This meticulous and thoughtful examination of Theodore Roosevelt’s lifelong aspiration to conserve America’s wild places will give you a renewed appreciation for the nation’s parks. Despite the book’s massive demeanor, the author skillfully keeps the reader entertained with fascinating stories of our 26th president’s successes, which ultimately led to the setting aside of more than 230 million acres of American wilderness. And, check out The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan, which chronicles the devastating forest fire that cemented Roosevelt’s vision of conservation in the minds of the American people.