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The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey Audiobook
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(4.00) - 10,350 listener ratings
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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, Cândido 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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"Millard has done a fantastic job of telling the story of Teddy Roosevelt's adventure in the Amazon jungle of Brazil. This takes place after his presidency and after his safaris to Africa. Just a little trip down a river should be fun; nothing can go wrong, even though no one has floated this river before. Right? A great read!"
— Skyler (5 out of 5 stars)
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A rich, dramatic tale that ranges from the personal to the literally earth-shaking.
— Janet Maslin, The New York Times -
[A] fine account . . . There are far too many books in which a travel writer follows in the footsteps of his or her hero—and there are far too few books like this, in which an author who has spent time and energy ferreting out material from archival sources weaves it into a gripping tale.
— The Washington Post -
[N]o frills, high-adventure writing . . . Millard’s sober account is as claustrophobic as a walk through the densest jungle, and as full of vigor as Roosevelt himself.
— Entertainment Weekly
The River of Doubt Listener Reviews
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Emma Gyuris, 7/31/2024
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Michael Kaczkowski, 8/28/2022
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Barry Nickell, 4/29/2021
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" One's true nature is revealed under extreme pressure. Theodore Roosevelt's life resembled a Romantic poem. This book chronicles its final chapter but in many ways, it is perhaps the most awe-inspiring part of his life. "
— Cezar, 2/17/2014 -
" Excellent book. Well balanced with a driving, compelling narrative. At times, genuinely thrilling and peppered with charming anecdotes. Would recommend to anyone who likes history, nature or a good adventure story. "
— Al, 2/16/2014 -
" Interesting account of Teddy Roosevelt's last great adventure, to explore an unmapped tributary of the Amazon. "
— Cooper, 2/12/2014 -
" Great book about Teddy 's adventures! Also shows a great relationship with son. "
— Lesia, 2/8/2014 -
" Good book about a lesser known time in Roosevelt's life. I read this book just after returning from a trip on the Amazon River. The descriptions are accurate. Travel in those times was an ordeal, not the pleasure trips of today. "
— Daddio, 1/29/2014 -
" Ok, this book falls under stories of adventure taken by stupid white men without thinking. But overall interesting story. Though not so into the flora, fauna and animals of the amazon. Could do without the discussion of evolution and how diverse and amazing the entire amazon is. Left with a deep thought in the times once this journey, only 1 other team has mange to do what Rooselvelt be his crew did. Amazing "
— TJ, 1/27/2014 -
" Great change of pace. An adventure I had never heard of to a place I've been, so that was cool. I didn't know Theodore Roosevelt was such an explorer. Good read. "
— Tricia, 1/24/2014 -
" It's amazing that ANY of them got out alive! Very good, even if it did have a president in it. "
— Jill, 1/14/2014 -
" While Roosevelt gets top billing, IMHO Candido Rondon steals the show. "
— Dan, 1/12/2014 -
" I loved this true adventure through the Amazon. "
— Betsy, 12/11/2013 -
" This was a great compelling book about a piece of history that I had never heard of. The book also told a great deal about Roosevelt. "
— Peter, 11/17/2013 -
" Didn't finish it, though it was beautifully written. There was just too much misery. (Same problem I had with Destiny of the Republic. I need to screen my book choices more carefully!) "
— Ginnie, 11/13/2013 -
" Fun, and a great story, but there are better books that cover it in greater detail. "
— Zach, 11/10/2013 -
" Enjoyed learning about President Teddy Roosevelt and learning about his personality and family. The journey through the River was depressing and never ending. Not my favorite book..... "
— Becky, 7/25/2013 -
" It took me a bit to get into this book, but I ended up enjoying it. It's full of facts but is easy to read. What a crazy story! "
— Sherri, 12/15/2012 -
" An excellent book that is an easy read. Couldn't put it down. If snakes, parasites, flesh eating fish and oh the Candiru fish. A true story of leadership and brotherhood that crosses nation, ethnicity and culture. "
— Steve, 10/6/2012 -
" Wow. This is an amazing story of real adventure. "
— Mark, 9/29/2012 -
" Theodore Roosevelt and his son Kermit went exploring a river in Brazil on a poorly planned expedition. The author delves into the father/son relationship[, as well as the minutiae of the rainforest flora, fauna and tribes. Fascinating detail doesn't detract from the action. "
— Ai-Ling, 7/13/2012 -
" This was a gripping story about an expedition in the Amazon filled with rich history and biology. It's easy to forget that one of the party members was a former President! "
— Brian, 6/2/2012 -
" Fascinating! Don't miss the archived footage from this exploration from the Library of Congress (you can find it on youtube). "
— Lisa, 2/25/2012 -
" Candice Millard is simply the best writer of history alive today "
— Elmrock, 12/28/2011 -
" A captivating adventure from when "men were men". :-) "
— Missy, 9/23/2011 -
" Fascinating book about Teddy Roosevelt's foolhardy trip of exploration on a theretofore uncharted river in South America. Book is right up my alley and I really enjoyed it. "
— Matthew, 7/28/2011 -
" They don’t build men like Roosevelt anymore. This is an enthralling book about his life and his adventure down the Amazon. I spent every heart pounding moment anxiously debating if the precocious, ambitious and overwhelmingly ignorant crew would all die on their impromptu exploration. <br/> "
— Michael, 6/18/2011 -
" amazing story. writing was a little heavy, repetitive. "
— Carol, 6/12/2011 -
" Thrilling, edge-of-the-seat suspense, all true, all meticulously researched. Reads lie a fabulous adventure novel. "
— Dalerondaburg, 6/12/2011 -
" The River of Doubt is a tremendous account of survival and physical endurance. It was a true inspiration. "
— Bill, 5/26/2011 -
" What a great read. In looking at the list of books on the search, I see that TR wrote a book about it. Got to read that. "
— Jack, 5/26/2011 -
" An exciting adventure story and a biography of Theodore Roosevelt's exploration of the River of Doubt. It gave fascinating information about the center of Brazil, the Amazon river, the rain forest, the inhabitants of the area. It was an engrossing learning experience to read this "
— Gloria, 5/19/2011
About Candice Millard
Candice Millard is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The River of Doubt, Destiny of the Republic, and Hero of the Empire. Her work has appeared in National Geographic, Time, the Washington Post, and the New York Times Book Review.
About Paul Michael
Paul Michael, winner of several Earphones Awards, has also won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. He has acted on stage, radio, television, and in feature films in Canada, Great Britain, and the United States. He has had leading roles in series and made-for-television movies and has guest starred in such series as VIP and Alias. He has been nominated for a Canadian Emmy and has recorded over 150 audiobooks, including the international bestseller The Da Vinci Code.