The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey

Candice Millard.

416 Pages

Pub New York : Doubleday, ♭2005.2005

An extraordinary and thrilling account of Theodore Roosevelt’s journey to find the origin of the Rio de Duda, or the River of Doubt. The story sets its pace after Theodore has just given his speech for the presidential elections of 1912 where he was shot in the chest by a saloonkeeper John Schrank. Even after being wounded in the chest, he spent 90 minutes finishing the speech. Despite his heroics, he failed to win the nomination. What followed was a depressive period, which was soon remedied by an invitation to give a series of speeches in South America by the invitation. Beginning as a simple tour of several South American cities, evolves into an amazing and dangerous tour up the River of Doubt to find its source. The U.S. President as a boy was a keen naturalist and saw this as an opportunity to pursue his lifelong dreams. Accompanied by his son Kermit, and several other naturalists, adventurers, and Cândido Rondon, Brazil's most famous explorer and the river's discoverer. The journey begins blighted by ill prepared plans with poorly thought out supply provisions: caviar, china, untested rafts, and other exotics. What follows is a journey cursed by starvation, malaria, being stalked by the cannibalistic Cinta Larga tribes, and even murder. At one point, a severely ill Theodore pleads to be put to death in order to save the rest of the expedition. In fact, after returning to the US, Roosevelt never recovered his health after his harrowing expedition. The author Candice Millard gives a portrayal of Theodore’s character and moxy, and the intricate and interlaced environment of the Amazon.