Tags
biographies, book reviews, Candido Rondon, Larry Rohter, New Releases, River of Doubt, Roosevelt-Rondon Scientific Expedition
Into the Amazon: The Life of Cândido Rondon, Trailblazing Explorer, Scientist, Statesman, and Conservationist
by Larry Rohter
480 pages
W.W. Norton & Company
Published: May 2023
Unless you’ve read Candice Millard’s thrilling “The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey” you are unlikely to know much about the man featured in this commendable new biography.
Cândido Rondon (1865-1958) was a Brazilian explorer and military officer responsible for installing telegraph lines across huge, often unexplored, regions in Brazil. But outside his native country he is best-known for leading a harrowing thousand-mile expedition with former US president Teddy Roosevelt through an unforgiving and uncharted area of the Amazon basin….
See the full review at:
www.thebestbiographies.com
David Graham said:
Thanks for posting this. I had not heard of the man before seeing this review. I have put this book on my “wish list.”
Bruce Dillard said:
Hi Steve, I began my collection of presidential biographies around ten or so years ago. I discovered your posts about seven years ago and my whole world was totally opened. Based upon your reviews and lists, I now have over three hundred presidential biographies. During the pandemic, I decided to follow your lead and read each President in order of their service. Only one book per President, it took a while, but the journey was absolutely amazing. My appreciation for each President was definitely increased and I have started the trek again after taking some time to read other areas of interest. Just finished Tim McGrath’s James Monroe. A great read! I did read C.W. Goodyear’s James Garfield. I thought it was truly wonderful. Mr. Goodyear is a talented young man and I hope we will see more from him in the near future. Have you posted your comments on the Goodyear biography? Thank you so much for the extensive and most informative reviews on the presidential biographies. Because of you, I have a greater respect and understanding of these revered statesmen. I only wish our schools would teach more about the Presidents so today’s youth would be better informed and have a greater appreciation for their contributions in American history. I shall greatly look forward to your future comments and ratings! Bruce Dillard
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Steve said:
Bruce, notes like yours are remarkably inspirational and also serve as fuel for my effort! There really is something to be said for literature that is historically rigorous/educational but also engaging and entertaining. Over these past dozen years or so since I started this site (and this journey) I’ve been thrilled to find so many presidential biographies that fill each of those roles. I’ve not yet finished Goodyear’s bio (some unexpected business travel w/o time to pack my leisure reading has gotten in the way) but I’m happy to hear you are looking forward to more from him in the future!