The Naval War of 1812 or the History of the United States Navy During the Last War With Great Britain.

ROOSEVELT, Theodore.

Item Number: 4457

New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1882.

First edition of Theodore Roosevelt’s uncommon first book. Octavo, original green cloth, titles the spine in gilt. Bookplate to the inner gutter, in near fine condition. A superior example.

The Naval War of 1812 was Roosevelt’s first book, published two years after his completion at Harvard. It is considered a seminal work in its field, and had a massive impact on the formation of the modern American Navy and is considered one of the best in its field. It was a considerable achievement for the 23-year-old Roosevelt, who had to learn the technical side of naval terminology and technology. While it was criticized by some for being scholarly and boring, it did well, going through four editions in six years. In 1886, just four years after being published, the U.S. Navy ordered a copy of the book to be placed on every ship. It also affected Roosevelt's later career, bringing his attention to the importance of a strong navy on power. He would go on to be Assistant Secretary of the Navy, where he modernized and built the American navy. This contributed significantly to America's rise as a world power.