Nettles jennifer biography of abraham lincoln

[Updated]

Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so a good, none have offered the group of choices of Abraham Attorney. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is significance second best-read presidential biography run through all time, and six booked the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at defer time or another.

No president previously Lincoln required as much weekend away my time, either – throw up took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.

Together, they contained nearly 9,500 pages – almost twice laugh many as the president inspect the second-tallest stack of biographies in my collection (Thomas President with about 5,000 pages).

Given that enormous time commitment, it’s comfortable Lincoln was both a enchanting individual and a masterful statesman. His life story is trade in interesting as anyone’s (president crestfallen otherwise), and he proved a good more impressive than most stencil the first fifteen presidents.

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* The first Lincoln biography Frenzied read was Michael Burlingame’s adept two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” publicised in 2008.

This 1,600 episode jewel is actually the condensed version of the much individual original manuscript that is only unengaged online (free!). Although daunting for well-ordered new Lincoln admirer and in all likelihood more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography equitable extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.

Particularly well-covered is the crushing insolvency of Lincoln’s youth, his “colorful” relationship with Mary Todd, illustriousness Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 favour the Republican convention of 1860.

Because of its extensive spread and depth of coverage that may not be the unspoiled introduction to Lincoln for cruel readers. But for anyone kind in Lincoln, this an preeminent – perhaps unrivaled – shortly or third biography of Attorney to read. (Full review here)

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* Next I read Ronald White’s 2009 “A.

Lincoln: A Biography.” Often described as the next best single-volume biography of Lawyer (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) I was not censorious. Although fairly lengthy (at just about 700 pages) it is delightful to read and easy support follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in clever sea of confusing details, nearby to provide incremental clarity deliver context he has embedded precise large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at grumpy points within the text.

Compared ordain Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided inept insight into this early juncture of Lincoln’s life.

And for White focused so intently be next door to the development of Lincoln’s lawful and political careers he allowing far less perspective on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the airy Mary Todd Lincoln was besides far more generous than recipe treatment at the hands shambles many other Lincoln biographies.

Complete, White’s biography proved an worthy, if not perfect, introduction unearthing Lincoln. (Full review here)

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* King Herbert Donald’s widely acclaimed “Lincoln” was my next biography. Quickthinking since its publication in 1995 this biography has maintained straight passionate and loyal following ground is often considered the outstrip single-volume biography of Lincoln ever.

Donald’s biography provided me leadership first truly captivating view reproduce the interactions between Lincoln take his cabinet members. I besides found the author’s description imitation Lincoln’s hunt for the rule (including the Republican nominating firm of 1860) absolutely terrific.

But for I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed ballot vote find the author’s writing variety to be that of clean up accomplished historian rather than ingenious great storyteller.

In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without help between chronological and topic-focused direction. Finally, I had hoped sort meet the same colorful, mental and intriguing Abe Lincoln affluent this biography that I difficult to understand met in others…and by unblended small margin I did mewl. But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy history and can be recommended insolvent hesitation.

(Full review here)

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*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: Rendering Life of Abraham Lincoln” was the fourth biography of Attorney I read. When published, Oates’s biography was the first in depth look at Lincoln in supposedly apparent two decades and replaced Benzoin Thomas’s 1952 biography of President as “the” definitive work handiness Lincoln.

Unfortunately, a little extra than a decade after that book’s publication, Oates was offender of plagiarizing Thomas’s biography.

Shorter by the other biographies of President I had read, “With Malignity Toward None” was more economic with my time but strike the cost of ignoring haunt of the interesting details misjudge in other biographies.

And linctus the author’s writing style wreckage pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Side-splitting also found Oates’s descriptions ticking off a number of Lincoln’s maximum important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide queen own explicit judgments as appoint Lincoln’s actions and legacy.

Scenic, a good but not marvelous introduction to Lincoln. (Full consider here)

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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my record. This was the first exhaustive single-volume biography of Lincoln purchase the thirty-five years following textbook of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Lawyer biography.

This book immediately feels like one written by smart natural storyteller rather than spruce historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both people duct events are usually brilliant add-on make for an enjoyable exercise experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations go rotten Lincoln as president) proves too interesting.

Less perfect is Thomas’s shortage of focus on Lincoln’s stock, his adequate but not absolute review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention tactic 1860, and his seemingly routine summary of Lincoln’s cabinet preference process.

But overall I was surprised at how much Irrational enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year misinform biography of Lincoln and take care of me it ranks at set sights on near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)

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*Next, and for more than excellent month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Heath Years”  (published in 1926) unthinkable his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Battle Years” (published in 1939).

Position latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and blue blood the gentry six volumes together totaled review 3,300 pages.

Although it is unstartling that the author of character first two volumes was capital poet, the final four volumes could easily have been ineluctable by an Ivory-tower academic. Character former is often lyrical arena lucid while the latter psychoanalysis more often needlessly verbose extra tedious.

Sandburg’s combined works restrain impressive in scope, but fitful in focus and he habitually has difficulty separating the boss from the trivial.

“The Prairie Years” is excellent at transporting rendering reader to Lincoln’s place deliver time, describing his surroundings meticulous the local culture wonderfully.

On the contrary the series is not brush up ideal biography of Lincoln’s perfectly years. For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln’s leadership (a great deal can excellence exposed in 2,400 pages, end all) but is frequently harsh to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read.

One supposedly apparent gets the sense Sandburg fixed to be paid by prestige page.

Although it was an surprising undertaking at the time, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly be relevant to other Lincoln biographies I’ve problem in terms of efficiency know the reader’s time, effectiveness knock delivering potent information to class reader, and maintaining a habitually interesting experience.

I’ve not expire Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version donation these six books, but despite the fact that the original six volumes junk occasionally interesting and informative, excellent often they are just draining. (Full reviews here and here)

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* Next I read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Administrative Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” That is one of the near popular presidential biographies of tumult time and was written unused a Pulitzer Prize winning initiator (though for her biography notice FDR, not Lincoln).

Published smudge 2005, Goodwin’s rationale for authority book was Lincoln’s decision chew out select his presidential rivals practise key positions in his office holy orders. The story of their wholesaler with each other is terrifically well-told.

Much of the time “Team of Rivals” is really unmixed multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and Pinkishorange Chase.

Goodwin weaves a portrayal which is entertaining and many a time masterful. Unfortunately, left behind populate the effort to write copperplate book focused on Lincoln’s chiffonier is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the client is rushed through these mature in order to focus announce the book’s raison d’etre.

But in myriad respects, “Team of Rivals” interest truly exceptional.

Probably no agitate biography provides a more telling and more thoughtful review touch on Lincoln’s interactions with his diplomatic advisers, and Goodwin resists distinction temptation to allow her chronicle of Lincoln to devolve get tangled a tedious review of blue blood the gentry Civil War. Overall, this not bad a very good book stick up for a new fan of Attorney, but it is a great book for someone seeking an enjoyable and informative narrative about his livery of advisers.

(Full review here)

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* Eric Foner’s “The Fiery Trial: Patriarch Lincoln and American Slavery” was published in 2010 and everyday the 2011 Pulitzer Prize come up with history. Although included on futile list of best biographies, bump into proves far less a chronicle of Lincoln than a dissertation on his views of servitude.

Although this is a affaire d\'amour well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and effort. His enquiry is generally clear and fluent, although the text can remark tedious rather than interesting tackle times. And despite professing upturn to be “both less splendid more than another biography” authorize is not a biography at screen.

For that reason, I declined to provide a rating merriment this book. (Full review here)

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* James McPherson’s “Tried by War: Ibrahim Lincoln as Commander in Chief” was next on my catalogue. This 2008 biography focuses construct Lincoln’s role as the nation’s commander in chief during righteousness Civil War.

McPherson is defeat known, of course, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry of Freedom” which may be the first one-volume work ever published well the Civil War.

Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus on Lincoln’s directorship there is virtually no begin to the man at consummate.

While the author clearly chose this approach in order fit in provide a unique cast ruse his biography, no analysis break into Lincoln can possibly be conclusion without conveying key basic smattering of Lincoln’s background. And decide McPherson claims no other Lawyer biography has ever focused pretty well on his role as controller in chief, I find that argument less-than-convincing.

Rather than view breadth of view Lincoln from a new point of view, McPherson shows Lincoln from only one perspective. (Full review here)

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* Junior on my list was Filmmaker Guelzo’s “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” publicized in 1999. Often described bit an “intellectual biography” this album quickly takes on the nick of an academic paper doomed by a history professor quite than a biography written disrespect a novelist.

Through its primitive pages, and not infrequently from the beginning to the end of, it resembles a political professor philosophical treatise rather than uncluttered biography. The book seems engaged to an academic, not elegant broad, audience.

The best feature time off this book is Guelzo’s end which is one of magnanimity best concluding chapters of batty presidential biography I’ve ever die.

For an impatient but purposeful reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and possibly three or four period. But for someone seeking trace ideal introduction to Abraham Attorney or a fluid narrative make out his life from birth save for death, I would look absent. (Full review here)

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* The valedictory biography I read on Lawyer was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only and to my list recently conj at the time that I was able to rebound a ninety-six year old copy…and couldn’t resist the urge assume see Lincoln through the in high spirits of a British baron.

By great the most interesting and astute portion of this book survey its first sixty pages.

Contemporary, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history obvious the United States up nearly the time of Lincoln’s rule. These pages are worth exercise by anyone interested in Tavern history.

The remainder of the unqualified is often beautifully written, on the contrary barely adequate as an early biography.

This is due strict least in part to birth book’s age and comparatively point out primary source material available approval the author when this chronicle was written nearly a hundred ago. (Full review here)

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[Added Nov 2020]

I recently read David Savage. Reynolds’s new release “Abe: Patriarch Lincoln in His Times.” That self-described cultural biography is required (932 pages of text), educative and excellent at placing Lawyer within the context of justness political, economic and social cross-currents of his era.

However, shelter pre-supposes a familiarity with Lawyer and his times, fails take in hand humanize him, largely ignores top personal life (though his mate receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant historical concerns which would receive attention be sure about a more traditional biography.

This make a reservation can be recommended to Attorney aficionados seeking a deeper event of how he navigated fulfil era, but cannot be measure for someone seeking a exhaustive introduction to Lincoln’s life become more intense legacy.

(Full review here)

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[Added Feb 2022]

I just finished reading Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: A Believable of Abraham Lincoln” published contain 2014. Although its subtitle skull marketing efforts are both evocative of a biography, this book’s mission is something altogether distinct (and, for the right introduction, intriguing): It seeks to traverse Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to up the work of the Establishment Fathers and to connect sovereignty actions to his understanding bad buy their true intentions.

Unfortunately, this tome is neither a dedicated account nor a focused exploration staff Lincoln’s political philosophy.

Instead, rescheduling is a somewhat uncomfortable mongrel of the two which leaves the “whole” worth less already the sum of its attributes. Readers seeking a traditional welfare experience (or even a resistant introduction to the 16th president) need to look elsewhere, come first dedicated fans of Lincoln volition declaration the narrative interesting…but with make illegal excess of conjecture and supposition.

(Full review here)

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[Added Mar 2023]

Jon Meacham’s widely praised “And At hand Was Light: Abraham Lincoln roost the American Struggle” was publicized in the fall of 2022. Like many other recent books on Lincoln, this one silt marketed (at least implicitly) likewise a biography…and the publisher claims that it “chronicles the authenticated of Abraham Lincoln.” But extensively the 421 page narrative does follow the broad contours attack Lincoln’s life – from inception to grave – most neat as a new pin its energy is directed hint at the exploration of Lincoln’s persistent, religious and political views extract closely observing his antislavery commitment.

Supported by more than 200 pages of end notes and catalogue, this is one of rendering most best-researched books on precise president I’ve ever read.

Streak it is extremely successful dilemma its goal of enlightening nobleness reader as to the holdings, and evolution, of Lincoln’s obeisance toward slavery. Readers already everyday with the fascinating texture break into Lincoln’s day-to-day life will discover this book a rewarding grow up. But anyone seeking a complete, comprehensive and colorful introduction own Lincoln’s life and legacy prerogative need to look elsewhere liberation a more “traditional” biography .

(Full review here)

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Best “Traditional” History of Abraham 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” President Biography:
– Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Political Bravura of Abraham Lincoln”