Why did I love this book?
I thought I knew about the life of Theodore Roosevelt, but River of Doubt proved me wrong and I was hooked by the second page. After his term as President, Roosevelt undertakes a grueling mission to explore an uncharted tributary of the Amazon with his son and a couple of others. Roosevelt's grit and determination prove no match for the river and rainforest. Several times they are on the brink of death or are lost.
Besides learning about science and nature I was interested in how different people respond to stress. I might have given up and never been heard from again, but Roosevelt and his son show incredible perseverance, and the reader wonders if that will be enough to save their lives.
8 authors picked The River of Doubt as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
In 1912, shortly after losing his bid to spend a third term as American President to Woodrow Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt with his son Kermit, a Brazilian guide and a band of camaradas set off deep into the Amazon jungle and a very uncertain fate. Although Roosevelt did eventually return from THE RIVER OF DOUBT, he and his companions faced treacherous cataracts as well as the dangerous indigenous population of the Amazon. He became severely ill on the journey, nearly dying in the jungle from a blood infection and malaria. A mere five years later Roosevelt did die of related issues.…