The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey | 
 enlarge | Author: Candice Millard
Publisher: Broadway
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
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Rating:  197 reviews
Sales Rank: 2438
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 432
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 0767913736
Dewey Decimal Number: 918.113045
EAN: 9780767913737
ASIN: 0767913736
Publication Date: October 10, 2006
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Product Description
At once an incredible adventure narrative and a penetrating biographical portrait, The River of Doubt is the true story of Theodore Roosevelt’s harrowing exploration of one of the most dangerous rivers on earth.
The River of Doubt—it is a black, uncharted tributary of the Amazon that snakes through one of the most treacherous jungles in the world. Indians armed with poison-tipped arrows haunt its shadows; piranhas glide through its waters; boulder-strewn rapids turn the river into a roiling cauldron.
After his humiliating election defeat in 1912, Roosevelt set his sights on the most punishing physical challenge he could find, the first descent of an unmapped, rapids-choked tributary of the Amazon. Together with his son Kermit and Brazil’s most famous explorer, Candido Mariano da Silva Rondon, Roosevelt accomplished a feat so great that many at the time refused to believe it. In the process, he changed the map of the western hemisphere forever.
Along the way, Roosevelt and his men faced an unbelievable series of hardships, losing their canoes and supplies to punishing whitewater rapids, and enduring starvation, Indian attack, disease, drowning, and a murder within their own ranks. Three men died, and Roosevelt was brought to the brink of suicide. The River of Doubt brings alive these extraordinary events in a powerful nonfiction narrative thriller that happens to feature one of the most famous Americans who ever lived.
From the soaring beauty of the Amazon rain forest to the darkest night of Theodore Roosevelt’s life, here is Candice Millard’s dazzling debut.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 192 more reviews...
 Excellent: A Potential Classic July 5, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Ms Millard has produced an extremely well written, thoroughly researched, and highly readable book about Roosevelt's amazon exploration adventure. She has created an exquisite balance between the main characters of Roosevelt and Rondon which are illustrated by letters, diary entries and reports. She has included fascinating didactic material about the relevent areas of Brazil. Also she provides a good perspective on historical events, the subject of exploration in the region and the other individuals involved on this particular trip. An exercise of talent, a serious amount of work, plus a goodly dose of humour and some major 'ick' factors went into the writing of this book. Bravo Ms Millard! Encore! (I bought a hard covered copy, thank goodness.)
Beloved Leadership July 1, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
By Kurt DuNard, The Exceptional Life Coach.
At one time or another, everyone gets to be a leader. Whether we are leading our children to become worthwhile adults, leading employees of a major corporation, or even leading as the President of the United States, we have to create a leadership style that will motivate people to go beyond their own expectations. To define by contrast, do we lead as authoritarians and receive resentment and blowback or do we lead such that people would give their lives for the cause? Theodore Roosevelt was perhaps one of the most beloved American presidents and leaders of the early 20th Century. He led with beloved leadership.
I recently read a very interesting book entitled "The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey" by Candice Millard. This is a history book about Roosevelt's miraculous journey of discovery and exploration of an unknown 1,000 mile river in Brazil. Death, murder, starvation, disease, blood sucking parasites, murderous Stone Age people, a river with class five rapids, waterfalls and bad preparation were just some of the obstacles that had to be overcome. This is a true adventure story that we can all learn from. Under these conditions, leadership either works or fails. Here are a few things that Teddy taught us about leadership.
1.When you have a major disappointment or failure, find a new challenge that will inspire and motivate.
After Roosevelt had served as president, he decided to run again under a third party that he had created. It was popularly called The Bull Moose Party. He received a humiliating loss to Woodrow Wilson. Roosevelt decided to mount a major expedition to explore The River of Doubt (now called Rio Roosevelt) in Brazil. He helped make history, increased man's knowledge of the interior of Brazil, and charted new maps. Few past presidents accomplish more than just a memoir after their presidency. Roosevelt became a notable explorer.
2.When you lead men and women, let it be known through voice and action that you will gladly help in any way they need. You will even help them with their job without recriminations. It goes without saying that you would never ask them to do something that you yourself would not be willing to do.
The Brazilians were constantly amazed that this past president of the United States did not want special treatment. Their experience with priests and dignitaries was that they liked to be carried in divan chairs, served special food, and given all other kinds of special considerations. Roosevelt worked as hard as the other members, ate the same rations, and would share in all the suffering. They loved him for being part of their community and part of their struggle. They were willing to follow his leadership.
3.Take a sincere personal interest in each member of the team.
When Roosevelt was alone with a member of the team, even if he was a hired porter, he would ask that member about his life and about his hopes and dreams. This past president of the United States was not just being emotionally intelligent; he really cared and wanted to know. He was sincerely interested in this "nobody." This is the essence of loving leadership. By wanting to know about the members' personal lives, he showed that he loved them.
4.As a leader, be willing to sacrifice yourself for the team. Roosevelt was willing to give his life.
When Roosevelt's leg was injured, infected, and he was starving with a 103 temperature and had to be carried, he gave much of his food to the other men because he felt they needed it more since they were doing more work. At one point, he was ready to commit suicide so that others would have a better chance at survival. His men would not hear of it and they were completely devoted to him. He was so loved that many would have given their lives to save his.
5.Fight for justice and recognition for your team.
After two people died and another one was lost in the jungle and after great hardship and risks to health and life, it was a great shock to Roosevelt that such people as Sir Clements Markham, a former president of England's famed Royal Geographic Society stated: "I feel somewhat incredulous as to Col. Roosevelt having actually discovered a new river nearly a thousand miles long." Markham made his statement based on his own hunches. Roosevelt gave lectures worldwide based on eyewitness accounts, documented longitudinal and latitudinal sightings, and forthright evidence of the facts. His detractors could not diminish the accomplishments of his team.
As with most biographies of great individuals, we can all learn how to live our lives better. With "The River of Doubt," we can learn how to be better leaders.
Kurt DuNard, The Exceptional Life Coach, is the author of Exceptional Life--Living the Life You Were Meant to Live. High achievers seek him out to pinpoint their soul's goals, increase abundance, and find more happiness and joy. If you think you would also like these things, then receive your FREE success tools from Kurt DuNard now at www.DuNard.com.
Great easy read. June 24, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I started this book on Saturday evening and finished it Sunday night. A great summer read that I truly enjoyed and I found to be very well written. While it focuses on Roosevelt's journey, the information on other people, animals, plants and geography are thorough and interesting.
Great way to learn about the man name "Roosevelt". June 9, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is just more evidence of how great a man Roosevelt was and how he thought about life in general. I learned a great deal from the book about the Amazon and the River of Doubt. A great book you won't be able to put down. Only draw back was that it was too short and needed more detail in some areas. Not only did I learn about the former President Roosevelt, but I learned a great deal about the Amazon itself. Simply an amazing read that I didn't want to end.
 Not real enough June 6, 2008
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
I was disappointed in River of Doubt, anticipating a gripping tale about both Teddy Roosevelt and what was then the unexplored Amazon River region. Roosevelt never really emerges as a person. Even more annoying, the description of the flora and fauna of the Amazon is anthropomorphic, failing to comprehend or acknowledge the most rudimentary and accepted concepts of species development and evolution. The author repeatedly tells us that nature adapted itself and developed strategies to accomplish specific tasks, which is a backwards view to say the least. Plants and animals have no more capability to alter their physical structure than we humans do. Resultant "strategies" reflect nothing more than survival of variations that were more resilient than others that did not survive. This story was marred by too much emphasis on adventure and threat, too much effort to make the jungle an adversary, and not enough attention to real personalities and science.
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