An astute observer of history, Theodore Roosevelt was a hanging judge who did not hesitate to render harsh verdicts about leaders and events from America's past. His razor-sharp opinions cut to the core, capturing the essence of obscure and prominent figures alike. Roosevelt's ideas about the nation's early days and his own times can be found sprinkled throughout his voluminous writings. Now these "pearls of thought" (as one of his book reviewers described them in 1888) have been pulled together into one volume by Daniel Ruddy, providing readers with Roosevelt's unique view of American history from the Revolution to the beginning of the twentieth century. What emerges from these pages reveals as much about Roosevelt as it does about the United States. This colorful compendium offers a wonderful, often unexpected view of both American history and one of the country's most energetic, brilliant, and entertaining leaders.