About the Author:
Leroy G. Dorsey is Associate Professor of Communication at Texas A&M University and author of The Presidency and Rhetorical Leadership.
Review:
"Except for the phrase itself, which reverberates throughout the volume, there is nothing pure or simple in this ironically titled rhetorical study. Dorsey (communication, Texas A&M Univ.) focuses on Roosevelt as a 'broker of national identity' who used his speaking and writing to articulate a vision of Americanism palatable to all, deliberately constructed to ease the social tensions of his day. According to the author, Roosevelt's rhetoric of Americanism provided reassurance to the cultural mainstream while it delineated for outsiders the characteristics necessary to 'earn' a place within US society. Dorsey depicts Roosevelt as one who shared many of the prevailing prejudices of established elites, but who was nonetheless sympathetic to the plight of new immigrants, American Indians, and African Americans--all of whom he sought to reconcile with US society as a whole. The author concludes by exploring connections between Roosevelt's mythic ideals and contemporary questions surrounding immigration, cultural diversity, and US identity. Dorsey's historical interpretation is at times overly reliant on secondary sources, and the text is in places needlessly repetitious. Nonetheless, on the whole, his analysis of Roosevelt's rhetoric is commendably balanced and provocative. Summing Up: Recommended. Most levels/libraries."
―CHOICE
“This book succeeds in making a grand contribution to TR scholarship. . . . The historic and contextual research is terrific.”―Vanessa Beasley, author of You the People: American National Identity in Presidential Rhetoric
“We Are All Americans, Pure and Simple: Theodore Roosevelt and the Myth of Americanism examines how Theodore Roosevelt defined American identity and its implication for racial relations. . . . Dorsey convincingly argues that even if Roosevelt gained politically from enfranchising minority populations, and even if his rhetoric was frequently harsh, ‘Roosevelt did negotiate civic and racial/ethnic traits into one American identity’ (139). Given the existing tensions regarding immigration in the United States, We Are All Americans, Pure and Simple has a lot to offer us in our conversations about nationalism and identity.”—Rhetoric and Public Affairs
“With his We Are All Americans, Pure and Simple, Dorsey has made a true contribution, both to cultural studies and to the voluminous literature on Theodore Roosevelt.”—Journal of American Culture
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