The River of Doubt

Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey

By: Candice Millard

Narrated by: Paul Michael

Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

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, Candido 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.

©2005 Candice Miller (P)2005 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"Millard...nails the suspense element of this story perfectly, but equally important to her success is the marvelous amount of detail she provides on the wildlife that Roosevelt and his fellow explorers encountered on their journey, as well as the cannibalistic indigenous tribe that stalked them much of the way." (Publishers Weekly)

A monumental achievement. Get this.

Having just finished the three volume Roosevelt biography (rise, Theodore Rex, colonel), I felt I’d heard the full story. Wrong!
This is an amazing book. excellent analysis of wild life, insects, canoeing, survival tactics, and geography - sparingly interspersed to expertly teach without slowing the strong. All this and South American history are mixed into a LARGER THAN LIFE TRUE saga of life and death struggles to complete a journey that reads as much like a thriller as any modern fiction.
I listen to a huge number of books, especially nonfiction, and this one simply blew me away.
It’s amazing.

great story

keeps you in it. its long but well done. you go rough rider!

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Beyond doubt

Amazing story and superb performance.

Missing one star for the chapters of audible doesn't match the chapters of the book.

Who knew?

I had no idea about this chapter in Theodore Roosevelt's life. Thoroughly enjoyed it! Planning to get another of Millard's books to listen to.

Endlessly Interesting

What did you love best about The River of Doubt?

Candice Millard struck gold with this story! MIllard found a fascinating historical topic that has not been overly written about, and then wrote what is probably going to be the definitive book on it. This book beautifully weaves together a biographical account of Theodore Roosevelt's life, the perils of the expedition into the Amazonian jungle, the intellectual and social mood of the early 20th century, and a thorough biology lesson as well. I honestly picked this book on kind of a whim, and immediately knew I made the right choice.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I ended up listening to all of it in the course of a long weekend

rushed ending

gripping story of an epic adventure. the only problem is pacing: it draws out the preparations and first part of the journey, then rushes through the last half.

Rive of Doubt was a Journey of Discovery

Theodore Roosevelt was a president that I always liked and was never really sure why.

This story of his last great adventure was totally unknown to me. The story itself is gripping. Millard used the story to flash backward and forward in history to give snapshots of Roosevelt and other characters in this story. The snapshots were almost always interesting and gave a better understanding of the characters.

It was one of the best listens of the last five years for me.

The positive: the story!! It's powerful in telling. Amazing in the sense this could be the story of a man who was president. Enlightening in helping me understand how people of the period and of different cultures think. All of this done in a very engrossing story.

Any cons? Well, sometimes I wondered if the dramatic moments might be a tad overstated and at the same time thought perhaps not. In a few sections I thought the author gave me too much side information -- but that may reflect more on me than the author.

Great book!

Best book I’ve heard/read in awhile! If you’re not already, this book will likely make you a fan of Teddy.

WOW!

A book I will enjoy listening to over and over again. WOW! An incredible combination of history and adventure.

Truth more exciting than fiction!

Exciting, edge of your seat! Hard to imagine that this was only a 100 years ago--a time when my grandfather was a young man.
Author did a great job interweaving the diaries, primary resources and knowledge of the Amazon's natural history.
For Roosevelt fans and enjoyers of true-life explorers and expeditions. I want to find bios of some of the other men on that trip!
Narrator did a great job, too, which added to the experience.
I bought paperback which has photos and maps in it. Wish audio had a website where you could go to see what extras non-fiction books included.