The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey

While Roosevelt’s expedition spoke to his love of adventure, it was also an expedition with a strong scientific value. How does Millard present the scientific side of the expedition? What were some of the scientific achievements of the undertaking?

Millard speaks at length about the poor preparation and the general ignorance of the South American landscape amongst the American expedition members. How does Millard address the flaws and weaknesses of the expedition? How does she balance an assessment of these shortcomings against her depiction of the expedition as an impressive undertaking?

How does Millard depict the Amazon as the setting for the expedition? How does she describe the landscape, the animals, the plants, and/or the lives of the Indigenous inhabitants?

Analyze the attitudes toward racial categories and hierarchies as they appear in The River of Doubt. In what ways do the attitudes and behaviors of some of the expedition members reflect wider prejudices and imperialistic assumptions of the time? In what ways do they challenge some of the prevailing norms of their day?

How did the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon, specifically the Nhambiquara and Cinta Larga, help to ensure the success of the expedition? How does Millard’s depiction of the Indigenous peoples compare to her depiction of the explorers?

Analyze how Millard characterizes both Rondon and Roosevelt. How does she explore the idea of effective leadership through both men? How are they different or similar to one another?

Millard asserts that Roosevelt had strong ideas about masculinity and tried to live up to his ideals, even during the expedition. How does Millard present Roosevelt’s ideal of masculinity? What are the advantages and limitations of this ideal?

The River of Doubt is, at heart, a story about adventure and exploration, but it is a historical account and not a fictional one. What literary and narrative techniques does Millard use to create a sense of momentum in the narrative? How do her techniques reflect, or differ from, the kind of storytelling techniques commonly used in works of nonfiction?