Mornings on Horseback Audiobook By David McCullough cover art

Mornings on Horseback

The Story of an Extraordinary Family, and the Unique Child who Became Theodore Roosevelt

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Mornings on Horseback

By: David McCullough
Narrated by: Edward Herrmann
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Winner of the 1982 National Book Award for Biography, Mornings on Horseback is the brilliant biography of the young Theodore Roosevelt. Hailed as a masterpiece by Newsday, it is the story of a remarkable little boy, seriously handicapped by recurrent and nearly fatal attacks of asthma, and his struggle to manhood.

His father, the first Theodore Roosevelt, "Greatheart", is a figure of unbounded energy, enormously attractive and selfless, a god in the eyes of his small, frail namesake. His mother, Mittie Bulloch Roosevelt, is a Southerner and celebrated beauty.

Mornings on Horseback spans 17 years, from 1869 when little "Teedie" is 10, to 1886 when he returns from the West a "real life cowboy" to pick up the pieces of a shattered life and begin anew, a grown man, whole in body and spirit.

This is a tale about family love and family loyalty; about courtship, childbirth and death, fathers and sons; about gutter politics and the tumultuous Republican Convention of 1884; about grizzly bears, grief and courage, and "blessed" mornings on horseback at Oyster Bay or beneath the limitless skies of the Badlands.

©2004 David McCullough (P)2004 Simon & Schuster, Inc. AUDIOWORKS is an imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster, Inc. Americas Education Historical Parenting & Families Parents & Adult Children Politicians Politics & Activism Presidents & Heads of State State & Local United States Theodore Roosevelt Roosevelt Family Biography

Critic reviews

  • Audie Award Finalist, Biography/Memoir, 2005

"Edward Hermann offers a professional, nuanced, audience-capturing narration." (AudioFile)
Well-researched History • Engaging Family Portrait • Excellent Narration • Detailed Historical Context • Pleasant Voice
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Well told and read, this is fascinating history of New York politics and society, with completely interesting history of the Carolinas and the Dakotas. Teddy and his father were amazing. Especially enjoyed hearing how kind his dad was.

Fascinating history!

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Love the story, but the change in narrator nearly ruins the book. Why in the world would you change narrators, for seemingly no reason??? Super frustrating.

Love the story, hate the change of narrator in the middle of the book

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The readers are excelent. Captures the essence TR's childhood and early adulthood. Helps to understand the man.

A Good Listen

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Would you consider the audio edition of Mornings on Horseback to be better than the print version?

This book is very in depth regarding Theodore Roosevelt's parents, siblings and lineage. I goes into great detail about his mother, and father. I chronicle his life until about age 25 -30. It does not go very deep into his presidency, San Juan Hill. It ends with him returning from the western badlands, and beginning his political career.

If you’ve listened to books by David McCullough before, how does this one compare?

It was not as interesting as the book on John Adams

Which scene was your favorite?

Learning about his time in the west was interesting

Good book on his early years, not on his latter

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This was written from the diaries and letters if the Roosevelt family. The family and there lives were Enlightening though occasionally dry in nature. Its not an easy read. But worth the investment

Enlightening

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McCullough writes an entertaining and informative account of Teddy Roosevelt's early life. The information about his immediate family and their circle shows where Roosevelt got many of his ideas and principles.

Thorough, sympathetic biography

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Although the story itself was nice, I bought the book in order to read along, and I noticed that at times, the recording would skip entire pages of it. In that way, this felt like sort of a waste of the monthly credit.

Cut short

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❗️ABRIDGED❗️: This book is abridged from the original and has different people reading it at different times. This ISN'T bad, just a good thing to be aware of. I am reading this for school so it is important that I read everything in the book but I would guess that this would work for an overview of the book. Also, there are different readers (at least 2 I heard) but they both were good. The book itself is a little bit harder to understand but it is just because it is written in an older and more complex manner. (which doesn't make the book bad 😃😂) I found another audio book on audible that isn't abridged so I am going to use that one. However it is 19 hours long vs. the 8 or so hours that this one is. (I can't remember if it is 8 or 9) I am not putting this down at all, just wanted to let you know of a couple things before you purchase the book! I didn't noticed the "abridged" before I purchased it and I didn't want other people who wanted/needed to hear the whole book to have to buy two!! 😃 Seriously, thank you so much for taking the time to read this "lengthy" (😂) review!

(Just as a note, I put a 4/5 for the performance just because, even though they are good, they aren't the "best" 😁)

(I am writing this review before I finish the book so please understand that I might not have the full concept of the book yet but I still just wanted to post this to hopefully help know what you are buying! Thanks again! 😊)

👉PLEASE READ THIS REVIEW BEFORE PURCHASE!!! 👈

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David McCullough has written another of his well researched and engaging books. Whether I've read or listen to one of his books on Audible, he engages your imagination from beginning to end. You also learn more about the history of the times and how the people in the book fit into this time in history. I never realize what an incredible family the Roosevelt's were.

An enchanting story about a great family

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Would you consider the audio edition of Mornings on Horseback to be better than the print version?

Subject (TR & family) and Herrmans reading

What was one of the most memorable moments of Mornings on Horseback?

TR on his cattle ranch working along side the cowboys was to the point but
a little more detail would help. This statement is nitpicking!!!!!!!! Sorry!

What about Edward Herrmann’s performance did you like?

Staying on subject

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Nothing, he made the book for me.

Any additional comments?

I do not recall a book with less rambling. Subject of TR and family was the point
of the book and McCullough stay on point.

History lovers will like this

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