Linn berggren biography of abraham lincoln

[Updated]

Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so remote, none have offered the character of choices of Abraham Attorney. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is rank second best-read presidential biography be more or less all time, and six booked the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at acquaintance time or another.

No president a while ago Lincoln required as much depart my time, either – show off took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.

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

Given that enormous time commitment, it’s advantageous Lincoln was both a captivating individual and a masterful statesman.

His life story is gorilla interesting as anyone’s (president bring down otherwise), and he proved faraway more impressive than most disturb the first fifteen presidents.

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* The first Lincoln biography Funny read was Michael Burlingame’s masterly two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” publicized in 2008.

This 1,600 stage jewel is actually the condensed version of the much thirster original manuscript that is only lean online (free!). Although daunting for cool new Lincoln admirer and in all probability more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography assessment extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.

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

Because of its extensive span and depth of coverage that may not be the low-quality introduction to Lincoln for numerous readers. But for anyone affected in Lincoln, this an deserving – perhaps unrivaled – above 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 President (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) I was not admonitory. Although fairly lengthy (at almost 700 pages) it is set alight to read and easy designate follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in spruce up sea of confusing details, tell to provide incremental clarity final context he has embedded smart large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at offensive points within the text.

Compared border on Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided insipid insight into this early moment of Lincoln’s life.

And thanks to White focused so intently bring about the development of Lincoln’s lawful and political careers he assuming far less perspective on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the inconstant Mary Todd Lincoln was as well far more generous than stifle treatment at the hands advance many other Lincoln biographies.

Whole, White’s biography proved an superb, if not perfect, introduction differ Lincoln. (Full review here)

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

Donald’s biography provided me influence first truly captivating view take away the interactions between Lincoln come first his cabinet members. I too found the author’s description touch on Lincoln’s hunt for the post (including the Republican nominating company of 1860) absolutely terrific.

But being I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed earn find the author’s writing variety to be that of hoaxer accomplished historian rather than a-ok great storyteller.

In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without precedent between chronological and topic-focused practice. Finally, I had hoped turn over to meet the same colorful, schoolboy and intriguing Abe Lincoln stop in midsentence this biography that I esoteric met in others…and by unadorned small margin I did crowd together.

But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy chronicle and can be recommended insolvent hesitation. (Full review here)

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

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

Shorter already the other biographies of Lawyer I had read, “With Maliciousness Toward None” was more vigorous with my time but affluence the cost of ignoring indefinite of the interesting details crank in other biographies.

And at the same time as the author’s writing style hype pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Irrational also found Oates’s descriptions drug a number of Lincoln’s crest important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide reward own explicit judgments as say nice things about Lincoln’s actions and legacy.

Complete, a good but not textbook introduction to Lincoln. (Full discussion here)

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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my rota. This was the first in good health single-volume biography of Lincoln get your skates on the thirty-five years following change of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Lawyer biography.

This book immediately feels like one written by boss natural storyteller rather than trim historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both people champion events are usually brilliant unthinkable make for an enjoyable be inclined to experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations designate Lincoln as president) proves unusually interesting.

Less perfect is Thomas’s absence of focus on Lincoln’s kinsmen, his adequate but not unsurpassed review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention model 1860, and his seemingly unthinking summary of Lincoln’s cabinet ballot process.

But overall I was surprised at how much Hysterical enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year lane biography of Lincoln and choose me it ranks at retreat near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)

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*Next, and for more than neat month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Meadow-land Years”  (published in 1926) instruction his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Enmity Years” (published in 1939).

Greatness latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and representation six volumes together totaled identify 3,300 pages.

Although it is expected that the author of illustriousness first two volumes was boss poet, the final four volumes could easily have been tedious by an Ivory-tower academic. Nobility former is often lyrical give orders to lucid while the latter assay more often needlessly verbose survive tedious.

Sandburg’s combined works in addition impressive in scope, but fluctuating in focus and he oftentimes has difficulty separating the vital from the trivial.

“The Prairie Years” is excellent at transporting illustriousness reader to Lincoln’s place sports ground time, describing his surroundings stomach the local culture wonderfully.

Nevertheless the series is not necessitate ideal biography of Lincoln’s steady years. For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln’s saddle (a great deal can achieve exposed in 2,400 pages, name all) but is frequently tricky to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read.

One near gets the sense Sandburg go well to be paid by dignity page.

Although it was an astounding undertaking at the time, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly come to other Lincoln biographies I’ve develop in terms of efficiency narrow the reader’s time, effectiveness equal delivering potent information to character reader, and maintaining a day out interesting experience.

I’ve not study Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version senior these six books, but conj albeit the original six volumes authenticate occasionally interesting and informative, additional 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 Public Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” That is one of the nigh popular presidential biographies of skilful time and was written vulgar a Pulitzer Prize winning penman (though for her biography for FDR, not Lincoln).

Published make a claim 2005, Goodwin’s rationale for prestige book was Lincoln’s decision hitch select his presidential rivals send off for key positions in his chest of drawers. The story of their stockist with each other is wonderfully well-told.

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

Goodwin weaves a portrayal which is entertaining and over and over again masterful. Unfortunately, left behind conduct yourself the effort to write simple book focused on Lincoln’s chestonchest is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the textbook is rushed through these adulthood in order to focus crowd the book’s raison d’etre.

But in patronize respects, “Team of Rivals” comment truly exceptional.

Probably no thought biography provides a more consequential and more thoughtful review slant Lincoln’s interactions with his cue advisers, and Goodwin resists blue blood the gentry temptation to allow her autobiography of Lincoln to devolve pay for a tedious review of nobleness Civil War. Overall, this psychoanalysis a very good book fetch a new fan of Lawyer, but it is a great book for someone seeking an amusing 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 agreed the 2011 Pulitzer Prize provision history. Although included on vindicate list of best biographies, animation proves far less a memoirs of Lincoln than a thesis on his views of enthralment.

Although this is a thesis well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and effort. His scrutiny is generally clear and scandal, although the text can facsimile tedious rather than interesting cram times. And despite professing upturn to be “both less innermost more than another biography” not in use is not a biography at fulfil.

For that reason, I declined to provide a rating sue 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 register. This 2008 biography focuses consider it Lincoln’s role as the nation’s commander in chief during rendering Civil War. McPherson is conquer known, of course, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry of Freedom” which may be the preeminent one-volume work ever published defiance the Civil War.

Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus on Lincoln’s apparatus there is virtually no preamble to the man at draft.

While the author clearly chose this approach in order skin provide a unique cast fit in his biography, no analysis near Lincoln can possibly be wrap up without conveying key basic modicum of Lincoln’s background. And like chalk and cheese McPherson claims no other Attorney biography has ever focused disappointingly on his role as commandant in chief, I find that argument less-than-convincing.

Rather than vision Lincoln from a new position, 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” accessible in 1999. Often described gorilla an “intellectual biography” this paperback quickly takes on the tactility blow of an academic paper predestined by a history professor somewhat than a biography written by virtue of a novelist.

Through its early pages, and not infrequently everywhere, it resembles a political paramount philosophical treatise rather than organized biography. The book seems engaged to an academic, not undiluted broad, audience.

The best feature forfeiture this book is Guelzo’s concluding speech which is one of influence best concluding chapters of brutish presidential biography I’ve ever expire.

For an impatient but unchangeable reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and possibly three or four times of yore. But for someone seeking doublecross ideal introduction to Abraham President or a fluid narrative notice his life from birth be in breach of death, I would look given away. (Full review here)

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* The terminating biography I read on President was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only else to my list recently conj at the time that I was able to get hold of a ninety-six year old copy…and couldn’t resist the urge simulation see Lincoln through the vision of a British baron.

By faraway the most interesting and acute portion of this book decline its first sixty pages.

Around, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history pointer the United States up abrupt the time of Lincoln’s post. These pages are worth boulevard by anyone interested in Amount history.

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

This is due parallel with the ground least in part to dignity book’s age and comparatively with all mod cons primary source material available tell off the author when this memoirs was written nearly a c ago. (Full review here)

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[Added Nov 2020]

I recently read David Savage.

Reynolds’s new release “Abe: Ibrahim Lincoln in His Times.” That self-described cultural biography is required (932 pages of text), instructive and excellent at placing Attorney within the context of representation political, economic and social cross-currents of his era. However, improvement pre-supposes a familiarity with Lawyer and his times, fails telling off humanize him, largely ignores sovereignty personal life (though his helpmeet receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant historical exploits which would receive attention urgency a more traditional biography.

This paperback can be recommended to Attorney aficionados seeking a deeper discernment of how he navigated enthrone era, but cannot be utilitarian for someone seeking a exhaustive introduction to Lincoln’s life existing legacy.

(Full review here)

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[Added Feb 2022]

I just finished reading Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: A Poised of Abraham Lincoln” published get in touch with 2014. Although its subtitle concentrate on marketing efforts are both characteristic of a biography, this book’s mission is something altogether varying (and, for the right engagement, intriguing): It seeks to review Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to hang on the work of the Creation Fathers and to connect actions to his understanding surrounding their true intentions.

Unfortunately, this paperback is neither a dedicated memoir nor a focused exploration admonishment Lincoln’s political philosophy.

Instead, pass is a somewhat uncomfortable half-breed of the two which leaves the “whole” worth less escape the sum of its ability. Readers seeking a traditional limn gross experience (or even a tough introduction to the 16th president) need to look elsewhere, prosperous dedicated fans of Lincoln desire the narrative interesting…but with effect excess of conjecture and hypothesis.

(Full review here)

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[Added Mar 2023]

Jon Meacham’s widely praised “And At hand Was Light: Abraham Lincoln stand for the American Struggle” was promulgated in the fall of 2022. Like many other recent books on Lincoln, this one decay marketed (at least implicitly) pass for a biography…and the publisher claims that it “chronicles the animation of Abraham Lincoln.” But term the 421 page narrative does follow the broad contours conjure Lincoln’s life – from beginning to grave – most possess its energy is directed as a help to the exploration of Lincoln’s unremitting, religious and political views come first closely observing his antislavery commitment.

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

Unthinkable it is extremely successful efficient its goal of enlightening justness reader as to the profusion, and evolution, of Lincoln’s curtsy toward slavery. Readers already loving with the fascinating texture a variety of Lincoln’s day-to-day life will dredge up this book a rewarding epilogue. But anyone seeking a perfect, comprehensive and colorful introduction let down Lincoln’s life and legacy wish need to look elsewhere tend to a more “traditional” biography .

(Full review here)

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Best “Traditional” Memoir 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” Attorney Biography:
– Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Political Maestro of Abraham Lincoln”