Their friendship is considered one of the most important in American history. Professor Laurence Jurdem argues in "The Rough Rider and the Professor" that if Henry Cabot Lodge had not taken political upstart Teddy Roosevelt under his wing, it's unlikely he ever would have become president. Jurdem pored over thousands of letters between the two men, to find not only an intimate personal relationship, but an ongoing and riveting discussion of American politics. Jurdem shows how TR slowly and eventually outgrew their friendship when he became president, only to rediscover it after leaving office. The two men had different views, but were both fervent patriots who argued intently over the best courses of action on domestic and foreign policy. He also describes TR's unbeatable persona, and shows how even the most physically active president in American history found hours to write to his friend Lodge and consider his role in shaping American society.
Professor Jurdem's website can be found at https://laurencejurdem.com/
He is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/LJurdem
Information on his book from Simon & Schuster can be found at https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Rough-Rider-and-the-Professor/Laurence-Jurdem/9781639364411
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