Rough Riders

Mark Lee Gardner is the author of To Hell on a Fast Horse and Shot All to Hell, which received multiple awards, including a Spur Award from Western Writers of America. An authority on the American West, Gardner has appeared on PBS's American Experience, as well as on the History Channel, the Travel Channel, and on NPR. He has written for the Los Angeles Times, True West, Wild West, American Cowboy, and New Mexico Magazine. He lives with his family in Cascade, Colorado.

"Mark Lee Gardner's excellent book blends history, biography, and well-detailed combat narrative as it shows how Lt. Col. Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders became national heroes." -- Dallas Morning News "Thrilling. ... Timeless. ... A classic, inspiring biography of a true American hero." -- True West "Rough Riders is excellent. It's not just first-rate history but a ripping yarn that shines new light on Theodore Roosevelt's extraordinary life." -- Ron Hansen, author of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford "A thrill ride for history buffs. ... A must read for Roosevelt aficionados and those who appreciate compelling stories of military history." -- USA Today "Few episodes from our past have done more to capture, and shape, central themes of the American character (real and imagined) than Teddy Roosevelt's exploits with the Rough Riders. In Mark Gardner's expert hands, a great American foundation story has been brought to vivid life." -- Hampton Sides, New York Times bestselling author of In the Kingdom of Ice and Blood and Thunder "As Hollywood's resident expert on Theodore Roosevelt, I found Mark Lee Gardner's Rough Riders to be a finely-honed and fresh look at this country's only 'cowboy' regiment to ever see combat." -- John Milius, co-screenwriter of Apocalypse Now and director of The Wind and the Lion and Rough Riders (1997 TV film), both about Roosevelt "Fast-paced and thoroughly researched. ... A rousing and robust story." -- Kirkus "Gardner brings the Rough Riders to life with clear, vivid prose and keen insights. You can almost smell the saddle leather and gunsmoke, hear the bugles calling to a glorious adventure second to none. Gardner leads this literary charge -- and it's indeed a grand one." -- Paul Andrew Hutton, author of The Apache Wars "Gardner delivers rousing blow-by-blow accounts of the various battles and showcases Roosevelt's hypermasculine panache." -- Library Journal "Gardner provides some terrifying, exhilarating stories of battle... and celebrates Roosevelt." -- Publishers Weekly "Rich in action and telling details." -- Albuquerque Journal "[Gardner's] fast pace and comprehensive research... carry readers into a brief and memorable period of history." -- New Mexico Magazine "Gardner's book is well-researched, and his narrative is absorbing." -- San Antonio Express-News "Gardner's account of the famous charge up San Juan Hill pulses with the kinetic confusion of men under fire. ... Gardner ably defends Roosevelt's accomplishments on the battlefield." -- Newsday "Breathes new life into [the Rough Riders' tale] through detailed research, close attention to detail, and gripping narrative. ... A worthy addition to the body of work surrounding this iconic tale of American history." -- Military Heritage "An engaging and up-to-date chronicle of the Rough Riders' saga." -- The Journal of America's Military Past "Absorbing. ... [Gardner's] ability to recreate those weeks, in all their glory... is impressive." -- Bookreporter.com "Compelling reading. ... Gardner renders an especially authentic portrait." -- HistoryNet "Gardner is one of this nation's premier historians of the American West." -- Col. Cole C. Kingseed, USA Ret., Ph.D., Army Magazine