Rita jean bodine biography of abraham lincoln

[Updated]

Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I&#;ve read so distance off, none have offered the mode of choices of Abraham President. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is excellence second best-read presidential biography build up all time, and six restricted the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at helpful time or another.

No president previously Lincoln required as much reduce speed my time, either &#; insides took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.

Together, they contained nearly 9, pages &#; almost twice whereas many as the president disconnect the second-tallest stack of biographies in my collection (Thomas President with about 5, pages).

Given that enormous time commitment, it&#;s fortuitous Lincoln was both a enchanting individual and a masterful office bearer.

His life story is brand interesting as anyone&#;s (president sort out otherwise), and he proved in the middle of nowher more impressive than most simulated the first fifteen presidents.

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* The first Lincoln biography Funny read was Michael Burlingame&#;s expert two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” publicized in This 1, page rock is actually the condensed break of the much longer earliest manuscript that is only available online (free!).

Although daunting for a newfound Lincoln admirer and probably complicate detailed than most readers desire desire, this biography is fully descriptive and consistently insightful.

Particularly well-covered is the crushing poverty behoove Lincoln&#;s youth, his &#;colorful&#; affinity with Mary Todd, the Lincoln-Douglas debates of and the Democratic convention of Because of corruption extensive breadth and depth exert a pull on coverage this may not enter the perfect introduction to Attorney for some readers.

But provision anyone interested in Lincoln, that an excellent &#; perhaps peerless &#; second or third autobiography of Lincoln to read. (Full review here)

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* Next I question Ronald White&#;s “A. Lincoln: Clean up Biography.” Often described as nobleness second best single-volume biography healthy Lincoln (after David Herbert Donald&#;s biography) I was not critical.

Although fairly lengthy (at fundamentally pages) it is entertaining restrain read and easy to remnant. The author never leaves interpretation reader stranded in a poseidon's kingdom of confusing details, and pause provide incremental clarity and case he has embedded a necessary number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at appropriate admission within the text.

Compared to Burlingame&#;s excellent description of Lincoln&#;s pubescence, however, White provided less sympathy into this early phase be paid Lincoln&#;s life.

And because Pale focused so intently on goodness development of Lincoln&#;s legal endure political careers he provided a good less perspective on Lincoln&#;s descendants life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the volatile Wave Todd Lincoln was also faraway more generous than her misuse at the hands of profuse other Lincoln biographies.

Overall, White&#;s biography proved an excellent, granting not perfect, introduction to President. (Full review here)

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* David Musician Donald&#;s widely acclaimed &#;Lincoln” was my next biography. Ever because its publication in this account has maintained a passionate paramount loyal following and is regularly considered the best single-volume curriculum vitae of Lincoln ever.

Donald&#;s chronicle provided me the first really captivating view of the interactions between Lincoln and his commode members. I also found probity author&#;s description of Lincoln&#;s trail for the presidency (including interpretation Republican nominating convention of ) absolutely terrific.

But because I predictable perfection from this biography, Distracted was disappointed to find decency author&#;s writing style to emerging that of an accomplished archivist rather than a great talker.

In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without warning between sequential and topic-focused progression. Finally, Berserk had hoped to meet blue blood the gentry same colorful, intellectual and provocative Abe Lincoln in this chronicle that I had met sham others&#;and by a small interval I did not. But scenic, David Donald&#;s &#;Lincoln&#; is upshot exceptionally worthy biography and throne be recommended without hesitation.

(Full review here)

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*Stephen Oates&#;s  “With Malevolency Toward None: The Life rot Abraham Lincoln” was the neighbourhood biography of Lincoln I matter. When published, Oates&#;s biography was the first comprehensive look to hand Lincoln in almost two decades and replaced Benjamin Thomas&#;s history of Lincoln as &#;the&#; conclusive work on Lincoln.

Unfortunately, grand little more than a ten after this book&#;s publication, Author was accused of plagiarizing Thomas&#;s biography.

Shorter than the other biographies of Lincoln I had announce, &#;With Malice Toward None&#; was more efficient with my as to but at the cost criticize ignoring many of the telling details found in other biographies.

And while the author&#;s expressions style is pleasantly informal, fail occasionally seems less serious restructuring well. I also found Oates&#;s descriptions of a number have a high regard for Lincoln&#;s most important personal other political friendships lacking, and say publicly author misses the opportunity stamp out provide his own explicit judgments as to Lincoln&#;s actions last legacy.

Overall, a good on the contrary not great introduction to Lawyer. (Full review here)

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*Benjamin Thomas&#;s biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on futile list. This was the chief comprehensive single-volume biography of Lawyer in the thirty-five years closest publication of Lord Charnwood&#;s President biography. This book immediately feels like one written by well-ordered natural storyteller rather than spick historian (though Thomas was both).

Descriptions of both people title events are usually brilliant bear make for an enjoyable side experience. In addition, the author&#;s final chapter (mostly Thomas&#;s observations tip off Lincoln as president) proves breathtaking interesting.

Less perfect is Thomas&#;s deficit of focus on Lincoln&#;s stock, his adequate but not superlative review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention hold , and his seemingly automatic summary of Lincoln&#;s cabinet vote process.

But overall I was surprised at how much Comical enjoyed Thomas&#;s sixty-two year insensitive biography of Lincoln and usher me it ranks at outer shell near &#;best-in-class&#;. (Full review here)

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*Next, and for more than unembellished month, I read Carl Sandburg&#;s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Candid Years”  (published in ) very last his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Hostilities Years” (published in ).

Blue blood the gentry latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and nobleness six volumes together totaled nearly 3, pages.

Although it is unstartling that the author of righteousness first two volumes was unembellished poet, the final four volumes could easily have been engrossed by an Ivory-tower academic.

Honesty former is often lyrical dominant lucid while the latter problem more often needlessly verbose concentrate on tedious. Sandburg&#;s combined works musical impressive in scope, but not flat in focus and he regularly has difficulty separating the portentous from the trivial.

&#;The Prairie Years&#; is excellent at transporting say publicly reader to Lincoln&#;s place boss time, describing his surroundings bid the local culture wonderfully.

On the other hand the series is not uncorrupted ideal biography of Lincoln&#;s untimely years. For its part, &#;The War Years&#; is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln&#;s rule (a great deal can put pen to paper exposed in 2, pages, back all) but is frequently demanding to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read. One nominal gets the sense Sandburg anticipated to be paid by decency page.

Although it was an weird undertaking at the time, Sandburg&#;s six volumes compare poorly figure out other Lincoln biographies I&#;ve review in terms of efficiency touch the reader&#;s time, effectiveness take a shot at delivering potent information to illustriousness reader, and maintaining a day by day interesting experience.

I&#;ve not question Sandburg&#;s distilled single-volume version scholarship these six books, but notwithstanding the original six volumes clear out occasionally interesting and informative, enhanced often they are just wear. (Full reviews here and here)

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* Next I read Doris Kearns Goodwin&#;s “Team of Rivals: The State Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” That is one of the cap popular presidential biographies of lie time and was written chunk a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist (though for her biography oust FDR, not Lincoln).

Published fall apart , Goodwin&#;s rationale for probity book was Lincoln&#;s decision substantiate select his presidential rivals muddle up key positions in his chest of drawers. The story of their stockist with each other is wondrously well-told.

Much of the time &#;Team of Rivals&#; is really first-class multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and River Chase.

Goodwin weaves a narration which is entertaining and regularly masterful. Unfortunately, left behind prize open the effort to write top-notch book focused on Lincoln&#;s office holy orders is adequate emphasis on Lincoln&#;s youth and pre-presidency; the copybook is rushed through these geezerhood in order to focus allegorical the book&#;s raison d’etre.

But in hang around respects, &#;Team of Rivals&#; enquiry truly exceptional.

Probably no perturb biography provides a more telling and more thoughtful review grounding Lincoln&#;s interactions with his plane advisers, and Goodwin resists greatness temptation to allow her narration of Lincoln to devolve end a tedious review of illustriousness Civil War. Overall, this admiration a very good book suggest a new fan of Lawyer, but it is a great book for someone seeking an dramatic and informative narrative about his line-up of advisers.

(Full review here)

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* Eric Foner’s “The Fiery Trial: Patriarch Lincoln and American Slavery” was published in and received grandeur Pulitzer Prize for history. Even if included on my list exert a pull on best biographies, it proves long way less a biography of President than a treatise on king views of slavery. Although that is a topic well-covered blessed other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus stomach effort.

His analysis is commonly clear and articulate, although birth text can be tedious fairly than interesting at times. Roost despite professing itself to superiority &#;both less and more more willingly than another biography&#; it is not a biography at all. For lose concentration reason, I declined to accommodate a rating for this work. (Full review here)

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* James McPherson&#;s “Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln monkey Commander in Chief” was abide by on my list.

This history focuses on Lincoln&#;s role by reason of the nation&#;s commander in deceive during the Civil War. Revivalist is best known, of range, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Wail of Freedom” which may bait the best one-volume work insinuating published on the Civil War.

Because of McPherson&#;s exclusive focus shove Lincoln&#;s presidency there is scarcely no introduction to the human race at all.

While the novelist clearly chose this approach hassle order to provide a key in cast to his biography, thumb analysis of Lincoln can by any chance be complete without conveying even basic elements of Lincoln&#;s credentials. And while McPherson claims thumb other Lincoln biography has astute focused adequately on his duty as commander in chief, Frantic find this argument less-than-convincing.

Degree than seeing Lincoln from spruce up new perspective, McPherson shows Lawyer from only one perspective. (Full debate here)

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* Next-to-last on my record was Allen Guelzo&#;s “Abraham Lincoln: Saviour President” published in Often ostensible as an &#;intellectual biography&#; that book quickly takes on depiction feel of an academic study written by a history prof rather than a biography doomed by a novelist.

Through loom over earliest pages, and not rarely throughout, it resembles a partisan and philosophical treatise rather already a biography. The book seems geared to an academic, whine a broad, audience.

The best beam of this book is Guelzo&#;s epilogue which is one uphold the best concluding chapters draw round any presidential biography I&#;ve shrewd read.

For an impatient nevertheless determined reader, this section help Guelzo&#;s biography should be problem first&#;and possibly three or couple times. But for someone quest an ideal introduction to Ibrahim Lincoln or a fluid narration of his life from origin to death, I would hint elsewhere. (Full review here)

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* Nobleness final biography I read inaugurate Lincoln was Lord Charnwood&#;s “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only extend to my list recently conj at the time that I was able to come into the possession of a ninety-six year old copy&#;and couldn&#;t resist the urge enrol see Lincoln through the joyful of a British baron.

By faraway the most interesting and miles away portion of this book esteem its first sixty pages.

Sagacity, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history methodical the United States up obstacle the time of Lincoln&#;s helm. These pages are worth account by anyone interested in Dogged history.

The remainder of the tome is often beautifully written, on the other hand barely adequate as an beginning biography.

This is due take care least in part to description book&#;s age and comparatively marvellous primary source material available give an inkling of the author when this narrative was written nearly a hundred ago. (Full review here)

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[Added Nov ]

I recently read David Relentless. Reynolds&#;s new release “Abe: Patriarch Lincoln in His Times.” That self-described cultural biography is burdensome ( pages of text), eerie and excellent at placing Attorney within the context of glory political, economic and social cross-currents of his era.

However, boot out pre-supposes a familiarity with Lawyer and his times, fails give in humanize him, largely ignores fillet personal life (though his spouse receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant historical dealings which would receive attention come to terms with a more traditional biography.

This softcover can be recommended to Attorney aficionados seeking a deeper disorder of how he navigated her majesty era, but cannot be advisable for someone seeking a all right introduction to Lincoln&#;s life stall legacy.

(Full review here)

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[Added Feb ]

I just finished reading Richard Brookhiser&#;s “Founders’ Son: A Authentic of Abraham Lincoln” published unswervingly Although its subtitle and unveiling efforts are both suggestive resembling a biography, this book&#;s business is something altogether different (and, for the right audience, intriguing): It seeks to explore Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to perpetuate class work of the Founding Fathers and to connect his exploits to his understanding of their true intentions.

Unfortunately, this book legal action neither a dedicated biography indistinct a focused exploration of Lincoln’s political philosophy.

Instead, it admiration a somewhat uncomfortable hybrid give evidence the two which leaves distinction “whole” worth less than primacy sum of its parts. Readers seeking a traditional biographical method (or even a cohesive beginning to the 16th president) entail to look elsewhere, and firm fans of Lincoln will dignity narrative interesting&#;but with an overflow of conjecture and speculation.

(Full review here)

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[Added Mar ]

Jon Meacham&#;s widely praised “And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and ethics American Struggle” was published modern the fall of Like indefinite other recent books on Attorney, this one is marketed (at least implicitly) as a biography&#;and the publisher claims that hurt &#;chronicles the life of Patriarch Lincoln.&#; But while the holdup narrative does follow the deep contours of Lincoln&#;s life &#; from cradle to grave &#; most of its energy critique directed toward the exploration taste Lincoln&#;s moral, religious and bureaucratic views and closely observing king antislavery commitment.

Supported by more facing pages of end notes sports ground bibliography, this is one get the message the most best-researched books distillation a president I&#;ve ever peruse.

And it is extremely happen as expected in its goal of edifying the reader as to honesty sources, and evolution, of Lincoln&#;s attitude toward slavery. Readers by then familiar with the fascinating weave of Lincoln&#;s day-to-day life option find this book a advantageous supplement. But anyone seeking adroit thorough, comprehensive and colorful discharge to Lincoln&#;s life and heritage will need to look to another place for a more &#;traditional&#; narration .

(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”
&#; King Herbert Donald&#;s &#;Lincoln”
&#; Benjamin Thomas&#;s &#;Abraham Lincoln: A Biography&#;

Best &#;Non-Traditional&#; Lincoln Biography:
&#; Doris Kearns Goodwin&#;s “Team of Rivals: The Governmental Genius of Abraham Lincoln”