"Oyos . . . delivers a convincing portrait of Theodore Roosevelt as a feisty war hero turned chief executive—first as New York governor and then as the 26th president. . . . Oyos also takes stock of Roosevelt's missteps, including his disgraceful treatment of African-American soldiers after the 1906 Brownsville, Tex., riot. Roosevelt buffs and hardcore fans of 20th-century military history will sink their teeth into this."—Publishers Weekly
"In Command investigates Roosevelt's determination to modernize the military during his tenure as president and his reason for doing so."—David Luhrssen, Shepherd Express
"In Command is a valuable read not only for those interested in T.R., but also for its insights into how military reform comes about."—A. A. Nofi, Strategy Page
"Beautifully written and meticulously researched, In Command offers an exceptional analysis of Theodore Roosevelt’s efforts to improve American military readiness during the early years of the 20th Century."—Roger D. Cunningham, Journal of America's Military Past
"Theodore Roosevelt's relationship with the American military extended well beyond his crowded hour in Cuba. In Command is an astute exploration of a many-sided commander in chief. Its author's thorough research and evenhanded portrayal should make this book the standard treatment of a president who revered the nuances of military management, weaponry, and strategic thinking."—Michael Patrick Cullinane, Michigan War Studies Review
"Matthew Oyos has produced an excellent addition to the historical literature on Theodore Roosevelt and on the American military."—William P. Leeman, New England Journal of History
“Matthew Oyos has made an informed, balanced, and provocative contribution to the field of civil-military relations. With great clarity and insight he reveals the contributions of this most activist of presidents in the making of American global military power.”—Brian McAllister Linn, Ralph R. Thomas Professor in Liberal Arts at Texas A&M University
“This sound, thoughtful, engaging, and persuasive book offers the first comprehensive portrait of Theodore Roosevelt’s involvement with the military. It deepens our understanding of Roosevelt as the first modern American commander in chief and the way his persona drove his interests and shaped his activities. Matthew Oyos makes an indispensable contribution to the scholarship on the presidency, on Roosevelt, and on the modernization of the American military establishment.”—Richard H. Kohn, professor emeritus of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hil
