Politician, soldier, naturalist, and historian—a century after the peak of his multifaceted career, Theodore Roosevelt remains a towering symbol of American optimism and progress. This collection of speeches and commentaries from 1899 through 1901 embodies the Rough Rider's enduring ideals for attaining a robust political, social, and personal life.

The twenty-sixth president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) served as Chief Executive from 1901 to 1909 and was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1906 for his mediation of the Russo-Japanese War. Roosevelt wrote thirty-five books and delivered numerous lectures on topics ranging from citizenship and success to duty and sportsmanship. His 1899 address to a Chicago audience, "The Strenuous Life," articulates his belief in the transformative powers that individuals can achieve by overcoming hardship. Along with the other speeches and essays in this collection, Roosevelt's work offers an inspiring vision of moral rectitude and stalwart leadership.