Review: "Theodore Roosevelt For the Defense" By Dan Abrams and David Fisher
At Letterjoy, we read a lot of biographies and historical works. For the benefit of our readers, we're going to informally review a few of our favorites each month.
In 1915, Theodore Roosevelt took the stand in a Syracuse, New York courtroom. At issue was an editorial the ex-president had written and circulated to newspapers across the country.
In the editorial, Roosevelt accused William Barnes Jr, newspaper baron and Chair of the New York State Republican Party, of being a political boss. Weary of political battles with Roosevelt, Barnes took Roosevelt to court for libel, to silence the rough-rider once and for all.
The ensuing case captured national attention, brought together an incredible assortment of lawyers, and saw a man who was president just six years earlier, testifying for days on end to a jury of every-day citizens.
The underlying story is a good one, but it takes the legal expertise and storytelling craft of authors Dan Abrams and David Fisher to make the case come alive in "Theodore Roosevelt For the Defense."
Abrams and Fisher offer a thrilling account of the story, piecing together transcripts of the trial and press accounts to give readers a sense of the mood of the jurors, the judge, the witnesses, and the press at every key moment. The authors also do a great job of breaking down the legal minutia of the case to make Barnes and Roosevelt's strategies approachable to non-lawyers. That's the benefit of having Abrams, a lawyer and the Chief Affairs Anchor for ABC News, as a co-author. They do an equally excellent job of explaining the complicated politics of New York state over the last half-century that led to the case.
That's not to say Abrams and Fisher monopolize the story with explanations of current affairs. For much of the book, they let the witnesses and other participants in the case, Roosevelt especially, speak for themselves. Throughout the book, they amply quote trial testimony, news coverage, and correspondence, only jumping in to add explanation when necessary. That is an art.
Review highlights: "Theodore Roosevelt For the Defense" is worth a read. You should add this to your reading list if you're interested in legal history, Theodore Roosevelt (what a character), or the history of the State of New York.
This review was written by Michael Sitver and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Letterjoy as a whole.
Theodore Roosevelt For The Defense
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