Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography by Theodore Roosevelt, First Edition, 1913

Roosevelt, Theodore. Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography by Theodore Roosevelt. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1913. First Edition. Octavo. In the publisher's dark blue cloth with gilt titles and a pastedown medallion portrait of Roosevelt, bordered in gilt, on the front cover and gilt titles to the spine. Illustrated. 

Presented is a first edition of Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography. The book was published in 1913 by The Macmillan Company, in New York, printed by Norwood Press in Massachusetts. The book is presented here in the publisher’s original dark blue cloth boards, with gilt titles and a pastedown medallion portrait of Roosevelt, bordered in gilt, on the front cover and gilt titles to the spine. It is illustrated throughout with numerous full page and in-text illustrations. 

The book traces Roosevelt’s life from his childhood in New York through his education, early political offices, presidency, and later public career. Roosevelt used the book to articulate his philosophy of leadership, citizenship, and national purpose. The book emphasizes the importance of public service, strenuous effort, and ethical responsibility. It is a sizable but engaging read, with firsthand accounts of major events like the Spanish American War, Roosevelt's trust-busting campaigns, his conservation initiatives, and use of executive power.

The autobiography was eagerly anticipated and widely read upon publication, benefiting from Roosevelt’s immense popularity and continuing public presence in 1913. Critics of the period praised the book for its energy, pace, and engaging writing style, even while disagreeing with some of Roosevelt’s judgments of his own actions. A December 1913 review in The Los Angeles Times wrote, “Almost anything that Mr. Roosevelt writes is interesting. … His autobiography does not fall short of expectations—that is, as a piece of literature. There are many things, though, that he hurriedly brushes over like the recent campaign with the Progressive party.” Upon its publication, The Cleveland Plain Dealer claimed the book “is equally valuable in two ways: (1) it gives Roosevelt’s real opinions regarding the great public acts and measures with which he has been associated, and (2) it gives the real daily life and beliefs and affections of Roosevelt—the man. … It is written with a lucidity which makes it far more convincing than are most autobiographies.”

Writing for The New York Sun in 2004, John Allen Gable stated, “The chapters on his childhood, his ranching days, the Civil Service Commission, and the New York Police Department- on his career up to the presidency are in my opinion succinct, humorous, instructive, good reading. But the chapters on the presidency are poor and opaque. Those members of his administration who supported him in 1912, like Gifford Pinchot and Herbert Knox Smith, are mentioned glowingly, while other equally or more important members of the administration, notably Secretary of State Elihu Root, who opposed the Bull Moose, are banished into oblivion.”

The general public embraced the volume and it quickly became one of the most influential American autobiographies of the early twentieth century, valued for its insight into the mind of one of the nation’s most interesting presidents.

CONDITION: 

Very good condition. First edition. Octavo.  Dark blue cloth, with gilt titles and pastedown medallion portrait of Roosevelt, bordered in gilt, on front cover, gilt titles on the spine. Gilt is bright and intact. White paint spots on the front board. Scratches and wear to paste-down medallion portrait. Bumping to top and bottom of spine. Text block clean, but light overall toning to paper. Illustrated. 647pp.

Book Dimensions: 8 7/8" H x 6 1/4" W x 1 7/8" D.

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.