In the shadowy depths of the Amazon, "The River of Doubt" traces the perilous journey of Theodore Roosevelt and his crew as they embark on an audacious expedition to chart an unknown tributary of the vast river. Candice Millard masterfully recounts this breathtaking adventure, weaving a narrative that is as dense and unpredictable as the jungle itself. Following his defeat in the 1912 presidential election, Roosevelt sought redemption and a return to his virile, adventurous roots by taking on a challenge that many deemed suicidal. Alongside his son Kermit, the legendary Brazilian explorer Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon, and a rugged team of American and Brazilian companions, Roosevelt confronts the relentless dangers of an untamed wilderness, from venomous snakes and relentless piranhas to the ever-present threat of starvation and disease. Millard's vivid storytelling plunges readers into the heart of darkness that is the Amazon, where the line between life and death is as thin as a canoe's hull. The expedition faces unimaginable hardships: treacherous rapids that destroy their boats, hostile indigenous tribes with arrows dipped in poison, and the psychological toll of isolation and fear. Yet, amidst the despair, Roosevelt's journey on the River of Doubt emerges as a testament to human endurance and the unbreakable spirit of exploration. This narrative does more than chart the course of a river; it maps the resilience of the human soul against the backdrop of the most daunting wilderness on Earth. "The River of Doubit" is not just a tale of adventure but a profound exploration of ambition, bravery, and the thirst for knowledge that defines the boldest explorations in human history.