"The TR archival print, with his 'man in the arena' quote from 1910, is beautifully rendered.Highly recommended!"
— James S.
"Received "The Man in the Arena" very quickly. It is a great item and looks amazing on my office wall."
— Joe S.
"My partner was thrilled. It is the perfect gift for a history buff."
— Susan T.
". . . both a beautiful gift and a powerful encouragement to be brave."
— Sharon C.
"The History List is an amazing resource for anyone interested in history and for gifting historical items of various types."
— James S.
In your choice of two finishes:
Mahogany and Speckled maple.
"Received "The Man in the Arena" very quickly. It is a great item and looks amazing on my office wall." – Joe S.
Our original design includes Teddy Roosevelt and what has come to be called the "Man in the Arena" passage from his "Citizenship in a Republic" speech at the Sorbonne in Paris on April 23, 1910:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
The print includes the full text as well as the date and location of the speech.
"For years I've wanted to create something that would do justice to this famous passage, something that people would acquire and pass down from generation to generation.
"After considering several different approaches, I met with an extraordinarily talented designer who is as passionate about history as I am. We worked for months to get every aspect of the illustration exactly right.
"I selected a printer that specializes in fine art reproductions to create an archival print.
"We worked with a frame maker here in America to create solid wood frames for us in two different finishes.
"We selected UV-protecting, non-glare acrylic designed for use in framing and in museum collections.
"The print is sealed on the back and it carries our mark, with the name of my company and our credo—Life, liberty, and the pursuit of history—and our commitment to you, all Made in America.
"If you live your life in the arena, consider this addition to your home or office and begin a tradition that you will pass down from generation to generation."
Lee Wright
Founder | The History List | History Camp | The Pursuit of History