Today we think of Theodore Roosevelt as a larger-than-life figure, but before he became a legendary outdoorsman, Badlands rancher, Rough Rider, trust buster, and political maverick, he was “a thin pale youngster with bad eyes and a weak heart,” in the words of William Wingate Sewall, the upcountry Maine woodsman who became Roosevelt’s mentor and lifelong friend. The two met at a crucial time in Roosevelt’s life, and Sewall exerted a quiet but profound influence on the man who would become America’s twenty-sixth president.

Becoming Teddy Roosevelt is the story of the remarkable bond between these two men of completely different backgrounds but surprisingly similar outlooks, a bond that endured well after one of them moved into the White House.

About The Author

Andrew Vietze

Product Details

Publisher: Down East Books (October 6, 2026)
Length: 240 pages
ISBN13: 9781684752874

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Raves and Reviews

“[W]ell crafted and entertaining. . . These two men genuinely liked, respected, and trusted each other, and Andrew Vietze makes us like them, too.”

– Times Record

"Highly readable and entertaining. . . Vietze's excellent story-telling skills revive the life of a remarkable Mainer who left an indelible mark on his state and the nation."

– Working Waterfront

“Vivid and dramatic. . .a fascinating story of a famous American hero and an unassuming Mainer, and how each man positively affected the life and career of the other.”

– Kennebec Journal

“It’s easy to see why the author has won awards for his historical writing. . .it flows at times like a good novel. . . Becoming Teddy Roosevelt is crucial reading for anyone interested in TR.”

– Big Sky Journal

“A ‘must’ for any political or biography collection strong in Presidential histories.”

– Midwest Book Review

"In Becoming Teddy Roosevelt, Vietze celebrates the extraordinary qualities of two men: the one largely unsung, the other well-known, larger than life, but rarely shown in so intimate and human a light. It is a joy to read."

– Maine Sunday Telegram

“[M]eticulously researched . . . remarkable . . . reading this book really brings you into every setting the two men shared, from the lumber camps of Maine to the White House.”

– Bangor Daily News

"Now the friendship between Roosevelt and Sewall is fully explored. . ."

– Boston Globe

"(An) amazing, true-life tale of lasting camaraderie between great men of strikingly different backgrounds and stations. Highly recommended."

– Midwest Book Review