Reddit mentions of Mornings on Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt

In the days before TV and radio, newspapers would print extra editions for breaking news. Newspaper boys would yell "extra" because something exciting had happened, something justifying an extra edition that they wanted to sell. Movies showed newspaper boys telling "extra" for dramatic effect. It became a cliche, so that the phrase lingered long after the practice stopped.

However, at least before the Newsboys Strike of 1899, newspaper boys had an additional incentive to yell "extra," because they bought the newspapers that they sold, and were on the hook for any that were unsold. The boys were often homeless and could not afford to leave any papers unsold. They might have yelled "extra" even though they weren't really selling extra editions.

Theodore Roosevelt Senior, the president's father, supported an effort to provide housing for homeless boys. He also regularly attended Sunday night dinners at The Duane Street Lodging House, also known as The Newsboys' Lodging House. For a small fee, and if they agreed to a set of simple rules, the boys could get food, schooling, and a place to spend the night. It was founded in 1874, but it may have become known as The Newsboys' Lodging House later, when newboys became more common. For more on Theodore Roosevelt Senior, see Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough.

Here's an article quoting the Oxford English Dictionary citations dated as early as 1885. My favorite citation is the one raising suspicion about whether the newsboys were being honest:

>21 June 1889, Oelwein (Iowa) Register, pg. 2, col. 3:

>Lessons of Experience.

>Newsboy—“Extra! Extra!”

>Gentleman—“How much is it?”

>Newsboy—“Two cents. Have one?”

>Gentleman—“No.”

>Friend—“Two cents is the regular price of that paper. Why didn’t you buy?”

>Gentleman—“If there had been anything in it worth reading the boy would have charged five cents.”

It's been done.

David McCullough's book on Roosevelt's early life, Mornings on Horseback, and Douglas Brinkley's book, The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America probably fit the bill.

Personally he really wanted to go to war, so there is some truth in it. His father bought a stand in for the Civil War, something that Teddy was ashamed of for the rest of his life. There is a lot of thought that he felt that he needed to redeem his father's one failing in life. Even after he was president he begged Wilson to give him a commission in World War One.

The Morris series is a very good starting point when dealing with his life. Mornings on Horseback gives a different look at his childhood, it's decent but doesn't provide too much beyond what's in Morris. River of Doubt is an awesome look at his character in later life, after he is president, and a good adventure at the same time. The book I'm currently reading TR's Naval Diplomacy is a good look at the conflicts I mentioned.