Theodore Roosevelt’s role in conserving America’s wild places cannot be overstated. With the National Park system growing in popularity at a rate unseen in history, it seems obvious now that the lands we love to explore had to be preserved, but it wasn’t always so clear. To understand what made Theodore Roosevelt a champion of the great outdoors and the challenges faced by Roosevelt and the other conservation heroes, there is one book to read: The Wilderness Warrior by Douglas Brinkley.
This tome quickly became a New York Times Bestseller and received rave reviews. Written by Douglas Brinkley, the author of The Quiet World: Saving Alaska’s Wilderness Kingdom, 1879-1960 and Rightful Heritage: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Land of America, as well as his new must-read on conservation: Silent Spring Revolution: John F. Kennedy, Rachel Carson, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and the Great Environmental Awakening, The Wilderness Warrior provides textbook-level detail through smooth and easy-to-read writing that keeps the pages turning. The only potential drawback to this book is its intimidating length. The Wilderness Warrior is thorough. Very thorough. It covers the entirety of Theodore Roosevelt’s experience with the natural word. From his upbringing and natural born curiosity about the wild places and wild animals, to his epic adventures hunting and ranching in the west, and finally to his political work to save the wild that remained, this book is loaded with teachable moments gleaned from one of the original wilderness warriors.
Indeed, this is the kind of book that TR himself would have loved to read had it not been written about himself. As arguably the most well-read president in United States history, and a lifelong student of conservation, TR would have devoured this book in one train ride and kept a copy close by.
To be clear, this book is not a brief beach read for someone with a passing interest in nature. If that’s the case, you would be better suited checking out a quicker read on conservation. But if you are looking to gain a solid understanding Theodore Roosevelt’s work to save some of the most beautiful land in the world, and the life experiences that inspired that work, The Wilderness Warrior is the one book for you.