THEODORE ROOSEVELT TAKES CHARGE
by Nancy Whitelaw
An author with just two previous books to her credit (Charles de Gaulle, 1991) turns out a biography that can stand proudly next to Jean Fritz's Bully for You, Teddy Roosevelt! (1991, ALA Notable). Whitelaw's lively text is substantially longer than Fritz's, succinctly including more details of Roosevelt's wide-ranging, productive career. But the vibrant personality is recognizably the same in both books; like intimate friends, the authors choose different anecdotes to illuminate the same qualities, each supporting a viable theme—Fritz emphasizes TR's ebullient enthusiasm, while Whitelaw focuses more on the specific accomplishments that resulted from his no-nonsense response to social and political changes caused by forces like immigration, rapid industrialization, and labor unrest. Both also point out his less-than-admirable eagerness to get into battle. Heavily illustrated with well-chosen photos and contemporary cartoons and including a list of TR's published books and an extensive chronology, this lucid, beautifully balanced account deserves a place in every library. Bibliography of sources; index. (Biography. 9-14)