Mornings on Horseback

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

By: David McCullough

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann

Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Finalist, Biography/Memoir, 2005

"Edward Hermann offers a professional, nuanced, audience-capturing narration." (AudioFile)

Where's the beef?

Great for family background; nothing whatsoever about Cuba or his great accomplishments as president. Was that removed in the abridgment or is there another McCullough book with the meat of his life? I was disappointed.

Not a Page Turner

Tried to read this one, couldn't get into it. One should read this only if one wants to know the victorian era ultra rich life style.

This particular title is incomplete

I would give the performance and story 5 stars, if the title were complete. This recording was made in 2004, so it should correspond to my 2003 print version… it does not. Chapters do not align and there are entire passages missing. The audio skips mid sentence. I was disappointed because I liked this narrator’s reading better than the other one that is available.

Very disappointed w content

I have read David McCullough before and enjoyed him. But this book was a real let down.

Mornings on Horseback

David McCullough is an awesome writer and the narrator who does most of his books is excellent. However, the abridged version is an absolute hatchet job. I have read all of McCullough's books via Audible.....this is a mess. Imagine an 8 hour book on Teddy Roosevelt and only 10 minutes on his presidency...no mention of his war years which I am sure the thorough McCullogh covered in depth. Abridged books can be good but whoever did the editing on this one gave me the sense they never read the book.... sections where random in terms of time....half the book is about Teddy's parents. It was a dreadful abridgement to a master writer.... don't waste your money on this one!!!

not what I excepted.

Story is slow and boring. needed more excitement or colorful story, could only finished 1/4 of book.

do not download this version.

Would you try another book from David McCullough and/or Edward Herrmann?

absolutely!

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Edward Herrmann?

No one. Edward Hermann is a class act and his voice is perfect.

HOWEVER HE IS NOT THE ONLY NARRATOR OF THIS AUDIOBOOK. ANOTHER UNCREDITED VOICE TAKES OVER FOR VAST STRETCHES.