EVAN THOMAS

THE WAR LOVERS

On February 15, 1898, the American ship USS Maine mysteriously exploded in Havana Harbor. News of the blast quickly reached U.S. shores, where it was met by some not with alarm but with great enthusiasm.

A powerful group of war lovers agitated for the United States to exert its muscle across the seas. Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Cabot Lodge were influential politicians dismayed by the “closing” of the western frontier. William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal falsely heralded that Spain’s “secret infernal machine” had destroyed the battleship as Hearst himself saw great potential in whipping Americans into a frenzy. The Maine would provide the excuse they’d been waiting for.

On the other side were Roosevelt’s former teacher, philosopher William James, and his friend and political ally, Thomas Reed, the powerful Speaker of the House. Both foresaw a disaster. At stake was not only sending troops to Cuba and the Philippines, Spain’s sprawling colony on the other side of the world, but also the friendships between these men.

Now, bestselling historian Evan Thomas brings us the full story of this monumental turning point in American history. Epic in scope and revelatory in detail, The War Lovers takes us from Boston mansions to the halls of Congress to the beaches of Cuba and the jungles of the Philippines. It is a landmark work with an unforgettable cast of characters—and provocative relevance to today.

PRAISE

“Evan Thomas is a national resource, and this utterly compelling book reminds us why. In The War Lovers, he takes a crucial historical moment, shows its importance to our own time, and recreates its main characters with such insight and blazing color that they seem as if they are alive today. Most of all, Thomas’s book suggests vital lessons for our generation of American leaders and citizens to take very seriously as we confront some of the same public challenges that faced Theodore Roosevelt and his contemporaries.”

—Michael R. Beschloss, author of
The Conquerors: Roosevelt, Truman and
the Destruction of Hitler’s Germany, 1941–1945

“No biographer at work today has a surer feel for the human dimension of history than Evan Thomas. In this remarkable and original work, he has painted a portrait of a world at once remote and immediate, describing with grace and skill the conflicting passions and politics that created American imperialism. It is safe to say that no one who wants to understand the America of the twenty-first century can afford to miss this landmark book.”

—Jon Meacham, author of
American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House

“What causes the eternal pull of war on men? It’s one of history’s most important questions. Evan Thomas provides fascinating insights in this gripping narrative of America’s rush to war in 1898. With a colorful cast of characters led by Teddy Roosevelt and William Randolph Hearst, it’s a tale filled with lessons for today.”

—Walter Isaacson, author of
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

“In The War Lovers, a masterful book with uncanny resonance for today’s challenges, Evan Thomas provides a haunting case study of how America cascaded into war in 1898. In his trademark prose, we vividly see the human dimension of the ineluctable push and pull of war, not to mention a poignant story of friendships ripped apart and a nation torn at the seams. This work is a triumph.”

—Jay Winik, author of
April 1865 and The Great Upheaval

Other books by Evan Thomas