodore Roosevelt’s Explorations of Rock Creek Park
Melanie Choukas-Bradley Part 2. Outside Influences
5. “For Generations Yet Unborn”: George Bird Grinnell, Theodore Roosevelt, and the Early Conservation Movement
John F. Reiger 6. Play, Work, and Politics: The Remarkable Partnership of Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot
Char Miller 7. Friendship under Five Inches of Snow: Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir in Yosemite
Barb Rosenstock 8. The Cowboy, the Crusader, and the Salvation of the American Buffalo
Clay S. Jenkinson Part 3. Natural Politics
9. Theodore Roosevelt, the West, and the New America
Elliott West 10. Theodore Roosevelt and Conservation: Looking Abroad
Ian Tyrrell 11. Memorializing Theodore Roosevelt: Si Monumentum Requiris, Circumspice
Clay S. Jenkinson List of Contributors
Index
