An interesting and exciting read from back when US presidents weren’t all wimps. Teddy hasn’t got any Secret Service detachment as he risks life and limb to explore the largely uncharted River of Doubt in Brazil (this was after being president). Roosevelt generally understates the situation as the party undergoes hardship after hardship (drowning, murder, disease, rain, insects, starvation, rapids). There is also a tendency towards repetition.

A bully good read! ( )

This book is probably the most unique memoir ever written by a former United States President. Through the Brazilian Wilderness is Theodore Roosevelt's account of his travels through South America, including his exploration of a previously uncharted 1000 mile long Amazonian tributary. Teddy treats the reader to various essays on snake venom and anti serum, the trials of hunting ant eaters and jaguars, as well as the dangers of swimming with piranhas. Although its a fun read by itself, it is very enlightening to read it as a companion piece to The River of Doubt by Candice Millard which is a history book focused on the expedition. Millard, writing in hindsight, has access to all of the expedition diaries and has interviewed the cannibalistic tribe which Ted and his gang first made contact with. Reading Ted's account makes the expedition sound like a fun but hard adventure. Reading Millard will help the reader understand everything that Ted is leaving out and how very close the whole expedition was to death and disaster. The river that the expedition travels down was literally not even on the map and the fact that they navigated it for 1000 miles without any idea of what was on it is pretty remarkable, especially when you consider that they were very nearly eaten for dinner by the restless natives. The whole situation certainly puts into perspective Roosevelt's gumption and ambition. Imagine if one of our more recent presidents decided after his term was up to go explore, say... the Marianas Trench, simply because it was there. How surreal would that be to see George W. Bush down in a submersible gathering specimens and running his mouth off to the scientists the whole time. Anyway, an interesting read, and if you can pick up one of these old 1920's editions there is some cool leather working on the cover including a gilded giant anteater, plus a huge fold out map of South America. I got mine on-line for under $20. Plus it smells like you would expect a leather bound book from the 1920's to smell like. Intoxicating! ( )