The Lion's Pride

In The Lion's Pride, Ed Renehan combines a vivid look at the bold, maddening, irresistible personality of Theodore Roosevelt with the little-known life stories of his four sons who risked everything trying to become all he insisted they be. This is a beautifully told tale, both heroic and harrowing. --Geoffrey C. Ward, author of The Civil War and Before the Trumpet: Young Franklin Roosevelt An elegant, compelling history of Theodore Roosevelt and his four sons, brimming with patriotism and pathos. A family saga of the most extraordinary nature. --Douglas Brinkley, University of New Orleans, author of The Magic Bus: An American Odyssey and editor of The Portable Theodore Roosevelt A wonderful book about one of America's leading families. No father, no son, no mother, no daughter could read it without tears. The Roosevelts--not just TR but the whole family--are larger than life, real heroes, the kind of men and women we would all like to be. Recommended without reservation--and with heartfelt thanks to Edward Renehan for a truly great read. --Stephen E. Ambrose, author of Undaunted Courage and Citizen Soldiers Since this is the centennial of the Spanish-American War, books on Theodore Roosevelt and his era have been falling like rain. Renehan's book is not a political or military history, but for those who aspire to a fuller understanding of Roosevelt's character, it is vital. Despite his blistering public image, Roosevelt was a gentle, if occasionally stern, parent who was intimately involved in his children's daily lives. Of course, he strove to inculcate them with his ideas of honor and duty. Thus, he was deeply wounded and guilt-stricken when his youngest child, Quentin, was killed in aerial combat during WWI. Roosevelt was undoubtedly the dominant figure in his children's lives; Renehan's portraits of the children further enrich a superb, real-life family saga. --Jay Freeman, Booklist Beguiling....Provide[s] a revealing portrait of the old Anglo-Saxon elite that once dominated American society. --Robert W. Merry, The New York Times Book Review An informative, well-written anecdotal account of the Roosevelts....Recommended for academic and public libraries and especially suitable for young adults. --Library Journal Renehan creates a story that is at once a family tragedy and the denouement of a way of thinking....Through previously unpublished family papers, judiciously chosen facts, and a moving narrative that skillfully parallels the personal and political, Renehan reveals a great deal about American society and politics, and about the culture of war. But most of all, he tells a sad story of the end of an era and the end of a man. --Publishers Weekly (starred review) A warm, poignant picture of the relationship between Theodore Roosevelt and his six remarkable children, based on previously unpublished family letters, papers, and interviews....An unusual view of the human side of an extraordinary public figure. --Kirkus Reviews In The Lion's Pride, Ed Renehan combines a vivid look at the bold, maddening, irresistible personality of Theodore Roosevelt with the little-known life stories of his four sons who risked everything trying to become all he insisted they be. This is a beautifully told tale, both heroic and harrowing. --Geoffrey C. Ward, author of The Civil War and Before the Trumpet: Young Franklin Roosevelt Renehan has a sure instinct for human interest. This engaging account of Theodore Roosevelt's idealization of military values and its effect on his children should appeal to historians and the general public alike, for it cuts to the core of the human experience through the eyes of an entire family. --William H. Harbaugh, author of Power and Responsibility: The Life and Times of Theodore Roosevelt An elegant, compelling history of Theodore Roosevelt and his four sons, brimming with patriotism and pathos. A family saga of the most extraordinary nature. --Douglas Brinkley, author of The Majic Bus: An American Odyssey and editor of The Portable Theodore Roosevelt Edward J. Renehan's insightful [volume] examines a small but poignant slice of the Roosevelt story....The Lion's Pride will have strong appeal to anyone who enjoys reading about Roosevelt or World War I. And it should resonate with any parent who has seen a son--or a daughter--off to war. --Harry Merritt, Bookpage Engrossing, well-written, poignant. --The Plain Dealer Edward Renehan has the gift of few biographers, allowing his affection for the subject to shine through. --American Statesman The details of the Roosevelts' boisterous family and public life...make this book especially memorable. [It] adds new dimensions to the fascinating and complex person who was Theodore Roosevelt. --Anderson (S.C.) Independent-Mail