An Epithet:

I have had a good life and accomplished a lot of things that I set out to do, but not everything went as planned. No regrets about anything that I didn’t accomplish. It was part of the great adventure of life. 

The greatest thing that I did accomplish by far was creating a collection of TR American Patriot books, available to everyone without cost. Theodore Roosevelt had a  heart deserving of Mount Rushmore. These books contain TR’s vision for what America could be, with proof in practical terms of its possibility. His political philosophy was 180° opposite the standard philosophy of his day, and that Standard Political Philosophy has remained unbroken up to the time that I’m writing this (2024). His love for his country and humanity was unique. 

The book collection on this website is his message for humanity. It could take 200 or 300 years, or less, for society to be receptive to his message. I have empirical evidence that the present society has not a clue about what Theodore Roosevelt preached and lived. The “AND LIVED” part proves that a person can be honest and successful. Theodore Roosevelt was successful beyond all others in American history and he was as straight with people as an arrow. My hope is that someone will take care of this website, with no greater reward than the possibility  that someday “The Society of Man” will be ready to hear Theodore Roosevelt’s message.

The book selections are books that Theodore Roosevelt read, books that Theodore Roosevelt’s contemporaries wrote about him, and books that Theodore Roosevelt wrote. There are two exceptions which are two books written after his death that are included in the collection. When you understand the Theodore Roosevelt story you will know why these two books were included. When will society ever have time to sit down and read 78 books to learn the value of a life well lived?  Perhaps someday. Beautiful dreams are worth giving them a chance to happen.

Count the day a loss whose low setting sun, views at thy hand no worthy action done. 

Gallucci

Home School Scholarly Project:

HERMANN HAGEDORN’s historical book “The Boys Life of Theodore Roosevelt” was instrumental in the creation of the Theodore Roosevelt Association. There is a mystery near the beginning of the book. 

Theodore’s birthday  is first written correctly ( chapter 1 ) as the 27th. In Theodore Roosevelt’s diary ( Chapter 2 ) ( written at nine years old ) has TR writing that his birthday is on the 28th. Does the diary actually say the 28th? Was it a publishing error? Did HERMANN HAGEDORN miss this possible typo, or did Theodore write the 28th? 

Search out the original diary document to make a determination about the error. Send your findings to TrAmericanPatriot.com and become a TR American Patriot Scholar.

Hermann Hagedorn (1882-1964) is remembered for his biographies of Theodore Roosevelt and his work to promote the legacy and ideals of Roosevelt through his long service to the Theodore Roosevelt Association. The son of German immigrants, Hagedorn was born in New York but grew up speaking German at home. He learned English at the series of private boarding schools he attended. Eschewing a business career, Hagedorn enrolled at Harvard. His interests had crystallized around journalism and writing, and while he was an undergraduate and a board member of the Harvard Advocate, he happened to meet Theodore Roosevelt, who stopped by the Advocate office. Hagedorn graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1907. The following year he married Dorothy Oakley and published his first book. From 1910 to 1911 he taught English at Harvard and then quit to devote himself to writing professionally.

Hagedorn’s friendship with Roosevelt did not begin until May of 1916, when he accompanied The Outlook magazine editor, Lawrence F. Abbott, to lunch at Sagamore Hill. Roosevelt supported Hagedorn in his efforts to found the Vigilantes, a group originally committed to promoting good citizenship, which later grew to nearly four hundred American writers intent upon inspiring patriotism through their books, journal articles, and newspaper columns during World War I. Hagedorn became an advisor to former President Roosevelt on the situation of German-Americans and served in a similar capacity for the federal Commissioner of Education in the Woodrow Wilson administration. Some of Hagedorn’s family members had returned to Germany, and their divided loyalties played a role in his disparagement of “hyphenated-Americans,” a topic of concern to Roosevelt as well since Germany was an enemy country during the war.

In 1916, Hagedorn became Roosevelt’s Boswell as he prepared to write The Boy’s Life of Theodore Roosevelt (1918) for Harper & Brothers at Roosevelt’s invitation. That was the first of eight books Hagedorn would write about Roosevelt, whom he greatly esteemed. Hagedorn traveled to North Dakota to interview Roosevelt’s western acquaintances, and wove their reminiscences together into a film in 1919 entitled “Through the Roosevelt Country with Roosevelt’s Friends.”

After Theodore Roosevelt’s death in 1919, Hagedorn became one of the founders of the Theodore Roosevelt Association. He served in several capacities, including executive director, until 1957. The following year, Hagedorn oversaw the Theodore Roosevelt Centennial observance. Hagedorn’s long literary career ended with his death in 1964.