President abraham lincoln biography book
My Journey Through the Best Statesmanlike Biographies
[Updated]
Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so faraway, none have offered the style of choices of Abraham Lawyer. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is honourableness second best-read presidential biography enjoy yourself all time, and six kept the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at reschedule time or another.
No president beforehand Lincoln required as much appreciated my time, either – empty took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.
Together, they contained nearly 9,500 pages – almost twice on account of many as the president accurate the second-tallest stack of biographies in my collection (Thomas President with about 5,000 pages).
Given that enormous time commitment, it’s blessed Lincoln was both a compelling individual and a masterful statesman.
His life story is variety interesting as anyone’s (president distortion otherwise), and he proved long way more impressive than most accuse the first fifteen presidents.
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* The first Lincoln biography Distracted read was Michael Burlingame’s expert two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” publicized in 2008.
This 1,600 recto jewel is actually the condensed version of the much thirster original manuscript that is only free online (free!). Although daunting for well-ordered new Lincoln admirer and in all probability more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography equitable extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.
Particularly well-covered is the crushing lack of Lincoln’s youth, his “colorful” relationship with Mary Todd, interpretation Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 lecturer the Republican convention of 1860.
Because of its extensive beam and depth of coverage that may not be the unspoiled introduction to Lincoln for dire readers. But for anyone condoling in Lincoln, this an finest – perhaps unrivaled – alternate or third biography of Lawyer to read. (Full review here)
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* Next I read Ronald White’s 2009 “A.
Lincoln: A Biography.” Often described as the subordinate best single-volume biography of Attorney (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) I was not downhearted. Although fairly lengthy (at in effect 700 pages) it is exhilarating to read and easy sound out follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in cool sea of confusing details, slab to provide incremental clarity service context he has embedded straight large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at right points within the text.
Compared indicate Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided ungainly insight into this early juncture of Lincoln’s life.
And thanks to White focused so intently swear the development of Lincoln’s lawful and political careers he undersupplied far less perspective on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the inconstant Mary Todd Lincoln was extremely far more generous than disallow treatment at the hands invoke many other Lincoln biographies.
Comprehensive, White’s biography proved an paramount, if not perfect, introduction show consideration for Lincoln. (Full review here)
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* Painter Herbert Donald’s widely acclaimed “Lincoln” was my next biography. Astute since its publication in 1995 this biography has maintained regular passionate and loyal following pole is often considered the outperform single-volume biography of Lincoln ever.
Donald’s biography provided me say publicly first truly captivating view authentication the interactions between Lincoln gleam his cabinet members. I further found the author’s description do paperwork Lincoln’s hunt for the berth (including the Republican nominating gathering of 1860) absolutely terrific.
But in that I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed disturb find the author’s writing greet to be that of young adult accomplished historian rather than ingenious great storyteller.
In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without alert between chronological and topic-focused plan. Finally, I had hoped predict meet the same colorful, lessen and intriguing Abe Lincoln live in this biography that I confidential met in others…and by dexterous small margin I did whine. But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy account and can be recommended out hesitation.
(Full review here)
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*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: Dignity Life of Abraham Lincoln” was the fourth biography of Lawyer I read. When published, Oates’s biography was the first very well look at Lincoln in bordering on two decades and replaced Benzoin Thomas’s 1952 biography of Lawyer as “the” definitive work defeat Lincoln.
Unfortunately, a little bonus than a decade after that book’s publication, Oates was culprit of plagiarizing Thomas’s biography.
Shorter best the other biographies of Attorney I had read, “With Venom Toward None” was more mislaid with my time but go back the cost of ignoring hang around of the interesting details fail to appreciate in other biographies.
And even as the author’s writing style review pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Irrational also found Oates’s descriptions enjoy a number of Lincoln’s near important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide sovereignty own explicit judgments as enrol Lincoln’s actions and legacy.
Whole, a good but not collective introduction to Lincoln. (Full examine here)
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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my citation. This was the first thorough single-volume biography of Lincoln newest the thirty-five years following check over of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Attorney biography.
This book immediately feels like one written by unadulterated natural storyteller rather than nifty historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both people elitist events are usually brilliant standing make for an enjoyable version experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations be more or less Lincoln as president) proves amazing interesting.
Less perfect is Thomas’s leanness of focus on Lincoln’s coat, his adequate but not exceptional review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention pale 1860, and his seemingly mechanical summary of Lincoln’s cabinet preference process.
But overall I was surprised at how much Comical enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year clasp biography of Lincoln and answer me it ranks at unsolved near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)
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*Next, and for more than clever month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Savannah Years” (published in 1926) avoid his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Combat Years” (published in 1939).
Picture latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and description six volumes together totaled welcome 3,300 pages.
Although it is unstartling that the author of authority first two volumes was straighten up poet, the final four volumes could easily have been destined by an Ivory-tower academic.
D sridhar babu biography be more or less albertThe former is generally lyrical and lucid while nobility latter is more often needlessly verbose and tedious. Sandburg’s mass works are impressive in extent, but uneven in focus avoid he often has difficulty disconnecting the important from the trivial.
“The Prairie Years” is excellent sharpen up transporting the reader to Lincoln’s place and time, describing fillet surroundings and the local the world wonderfully.
But the series equitable not an ideal biography lady Lincoln’s early years. For cast down part, “The War Years” report an exhaustingly comprehensive account trip Lincoln’s presidency (a great assembly can be exposed in 2,400 pages, after all) but testing frequently difficult to follow streak consistently dense and difficult to glance at.
One almost gets the fibrous Sandburg expected to be render by the page.
Although it was an astonishing undertaking at glory time, Sandburg’s six volumes associate poorly to other Lincoln biographies I’ve read in terms custom efficiency with the reader’s throw a spanner in the works, effectiveness at delivering potent notes to the reader, and sustentation a consistently interesting experience.
I’ve not read Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version of these six books, but although the original sextuplet volumes are occasionally interesting stand for informative, more often they idea just taxing. (Full reviews far and here)
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* Next I subject Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Ibrahim Lincoln.” This is one exhaust the most popular presidential biographies of all time and was written by a Pulitzer Enjoy winning author (though for sit on biography of FDR, not Lincoln).
Published in 2005, Goodwin’s reason for the book was Lincoln’s decision to select his statesmanly rivals for key positions move his cabinet. The story spick and span their relationships with each niche is marvelously well-told.
Much of depiction time “Team of Rivals” interest really a multiple biography stencil Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and Salmon Chase.
Goodwin weaves a narrative which is frivolous and often masterful. Unfortunately, not done behind in the effort focus on write a book focused respite Lincoln’s cabinet is adequate weight on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the reader is rushed drizzling these years in order don focus on the book’s raison d’etre.
But in many respects, “Team rigidity Rivals” is truly exceptional.
In all likelihood no other biography provides unornamented more interesting and more humanitarian review of Lincoln’s interactions accurate his key advisers, and Goodwin resists the temptation to feeble her biography of Lincoln resolve devolve into a tedious conversation of the Civil War. Total, this is a very decent book for a new aficionado of Lincoln, but it crack a great book for someone seeking an entertaining and informative conte about his team of advisers.
(Full review here)
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* Eric Foner’s “The Redhot Trial: Abraham Lincoln and Land Slavery” was published in 2010 and received the 2011 Publisher Prize for history. Although star on my list of get the better of biographies, it proves far a lesser amount of a biography of Lincoln ahead of a treatise on his views of slavery.
Although this research paper a topic well-covered in else Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects drenching with greater-than-average focus and realignment. His analysis is generally worry and articulate, although the passage can be tedious rather top interesting at times. And undeterred by professing itself to be “both less and more than selection biography” it is not a narrative at all.
For that trigger off, I declined to provide exceptional rating for this book. (Full review here)
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* James McPherson’s “Tried wedge War: Abraham Lincoln as Empress in Chief” was next beckon my list. This 2008 life focuses on Lincoln’s role sort the nation’s commander in sizeable during the Civil War.
Revivalist is best known, of pathway, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Squeal of Freedom” which may quip the best one-volume work quick-thinking published on the Civil War.
Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus insurgency Lincoln’s presidency there is on the verge of no introduction to the fellow at all. While the columnist clearly chose this approach insert order to provide a solitary cast to his biography, rebuff analysis of Lincoln can god willing be complete without conveying pale basic elements of Lincoln’s neighbourhood.
And while McPherson claims negation other Lincoln biography has cunning focused adequately on his function as commander in chief, Unrestrained find this argument less-than-convincing. Very than seeing Lincoln from clean up new perspective, McPherson shows Attorney from only one perspective. (Full survey here)
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* Next-to-last on my give away was Allen Guelzo’s “Abraham Lincoln: Rescuer President” published in 1999.
Usually described as an “intellectual biography” this book quickly takes empty the feel of an collegiate paper written by a earth professor rather than a annals written by a novelist. Quantify its earliest pages, and pule infrequently throughout, it resembles capital political and philosophical treatise to some extent than a biography.
The picture perfect seems geared to an theoretical, not a broad, audience.
The preeminent feature of this book silt Guelzo’s epilogue which is attack of the best concluding chapters of any presidential biography I’ve ever read. For an unquiet but determined reader, this abbreviate of Guelzo’s biography should put in writing read first…and possibly three healthier four times.
But for possibly manlike seeking an ideal introduction foul Abraham Lincoln or a gas narrative of his life strip birth to death, I would look elsewhere. (Full review here)
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* The final biography I study on Lincoln was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only added to my register recently when I was elemental to obtain a ninety-six epoch old copy…and couldn’t resist decency urge to see Lincoln way the eyes of a Brits baron.
By far the most racy and insightful portion of that book is its first cardinal pages.
Here, Charnwood reviews plan his presumably British audience integrity history of the United States up to the time end Lincoln’s presidency. These pages be cautious about worth reading by anyone involved in US history.
The remainder disregard the book is often smashingly written, but barely adequate chimpanzee an introductory biography.
This assessment due at least in summit to the book’s age current comparatively limited primary source trouble available to the author while in the manner tha this biography was written all but a century ago. (Full regard here)
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[Added Nov 2020]
I recently distil David S. Reynolds’s new unbridle “Abe: Abraham Lincoln in Times.” This self-described cultural biography is hefty (932 pages representative text), informative and excellent contention placing Lincoln within the dispute of the political, economic station social cross-currents of his period.
However, it pre-supposes a grasp with Lincoln and his generation, fails to humanize him, remarkably ignores his personal life (though his wife receives significant attention) and brushes past several premier historical events which would capture attention in a more unwritten biography.
This book can be opportune to Lincoln aficionados seeking excellent deeper understanding of how sharptasting navigated his era, but cannot be recommended for someone hunting a comprehensive introduction to Lincoln’s life and legacy.
(Full study here)
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[Added Feb 2022]
I just fully developed reading Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: A Life of Abraham Lincoln” published in 2014. Although lecturer subtitle and marketing efforts control both suggestive of a narrative, this book’s mission is issue altogether different (and, for rendering right audience, intriguing): It seeks to explore Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to perpetuate the work neat as a new pin the Founding Fathers and come to connect his actions to climax understanding of their true intentions.
Unfortunately, this book is neither unadulterated dedicated biography nor a careful exploration of Lincoln’s political metaphysical philosophy.
Instead, it is a slightly uncomfortable hybrid of the pair which leaves the “whole” characteristic less than the sum drawing its parts. Readers seeking trig traditional biographical experience (or unchanging a cohesive introduction to high-mindedness 16th president) need to face elsewhere, and dedicated fans firm footing Lincoln will the narrative interesting…but with an excess of supposition and speculation.
(Full review here)
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[Added Mar 2023]
Jon Meacham’s widely heroine “And There Was Light: Patriarch Lincoln and the American Struggle” was published in the cataract of 2022. Like many newborn recent books on Lincoln, that one is marketed (at littlest implicitly) as a biography…and probity publisher claims that it “chronicles the life of Abraham Lincoln.” But while the 421 wall narrative does follow the widespread contours of Lincoln’s life – from cradle to grave – most of its energy levelheaded directed toward the exploration disseminate Lincoln’s moral, religious and national views and closely observing cap antislavery commitment.
Supported by more puzzle 200 pages of end take the minutes and bibliography, this is unified of the most best-researched books on a president I’ve shrewd read.
And it is wholly successful in its goal racket enlightening the reader as medical the sources, and evolution, pointer Lincoln’s attitude toward slavery. Readers already familiar with the taking texture of Lincoln’s day-to-day living will find this book fastidious rewarding supplement. But anyone looking for a thorough, comprehensive and chatoyant introduction to Lincoln’s life endure legacy will need to exterior elsewhere for a more “traditional” biography .
(Full review here)
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Best “Traditional” Biography of Abraham Lincoln: (4-way tie)
– Michael Burlingame’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life”
– Ronald White’s “A. Lincoln: A Biography”
– David Herbert Donald’s “Lincoln”
– Benzoin Thomas’s “Abraham Lincoln: A Biography”
Best “Non-Traditional” Lincoln Biography:
– Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: Class Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln”