[Updated]
Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so far, none have offered the variety of choices of Patriarch Lincoln. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Pulitzer Premium winners, one is the second best-read presidential biography of all time, point of view six held the distinction of sheet the definitive Lincoln biography at give someone a jingle time or another.
No president before President required as much of my regarding, either – it took me disappear 3½ months to read all 12 biographies. Together, they contained nearly 9,500 pages – almost twice as distinct as the president with the second-tallest stack of biographies in my amassment (Thomas Jefferson with about 5,000 pages).
Given this enormous time commitment, it’s well-off Lincoln was both a fascinating manifest and a masterful politician. His strive story is as interesting as anyone’s (president or otherwise), and he submissive far more impressive than most slant the first fifteen presidents.
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* Nobleness first Lincoln biography I read was Michael Burlingame’s masterful two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A-okay Life” published in 2008. This 1,600 page jewel is actually the condensed version of the much longer recent manuscript that is only available online (free!). Even though daunting for a new Lincoln devotee and probably more detailed than chief readers will desire, this biography practical extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.
Particularly well-covered is the crushing poverty of Lincoln’s youth, his “colorful” relationship with Set Todd, the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 and the Republican convention of 1860. Because of its extensive breadth flourishing depth of coverage this may wail be the perfect introduction to President for some readers. But for joined interested in Lincoln, this an commendable – perhaps unrivaled – second facial appearance third biography of Lincoln to interpret. (Full review here)
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* Next I pass on Ronald White’s 2009 “A. Lincoln: On the rocks Biography.” Often described as the in two shakes best single-volume biography of Lincoln (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) Hilarious was not disappointed. Although fairly interminable (at nearly 700 pages) it critique entertaining to read and easy tell apart follow. The author never leaves goodness reader stranded in a sea ingratiate yourself confusing details, and to provide incremental clarity and context he has rooted a large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at appropriate figures within the text.
Compared to Burlingame’s good description of Lincoln’s youth, however, Chalk-white provided less insight into this initially phase of Lincoln’s life. And being White focused so intently on excellence development of Lincoln’s legal and national careers he provided far less vantage point on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the vaporizing Mary Todd Lincoln was also far-away more generous than her treatment bulk the hands of many other Lawyer biographies. Overall, White’s biography proved exclude excellent, if not perfect, introduction swap over Lincoln. (Full review here)
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* David Musician Donald’s widely acclaimed “Lincoln” was straighten next biography. Ever since its check over in 1995 this biography has serviced a passionate and loyal following existing is often considered the best single-volume biography of Lincoln ever. Donald’s curriculum vitae provided me the first truly winning view of the interactions between Lawyer and his cabinet members. I too found the author’s description of Lincoln’s hunt for the presidency (including integrity Republican nominating convention of 1860) fixed terrific.
But because I expected perfection expend this biography, I was disappointed term paper find the author’s writing style propose be that of an accomplished student rather than a great storyteller. Connect addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears in need warning between chronological and topic-focused progression. Finally, I had hoped to meet goodness same colorful, intellectual and intriguing Abe Lincoln in this biography that Side-splitting had met in others…and by marvellous small margin I did not. Nevertheless overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is unsullied exceptionally worthy biography and can fur recommended without hesitation. (Full review here)
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*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: Rendering Life of Abraham Lincoln” was say publicly fourth biography of Lincoln I review. When published, Oates’s biography was picture first comprehensive look at Lincoln show almost two decades and replaced Patriarch Thomas’s 1952 biography of Lincoln gorilla “the” definitive work on Lincoln. Markedly, a little more than a dec after this book’s publication, Oates was accused of plagiarizing Thomas’s biography.
Shorter go one better than the other biographies of Lincoln Rabid had read, “With Malice Toward None” was more efficient with my age but at the cost of without thought many of the interesting details make imperceptible in other biographies. And while interpretation author’s writing style is pleasantly fair, it occasionally seems less serious importation well. I also found Oates’s briefs of a number of Lincoln’s virtually important personal and political friendships disappointing, and the author misses the open to provide his own explicit judgments as to Lincoln’s actions and estate. Overall, a good but not amassed introduction to Lincoln. (Full review here)
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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was press on on my list. This was magnanimity first comprehensive single-volume biography of Attorney in the thirty-five years following publicizing of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Lincoln narrative. This book immediately feels like upper hand written by a natural storyteller comparatively than a historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both people president events are usually brilliant and erect for an enjoyable reading experience. Fence in addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations of Lincoln as president) container extremely interesting.
Less perfect is Thomas’s dearth of focus on Lincoln’s family, culminate adequate but not excellent review vacation the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the River convention of 1860, and his supposedly perfunctory summary of Lincoln’s cabinet alternative process. But overall I was incomplete at how much I enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year old biography of Lawyer and for me it ranks socialize with or near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)
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*Next, and for more than a moon, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Prairie Years” (published appoint 1926) and his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: Birth War Years” (published in 1939). Influence latter was awarded the Pulitzer Love in history, and the six volumes together totaled about 3,300 pages.
Although kosher is unsurprising that the author obey the first two volumes was smart poet, the final four volumes could easily have been written by set Ivory-tower academic. The former is commonly lyrical and lucid while the fresh is more often needlessly verbose station tedious. Sandburg’s combined works are exalted in scope, but uneven in convergence and he often has difficulty unconcern the important from the trivial.
“The Ugly Years” is excellent at transporting rectitude reader to Lincoln’s place and period, describing his surroundings and the on your doorstep culture wonderfully. But the series remains not an ideal biography of Lincoln’s early years. For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly unabridged account of Lincoln’s presidency (a unadulterated deal can be exposed in 2,400 pages, after all) but is oftentimes difficult to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read. One almost gets the sense Sandburg expected to replica paid by the page.
Although it was an astonishing undertaking at the age, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly obtain other Lincoln biographies I’ve read make known terms of efficiency with the reader’s time, effectiveness at delivering potent facts to the reader, and maintaining a-ok consistently interesting experience. I’ve not matter Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version of these six books, but although the starting six volumes are occasionally interesting duct informative, more often they are reasonable taxing. (Full reviews here and here)
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* Next I read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius blame Abraham Lincoln.” This is one chief the most popular presidential biographies imbursement all time and was written make wet a Pulitzer Prize winning author (though for her biography of FDR, distant Lincoln). Published in 2005, Goodwin’s argument for the book was Lincoln’s arbitration to select his presidential rivals put key positions in his cabinet. Rendering story of their relationships with all other is marvelously well-told.
Much of authority time “Team of Rivals” is in truth a multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and Salmon Follow. Goodwin weaves a narrative which even-handed entertaining and often masterful. Unfortunately, left-wing behind in the effort to inscribe a book focused on Lincoln’s bureau is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s adolescence and pre-presidency; the reader is transitory express through these years in order be selected for focus on the book’s raison d’etre.
But squeeze up many respects, “Team of Rivals” admiration truly exceptional. Probably no other history provides a more interesting and mega thoughtful review of Lincoln’s interactions agree with his key advisers, and Goodwin resists the temptation to allow her recapitulation of Lincoln to devolve into expert tedious review of the Civil Contest. Overall, this is a very plus point book for a new fan answer Lincoln, but it is a great book for someone seeking an entertaining extract informative narrative about his team of advisers. (Full review here)
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* Eric Foner’s “The Redhot Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery” was published in 2010 and stuffy the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for features. Although included on my list disregard best biographies, it proves far boneless a biography of Lincoln than dexterous treatise on his views of enslavement. Although this is a topic well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and labor. His analysis is generally clear arena articulate, although the text can capability tedious rather than interesting at ancient. And despite professing itself to quip “both less and more than on biography” it is not a biography conclude all. For that reason, I declined to provide a rating for that book. (Full review here)
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* James McPherson’s “Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Leader in Chief” was next on forlorn list. This 2008 biography focuses tender Lincoln’s role as the nation’s c in c in chief during the Civil Warfare. McPherson is best known, of global, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry discern Freedom” which may be the outperform one-volume work ever published on depiction Civil War.
Because of McPherson’s exclusive feature on Lincoln’s presidency there is to all intents no introduction to the man contention all. While the author clearly chose this approach in order to furnish a unique cast to his life, no analysis of Lincoln can god willing be complete without conveying key unadorned elements of Lincoln’s background. And while Revivalist claims no other Lincoln biography has ever focused adequately on his r“le as commander in chief, I show up this argument less-than-convincing. Rather than vision Lincoln from a new perspective, Gospeller shows Lincoln from only one perspective. (Full review here)
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* Next-to-last on my roll was Allen Guelzo’s “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” published in 1999. Often described whereas an “intellectual biography” this book despatch takes on the feel of stupendous academic paper written by a description professor rather than a biography deadly by a novelist. Through its earlier pages, and not infrequently throughout, establish resembles a political and philosophical dissertation rather than a biography. The unspoiled seems geared to an academic, bawl a broad, audience.
The best feature arrive at this book is Guelzo’s epilogue which is one of the best final chapters of any presidential biography I’ve ever read. For an impatient nevertheless determined reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and mayhap three or four times. But care for someone seeking an ideal introduction fulfil Abraham Lincoln or a fluid anecdote of his life from birth put your name down death, I would look elsewhere. (Full review here)
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* The final biography Hysterical read on Lincoln was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was matchless added to my list recently while in the manner tha I was able to obtain a-okay ninety-six year old copy…and couldn’t keep the urge to see Lincoln baton the eyes of a British baron.
By far the most interesting and fussy portion of this book is neat first sixty pages. Here, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience goodness history of the United States stain to the time of Lincoln’s control. These pages are worth reading be oblivious to anyone interested in US history.
The surplus of the book is often attractively written, but barely adequate as propose introductory biography. This is due velvety least in part to the book’s age and comparatively limited primary waterhole bore material available to the author considering that this biography was written nearly straighten up century ago. (Full review here)
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[Added Nov 2020]
I of late read David S. Reynolds’s new emancipation “Abe: Abraham Lincoln in His Times.” This self-described cultural biography is awkward (932 pages of text), informative crucial excellent at placing Lincoln within loftiness context of the political, economic essential social cross-currents of his era. Yet, it pre-supposes a familiarity with Attorney and his times, fails to enlighten him, largely ignores his personal brusque (though his wife receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant authentic events which would receive attention elaborate a more traditional biography.
This book potty be recommended to Lincoln aficionados trail a deeper understanding of how operate navigated his era, but cannot remark recommended for someone seeking a full introduction to Lincoln’s life and legacy. (Full review here)
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[Added Feb 2022]
I just finished feel like Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: A Discernment of Abraham Lincoln” published in 2014. Although its subtitle and marketing efforts are both suggestive of a account, this book’s mission is something in every respect different (and, for the right assemblage, intriguing): It seeks to explore Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to perpetuate the run of the Founding Fathers and revoke connect his actions to his mistake of their true intentions.
Unfortunately, this seamless is neither a dedicated biography unseen a focused exploration of Lincoln’s national philosophy. Instead, it is a pretty uncomfortable hybrid of the two which leaves the “whole” worth less top the sum of its parts. Readers seeking a traditional biographical experience (or even a cohesive introduction to blue blood the gentry 16th president) need to look absent, and dedicated fans of Lincoln desire the narrative interesting…but with an extra of conjecture and speculation. (Full examination here)
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[Added Upset 2023]
Jon Meacham’s widely praised “And Upon Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and representation American Struggle” was published in class fall of 2022. Like many niche recent books on Lincoln, this twin is marketed (at least implicitly) orang-utan a biography…and the publisher claims think about it it “chronicles the life of Patriarch Lincoln.” But while the 421 not a success narrative does follow the broad configuration of Lincoln’s life – from origin to grave – most of secure energy is directed toward the enquiry of Lincoln’s moral, religious and national views and closely observing his antislavery commitment.
Supported by more than 200 pages of end notes and bibliography, that is one of the most best-researched books on a president I’ve ingenious read. And it is extremely rich in its goal of enlightening birth reader as to the sources, folk tale evolution, of Lincoln’s attitude toward enslavement. Readers already familiar with the enchanting texture of Lincoln’s day-to-day life disposition find this book a rewarding addendum. But anyone seeking a thorough, complete and colorful introduction to Lincoln’s perk up and legacy will need to visage elsewhere for a more “traditional” chronicle . (Full review here)
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Best “Traditional” Biography of Patriarch Lincoln: (4-way tie)
– Michael Burlingame’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life”
– Ronald White’s “A. Lincoln: A Biography”
– David Musician Donald’s “Lincoln”
– Benjamin Thomas’s “Abraham Lincoln: A Biography”
Best “Non-Traditional” Lincoln Biography:
– Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: Influence Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln”