"The story of seven men--a naturalist, a writer, a lover, a hunter, a ranchman, a soldier, and a politician--who merged at the age of 42 to become the youngest President in history"--Container. "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt won both the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award in 1980. This classic biography is the first installment in Edmund Morris' trilogy: the second volume, Theodore Rex, won the Los Angeles Times Book Award for biography. Colonel Roosevelt is the third and final volume in the trilogy. The first full study of TR's pre-presidential years, The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt chronicles the years 1858-1901--from Roosevelt's sickly asthmatic childhood, his undergraduate life at Harvard, his two marriages, his relationship with his alcoholic brother Elliott and the big-game hunting years through to his rough-riding days and his hard-fought political ascent to the White House. Here is the classic story of the man, who as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, almost single-handedly brought about the Spanish-American War; the man who became a national hero after leading the Rough Riders in the famous charge up San Juan Hill; and, at the age of 42, became the youngest President in U.S. history."--from the publisher.

Abridged.