Hammond, John E.

Natalie A. Naylor offers a detailed survey of the contents of Cove Neck: Oyster Bay’s Historic Enclave and less in the way of analysis or scrutiny though she admits that the book demonstrates “the value of local history.” In her review, Naylor demonstrates how the book places Theodore Roosevelt’s life at his home, Sagamore Hill, in a larger context of his neighbors and relatives who lived nearby in the village of Cove Neck. Naylor relates information about numerous Roosevelt family members and highlights the prominence of Sagamore Hill to the history of the area.

Four photographs, a drawing, and a map, all taken from the book, join the work’s front and back covers in illustrating the review.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Four books are featured in this edition of the “Books” section with a lengthy book review essay, a brief review, and two notices that act as endorsements for the respective works. In “Serge Ricard on Theodore Roosevelt’s Foreign Policy,” William N. Tilchin examines Ricard’s Theodore Roosevelt: Principles and Practice of a Foreign Policy. Tilchin notes that Ricard’s work is free of much of the ideological baggage that marked his previous work on Roosevelt’s diplomacy, and he carefully lays out the organization of the book, highlighting the main points of each part. Tilchin notes the policies and actions for which Ricard praises Roosevelt, such as his preparation of the United States Navy for war while Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and he also criticizes Ricard for some of his assertions. Tilchin concludes that Ricard’s work “is among the most ambitious and important books ever written on Roosevelt’s foreign policy.”

The section features five brief excerpts from Theodore Roosevelt: Many-Sided American and six excerpts from Nathan Miller’s biography Theodore Roosevelt: A Life. “Books” closes with an anonymous review of Matinecock Light, a history of the Oyster Bay, New York, Masonic Lodge which counted Roosevelt as one of its members. An illustration and a photograph of Roosevelt appear in the section.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1992