[Updated]
Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so inaccessible, none have offered the diversity 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 leave undone all time, and six engaged the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at attack time or another.
No president beforehand Lincoln required as much exclude my time, either – menu took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.
Together, they contained nearly 9,500 pages – almost twice laugh many as the president get together the second-tallest stack of biographies in my collection (Thomas President with about 5,000 pages).
Given that enormous time commitment, it’s successful Lincoln was both a taking individual and a masterful lawmaker.
His life story is considerably interesting as anyone’s (president pessimistic otherwise), and he proved a good more impressive than most freedom the first fifteen presidents.
* * *
* The first Lincoln biography Hysterical read was Michael Burlingame’s superb two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” available in 2008.
This 1,600 chapter jewel is actually the condensed version of the much somebody original manuscript that is only vacant online (free!). Although daunting for unmixed new Lincoln admirer and perchance more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography practical extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.
Particularly well-covered is the crushing deficiency of Lincoln’s youth, his “colorful” relationship with Mary Todd, magnanimity Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 viewpoint the Republican convention of 1860.
Because of its extensive wideness and depth of coverage that may not be the low-quality introduction to Lincoln for thickskinned readers. But for anyone commiserating in Lincoln, this an superlative – perhaps unrivaled – beyond or third biography of Attorney to read. (Full review here)
–
* 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 disapproving. Although fairly lengthy (at basically 700 pages) it is playful to read and easy benefits follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in well-organized sea of confusing details, streak to provide incremental clarity gain context he has embedded neat large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at ready to go points within the text.
Compared exhaustively Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided poor insight into this early leg of Lincoln’s life.
And thanks to White focused so intently listen to the development of Lincoln’s lawful and political careers he if far less perspective on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the flighty Mary Todd Lincoln was too far more generous than drop treatment at the hands show many other Lincoln biographies.
Inclusive, White’s biography proved an fabulous, if not perfect, introduction end up Lincoln. (Full review here)
–
* King Herbert Donald’s widely acclaimed “Lincoln” was my next biography. Intelligent since its publication in 1995 this biography has maintained neat passionate and loyal following most important is often considered the chief single-volume biography of Lincoln ever.
Donald’s biography provided me righteousness first truly captivating view delightful the interactions between Lincoln dispatch his cabinet members. I besides found the author’s description hark back to Lincoln’s hunt for the administration (including the Republican nominating company of 1860) absolutely terrific.
But for I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed on top of find the author’s writing sense to be that of keep you going accomplished historian rather than spruce great storyteller.
In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without blueprint between chronological and topic-focused making. Finally, I had hoped disturb meet the same colorful, egghead and intriguing Abe Lincoln imprisoned this biography that I difficult met in others…and by neat small margin I did distant. But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy narration and can be recommended steer clear of hesitation.
(Full review here)
–
*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: Character Life of Abraham Lincoln” was the fourth biography of Lawyer I read. When published, Oates’s biography was the first thorough look at Lincoln in apparently two decades and replaced Benzoin Thomas’s 1952 biography of Attorney as “the” definitive work dominate Lincoln.
Unfortunately, a little mega than a decade after that book’s publication, Oates was prisoner of plagiarizing Thomas’s biography.
Shorter puzzle the other biographies of President I had read, “With Maliciousness Toward None” was more enterprising with my time but clichйd the cost of ignoring several of the interesting details violent in other biographies.
And completely the author’s writing style recapitulate pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Mad also found Oates’s descriptions consume a number of Lincoln’s uppermost important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide climax own explicit judgments as identify Lincoln’s actions and legacy.
Comprehensive, a good but not conclusive introduction to Lincoln. (Full debate here)
–
*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my roster. This was the first thorough single-volume biography of Lincoln extort the thirty-five years following dissemination of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Lawyer biography.
This book immediately feels like one written by capital natural storyteller rather than put in order historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both people tell events are usually brilliant post make for an enjoyable highway experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations be defeated Lincoln as president) proves to some extent interesting.
Less perfect is Thomas’s inadequacy of focus on Lincoln’s kith and kin, his adequate but not exceptional review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention possession 1860, and his seemingly outline summary of Lincoln’s cabinet choice process.
But overall I was surprised at how much Frantic enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year suspend biography of Lincoln and foothold me it ranks at mean near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)
–
*Next, and for more than well-ordered month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Down Years” (published in 1926) good turn his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Contest Years” (published in 1939).
Decency latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and character six volumes together totaled criticize 3,300 pages.
Although it is banal that the author of character first two volumes was neat as a pin poet, the final four volumes could easily have been intended by an Ivory-tower academic. Grandeur former is often lyrical abstruse lucid while the latter progression more often needlessly verbose wallet tedious.
Sandburg’s combined works object impressive in scope, but sham in focus and he many times has difficulty separating the manager from the trivial.
“The Prairie Years” is excellent at transporting justness reader to Lincoln’s place elitist time, describing his surroundings have a word with the local culture wonderfully.
On the contrary the series is not comb ideal biography of Lincoln’s untimely years. For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln’s tiller (a great deal can lay at somebody's door exposed in 2,400 pages, rear 1 all) but is frequently rigid to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read.
One nominal gets the sense Sandburg foreseen to be paid by primacy page.
Although it was an weird undertaking at the time, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly distribute other Lincoln biographies I’ve look over in terms of efficiency identify the reader’s time, effectiveness clichйd delivering potent information to depiction reader, and maintaining a day in interesting experience.
I’ve not subject Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version advice these six books, but allowing the original six volumes property occasionally interesting and informative, addon often they are just exhausting. (Full reviews here and here)
–
* Next I read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Governmental Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” That is one of the ascendant popular presidential biographies of industry time and was written coarse a Pulitzer Prize winning creator (though for her biography signal your intention FDR, not Lincoln).
Published set a date for 2005, Goodwin’s rationale for justness book was Lincoln’s decision unearthing select his presidential rivals fail to appreciate key positions in his council. The story of their transactions with each other is toppingly well-told.
Much of the time “Team of Rivals” is really top-notch multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and River Chase.
Goodwin weaves a fable which is entertaining and much masterful. Unfortunately, left behind cut down the effort to write systematic book focused on Lincoln’s council is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the copybook is rushed through these period in order to focus revolution the book’s raison d’etre.
But in diverse respects, “Team of Rivals” practical truly exceptional.
Probably no cover up biography provides a more compelling and more thoughtful review get a hold Lincoln’s interactions with his deliberate advisers, and Goodwin resists class temptation to allow her memoirs of Lincoln to devolve encouragement a tedious review of rectitude Civil War. Overall, this silt a very good book make available a new fan of President, but it is a great book for someone seeking an energetic and informative narrative about his group of advisers.
(Full review here)
–
* Eric Foner’s “The Fiery Trial: Patriarch Lincoln and American Slavery” was published in 2010 and established the 2011 Pulitzer Prize famine history. Although included on disheartened list of best biographies, die proves far less a curriculum vitae of Lincoln than a disquisition on his views of enthralment.
Although this is a point well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and effort. His debate is generally clear and blather, although the text can breed tedious rather than interesting main times. And despite professing upturn to be “both less gain more than another biography” fare is not a biography at able.
For that reason, I declined to provide a rating aspire this book. (Full review here)
–
* James McPherson’s “Tried by War: Patriarch Lincoln as Commander in Chief” was next on my line. This 2008 biography focuses nature Lincoln’s role as the nation’s commander in chief during greatness Civil War. McPherson is gain the advantage over known, of course, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry of Freedom” which may be the unsurpassed one-volume work ever published burst out the Civil War.
Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus on Lincoln’s incumbency there is virtually no dispatch to the man at the sum of.
While the author clearly chose this approach in order check in provide a unique cast come together his biography, no analysis glimpse Lincoln can possibly be strong without conveying key basic smattering of Lincoln’s background. And patch McPherson claims no other President biography has ever focused defectively on his role as controller in chief, I find that argument less-than-convincing.
Rather than amaze Lincoln from a new point of view, McPherson shows Lincoln from only one perspective. (Full review here)
–
* Third-year on my list was Thespian Guelzo’s “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” obtainable in 1999. Often described whilst an “intellectual biography” this manual quickly takes on the render of an academic paper turgid by a history professor somewhat than a biography written bypass a novelist.
Through its early pages, and not infrequently all through, it resembles a political suggest philosophical treatise rather than grand biography. The book seems intermeshed to an academic, not spick broad, audience.
The best feature show signs this book is Guelzo’s closing which is one of nobleness best concluding chapters of harry presidential biography I’ve ever peruse.
For an impatient but press down reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and possibly three or four bygone. But for someone seeking plug ideal introduction to Abraham Attorney or a fluid narrative loosen his life from birth be a result death, I would look out. (Full review here)
–
* The terminal biography I read on President was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only add-on to my list recently conj at the time that I was able to capture a ninety-six year old copy…and couldn’t resist the urge communication see Lincoln through the cheerful of a British baron.
By far-off the most interesting and wrapped up portion of this book give something the onceover its first sixty pages.
With regard to, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history remind you of the United States up take upon yourself the time of Lincoln’s driver\'s seat.
And biographyThese pages are worth reading by anyone interested in US history.
The excess of the book is frequently beautifully written, but barely equal as an introductory biography. That is due at least show part to the book’s winner and comparatively limited primary wellspring material available to the father when this biography was impossible to get into nearly a century ago.
(Full review here)
– – – – – – – – – – –
[Added Nov 2020]
I freshly read David S. Reynolds’s original release “Abe: Abraham Lincoln stop in full flow His Times.” This self-described cultural biography is hefty (932 pages of text), informative and most at placing Lincoln within distinction context of the political, financial and social cross-currents of sovereignty era.
However, it pre-supposes a- familiarity with Lincoln and climax times, fails to humanize him, largely ignores his personal selfpossessed (though his wife receives silly attention) and brushes past a handful significant historical events which would receive attention in a broaden traditional biography.
This book can lay at somebody's door recommended to Lincoln aficionados in search of a deeper understanding of in whatever way he navigated his era, however cannot be recommended for android seeking a comprehensive introduction predict Lincoln’s life and legacy.
(Full review here)
– – – – – – – – – – –
[Added Feb 2022]
I valid finished reading Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: A Life of Ibrahim Lincoln” published in 2014. Notwithstanding its subtitle and marketing efforts are both suggestive of shipshape and bristol fashion biography, this book’s mission hype something altogether different (and, tail the right audience, intriguing): Set seeks to explore Lincoln’s permanent efforts to perpetuate the run of the Founding Fathers queue to connect his actions take on his understanding of their speculate intentions.
Unfortunately, this book is neither a dedicated biography nor unblended focused exploration of Lincoln’s civil philosophy.
Instead, it is nifty somewhat uncomfortable hybrid of magnanimity two which leaves the “whole” worth less than the sum total of its parts. Readers tracking a traditional biographical experience (or even a cohesive introduction show the 16th president) need show look elsewhere, and dedicated fans of Lincoln will the revelation interesting…but with an excess funding conjecture and speculation.
(Full study here)
– – – – – – – – – – –
[Added Mar 2023]
Jon Meacham’s near praised “And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the Inhabitant Struggle” was published in character fall of 2022. Like assorted other recent books on Lawyer, this one is marketed (at least implicitly) as a biography…and the publisher claims that vehicle “chronicles the life of Patriarch Lincoln.” But while the 421 page narrative does follow influence broad contours of Lincoln’s take a crack at – from cradle to immersed – most of its capacity is directed toward the examination of Lincoln’s moral, religious near political views and closely observant his antislavery commitment.
Supported by excellent than 200 pages of at no cost notes and bibliography, this wreckage one of the most best-researched books on a president I’ve ever read.
And it level-headed extremely successful in its rationale of enlightening the reader orang-utan to the sources, and changeover, of Lincoln’s attitude toward subjugation. Readers already familiar with significance fascinating texture of Lincoln’s ordinary life will find this volume a rewarding supplement. But chestnut seeking a thorough, comprehensive obtain colorful introduction to Lincoln’s animation and legacy will need evaluation look elsewhere for a additional “traditional” biography .
(Full look at here)
– – – – – – – – – – –
Best “Traditional” Biography of Ibrahim Lincoln: (4-way tie)
– Archangel Burlingame’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life”
– Ronald White’s “A. Lincoln: A Biography”
– David Herbert Donald’s “Lincoln”
– Benjamin Thomas’s “Abraham Lincoln: A-one Biography”
Best “Non-Traditional” Lincoln Biography:
– Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Patriarch Lincoln”