The Bully Pulpit

Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism

By: Doris Kearns Goodwin

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann

Length: 36 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Winner of the 2015 Audie Award for History/Biography and Finalist for Audiobook of the Year

Audie Award, History/Biography, 2015

After Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, Doris Kearns Goodwin wields her magic on another larger-than-life president, and another momentous and raucous American time period as she brings Theodore Roosevelt, the muckraking journalists, and the Progressive Era to life.

As she focused on the relationships between Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt in No Ordinary Time, and on Lincoln and his team in Team of Rivals, Goodwin describes the broken friendship between Teddy Roosevelt and his chosen successor, William Howard Taft. With the help of the "muckraking" press - including legendary journalists Ida Tarbell, Lincoln Steffens, William Allen White, and editor Sam McClure - Roosevelt had wielded the Bully Pulpit to challenge and triumph over abusive monopolies, political bosses, and corrupting money brokers. Roosevelt led a revolution that he bequeathed to Taft only to see it compromised as Taft surrendered to money men and big business. The rupture between the two led Roosevelt to run against Taft for president, an ultimately futile race that resulted in the election of Democrat Woodrow Wilson and the diminishment of Theodore Roosevelt's progressive wing of the Republican Party.

Like Goodwin's chronicles of the Civil War and the Great Depression, The Bully Pulpit describes a time in our history that enlightened and changed the country, ushered in the modern age, and produced some unforgettable men and women.

©2013 Doris Kearns Goodwin (P)2013 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

“Few audio productions this year are likely to match, or deserve as much praise as, this history of the Progressive Era and the presidential friendship that shaped, and was destroyed by, its politics... Edward Herrmann is simply her most simpatico reader...his steady, unflagging delivery is perfectly attuned to her narrative voice and, without mimicry, to the broad array of voices, personalities, and events that highlight this rich personal and social drama.” (AudioFile Magazine)

“Swiftly moving account of a friendship that turned sour, broke a political party in two and involved an insistent, omnipresent press corps. . . . It’s no small achievement to have something new to say on Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency, but Goodwin succeeds admirably. A notable, psychologically charged study in leadership.”(Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

Great work

What an amazing effort to produce this extremely informative and thoughtful work. I learned so much and enjoyed all 36 hours, not for the easily distracted but worth the time spent.

Bully for Doris Kearns Goodwin

I’ve read and listened to several of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s works, and they never disappoint. By the time the story closes, I am always fully invested in the period, the personalities, and the principles. The author weaves together all three in a way very few modern historians can. From Team of Rivals to The Bully Pulpit, Doris Kearns Goodwin never disappoints. She is master of her craft. I highly recommend Goodwin’s masterpiece on TR, Taft, the “Muckrackers,” and the Progressives; Goodwin brings the golden age of progressivism to life.

An enlightening read

Very Enlightening and entertaining. Reveals a side to the Tafts that I never knew. A well-rounded portrait, superbly narrated.

It was very well narrated and fascinating.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It helped me understand the dynamics of that time and how the Republican party flipped from a progressive cause to conservative.

The Rocky Friendship of Two Progressive Presidents

What made the experience of listening to The Bully Pulpit the most enjoyable?

Doris Kearns Goodwin has a way of making you appreciate and like the characters in her works of historical prose. As always, Edward Herrmann is a wonderful performer.

Who was your favorite character and why?

President Taft was a man of deep integrity. Although he seems to have been a flawed communicator, his insistence on following the Supreme Law of the Land - the U.S. Constitution - places him in the pantheon of history far above President Theodore Roosevelt. He was also one of our greatest Supreme Court Chief Justices.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Progressives are Flawed

Any additional comments?

This book proves the immense problems with the implementation of the Progressive agenda. While we all may agree with the themes of Progressives' political platforms, our Constitution must be subverted and abused in order to force those platforms into becoming reality. Our government was never intended to have that much power. A President was never supposed to become a dictator. When Roosevelt forced his way to ending Laissez-Faire with Executive Orders and Congressional back door deals, he led the way to the creation of a Modern Era in politics in which Presidents act more like kings than enforcers of the law.

Excellent and Eye Opening

Great look into history of such a fantastic era! Definitely made me double think what I know about the time and taught me new insights on everyone in the book.

History as it should have been taught.

I learned more about our political system, progressives, the power of the press than I ever did in the classroom. Fascinating times, captivating leaders. Men and women who made a difference than and effects us today. If I have a criticism the narrative gets bogged down at times. If you can slog through the slow parts you'll walk away the richer for it.

Fascinating histories separate and woven together

Any additional comments?

A well-written concept to briefly tell the histories of both men running separately, woven with their times in history and then their own paths. So much more has been written about TR than has been about Taft that the TR history here seems brief and the Taft history was quite enlightening. Herrmann's narration was spot-on. A must listen/read for anyone interested in either President or that period in time.

Goodwin has a Good-one!

Well done, interwoven friendship, journalism, presidents all rolled into one! Well written. Narration was delightful as well.
I'm reading a biography on each of our 45 presidents and this book gave additional insights to both TR and Taft, their personalities, relationship with each other as well as the press.

Very Interesting, but Too Long

I am a history buff and read many Presidential biographies, including those by this author. This was difficult to work my way through. Whole sections literally put me to sleep. Would have been better to read than this audio version.