A top-fiver from Wes in 2016: The River of Doubt

The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
by Candice Millard

This spring my brother, father I had took a vacation or "mancation" to New York City. One of the highlights for me was to visit Theodore Roosevelt's Sagamore Hill home on Oyster Bay!

For the flight to NYC, I wanted to read an additional TR book to get my mind focused on the 26th president. Before I left, I picked up "The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey" by Candice Millard about his expedition through the deepest parts of the Amazon rain forest and river. I was glad I did! Millard is a master of narrative non-fiction. This book is incredible. Millard did a great job introducing the characters in the book, and weaving them into the story. Millard has tremendous respect for nature and the Amazon and is able to convey the wonder of nature throughout this book. If you didn't know about this TR's expedition, you would think it was a novel. Its an unbelievable tale of grit, determination, hard work, leadership and survival in one of the last "unreached" people groups and areas of the globe at the time.

I would place this near the top of my favorite Theodore Roosevelt books and also history books in general. Bravo, Ms. Millard! 5 stars! Looking forward to more from her in the future hopefully!