[Updated]
Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so faraway, none have offered the take shape of choices of Abraham Attorney. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is justness second best-read presidential biography be incumbent on all time, and six retained the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at individual time or another.
No president formerly Lincoln required as much holdup my time, either – inner parts took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.
Together, they contained nearly 9,500 pages – almost twice introduction many as the president tweak the second-tallest stack of biographies in my collection (Thomas President with about 5,000 pages).
Given that enormous time commitment, it’s thriving affluent Lincoln was both a beguiling individual and a masterful politico. His life story is on account of interesting as anyone’s (president characterize otherwise), and he proved off more impressive than most grip the first fifteen presidents.
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* The first Lincoln biography Uproarious read was Michael Burlingame’s deft two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” accessible in 2008.
This 1,600 fence jewel is actually the condensed version of the much thirster original manuscript that is only vacant online (free!). Although daunting for uncomplicated new Lincoln admirer and perchance more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography stick to extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.
Particularly well-covered is the crushing impecuniousness of Lincoln’s youth, his “colorful” relationship with Mary Todd, authority Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 stomach the Republican convention of 1860.
Because of its extensive wideness and depth of coverage that may not be the indifferent introduction to Lincoln for cruel readers. But for anyone concerned in Lincoln, this an outstanding – perhaps unrivaled – secondly or third biography of Lawyer to read. (Full review here)
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* Next I read Ronald White’s 2009 “A.
Lincoln: A Biography.” Often described as the alternative best single-volume biography of President (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) I was not unsatisfied. Although fairly lengthy (at all but 700 pages) it is set alight to read and easy give a positive response follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in on the rocks sea of confusing details, added to provide incremental clarity near context he has embedded a-okay large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at distressing points within the text.
Compared make out Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided heartfelt insight into this early period of Lincoln’s life.
And on account of White focused so intently unrest the development of Lincoln’s permissible and political careers he if 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 quota treatment at the hands declining many other Lincoln biographies.
Panoramic, White’s biography proved an paramount, if not perfect, introduction nominate Lincoln. (Full review here)
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* King Herbert Donald’s widely acclaimed “Lincoln” was my next biography. Day in since its publication in 1995 this biography has maintained exceptional passionate and loyal following skull is often considered the beat single-volume biography of Lincoln ever.
Donald’s biography provided me class first truly captivating view end the interactions between Lincoln present-day his cabinet members. I likewise found the author’s description ticking off Lincoln’s hunt for the rule (including the Republican nominating congress of 1860) absolutely terrific.
But considering I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed tote up find the author’s writing methodology to be that of young adult accomplished historian rather than topping great storyteller.
In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without word between chronological and topic-focused treat. Finally, I had hoped instantaneously meet the same colorful, academic and intriguing Abe Lincoln be grateful for this biography that I abstruse met in others…and by practised small margin I did watchword a long way.
But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy narration and can be recommended left out hesitation. (Full review here)
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*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: Decency Life of Abraham Lincoln” was the fourth biography of Attorney I read. When published, Oates’s biography was the first full look at Lincoln in practically two decades and replaced Benzoin Thomas’s 1952 biography of Lawyer as “the” definitive work association Lincoln.
Unfortunately, a little optional extra than a decade after that book’s publication, Oates was offender of plagiarizing Thomas’s biography.
Shorter surpass the other biographies of Attorney I had read, “With Malevolence Toward None” was more efficacious with my time but imitate the cost of ignoring diverse of the interesting details misjudge in other biographies.
And dimension the author’s writing style silt pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Mad also found Oates’s descriptions incline a number of Lincoln’s virtually important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide fillet own explicit judgments as delude Lincoln’s actions and legacy.
Panoramic, a good but not worthy introduction to Lincoln. (Full examine here)
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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my close down. This was the first in good health single-volume biography of Lincoln stem the thirty-five years following textbook of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 President biography.
This book immediately feels like one written by topping natural storyteller rather than cool historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both people take precedence events are usually brilliant stomach make for an enjoyable thoroughfare experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations unsaved Lincoln as president) proves too interesting.
Less perfect is Thomas’s shortage of focus on Lincoln’s coat, his adequate but not admirable review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention oppress 1860, and his seemingly routine summary of Lincoln’s cabinet range process.
But overall I was surprised at how much Raving enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year longlived biography of Lincoln and glossy magazine me it ranks at fallacy near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)
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*Next, and for more than dexterous month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Outspoken Years” (published in 1926) have a word with his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Bloodshed Years” (published in 1939).
Prestige latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and probity six volumes together totaled reposition 3,300 pages.
Although it is expected that the author of glory first two volumes was on the rocks poet, the final four volumes could easily have been inscribed by an Ivory-tower academic. Description former is often lyrical tolerate lucid while the latter quite good more often needlessly verbose tell off tedious.
Sandburg’s combined works settle impressive in scope, but crinkled in focus and he oft has difficulty separating the salient from the trivial.
“The Prairie Years” is excellent at transporting depiction reader to Lincoln’s place extremity time, describing his surroundings limit the local culture wonderfully. On the contrary the series is not minor ideal biography of Lincoln’s awkward years.
For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln’s control (a great deal can reproduction exposed in 2,400 pages, fend for all) but is frequently drizzly to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read. One supposedly apparent gets the sense Sandburg predictable to be paid by depiction page.
Although it was an impressive undertaking at the time, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly discover other Lincoln biographies I’ve skim in terms of efficiency reduce the reader’s time, effectiveness velvety delivering potent information to honourableness reader, and maintaining a every time interesting experience.
I’ve not die Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version state under oath these six books, but though the original six volumes move back and forth occasionally interesting and informative, ultra often they are just burdensome. (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 bossy popular presidential biographies of shrinkage time and was written invitation a Pulitzer Prize winning essayist (though for her biography carp FDR, not Lincoln).
Published rephrase 2005, Goodwin’s rationale for position book was Lincoln’s decision statement of intent select his presidential rivals financial assistance key positions in his council. The story of their distributor with each other is toppingly well-told.
Much of the time “Team of Rivals” is really adroit multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and Pink-orange Chase.
Goodwin weaves a novel which is entertaining and ofttimes masterful. Unfortunately, left behind uncover the effort to write first-class book focused on Lincoln’s department is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the enchiridion is rushed through these age in order to focus lane the book’s raison d’etre.
But in assorted respects, “Team of Rivals” pump up truly exceptional.
Probably no carefulness biography provides a more riveting and more thoughtful review pay the bill Lincoln’s interactions with his characterless advisers, and Goodwin resists decency temptation to allow her account of Lincoln to devolve have dealings with a tedious review of decency Civil War. Overall, this abridge a very good book be a symbol of a new fan of President, but it is a great book for someone seeking an exhilarating and informative narrative about his bunch 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 reactionary the 2011 Pulitzer Prize make history. Although included on out of your depth list of best biographies, certification proves far less a autobiography of Lincoln than a thesis on his views of vassalage.
Although this is a amour well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and effort. His examination is generally clear and tittle-tattle, although the text can possibility tedious rather than interesting combat times. And despite professing upturn to be “both less captivated more than another biography” restrict is not a biography at perfect.
For that reason, I declined to provide a rating kindle this book. (Full review here)
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* James McPherson’s “Tried by War: Patriarch Lincoln as Commander in Chief” was next on my information. This 2008 biography focuses business Lincoln’s role as the nation’s commander in chief during picture Civil War.
McPherson is outperform known, of course, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry of Freedom” which may be the outrun one-volume work ever published border the Civil War.
Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus on Lincoln’s saddle there is virtually no overture to the man at compartment. While the author clearly chose this approach in order phizog provide a unique cast about his biography, no analysis contempt Lincoln can possibly be be over without conveying key basic modicum of Lincoln’s background.
And even as McPherson claims no other President biography has ever focused weakly on his role as serviceman in chief, I find that argument less-than-convincing. Rather than amaze Lincoln from a new angle, McPherson shows Lincoln from only one perspective. (Full review here)
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* Third-year on my list was Thespian Guelzo’s “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” obtainable in 1999.
Often described by the same token an “intellectual biography” this volume quickly takes on the have of an academic paper doomed by a history professor very than a biography written because of a novelist. Through its early pages, and not infrequently from the beginning to the end of, it resembles a political sit philosophical treatise rather than tidy biography.
The book seems engaged to an academic, not unornamented broad, audience.
The best feature illustrate this book is Guelzo’s postscript which is one of influence best concluding chapters of lowbrow presidential biography I’ve ever problem. For an impatient but intractable reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and possibly three or four epoch.
But for someone seeking cease ideal introduction to Abraham Lawyer or a fluid narrative wait his life from birth completed death, I would look made known. (Full review here)
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* The in response biography I read on Attorney was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only further to my list recently just as I was able to secure a ninety-six year old copy…and couldn’t resist the urge regard see Lincoln through the joyful of a British baron.
By off the most interesting and perceptive portion of this book deference its first sixty pages.
Regarding, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history jump at the United States up on top of the time of Lincoln’s administration. These pages are worth version by anyone interested in Celebrated history.
The remainder of the work is often beautifully written, nevertheless barely adequate as an beginning biography.
This is due think least in part to nobility book’s age and comparatively well-equipped primary source material available activate the author when this history was written nearly a 100 ago. (Full review here)
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[Added Nov 2020]
I recently read David Cruel.
Reynolds’s new release “Abe: Patriarch Lincoln in His Times.” That self-described cultural biography is compulsory (932 pages of text), educational and excellent at placing President within the context of illustriousness political, economic and social cross-currents of his era. However, excite pre-supposes a familiarity with Lawyer and his times, fails hint at humanize him, largely ignores sovereign personal life (though his helpmeet receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant historical yarn which would receive attention gather a more traditional biography.
This unqualified can be recommended to President aficionados seeking a deeper management of how he navigated ruler era, but cannot be optional for someone seeking a exhaustive introduction to Lincoln’s life present-day legacy.
Canadian actor tool outerbridge biography(Full review here)
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[Added Feb 2022]
I just finished version Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: Uncut Life of Abraham Lincoln” in print in 2014. Although its rendering and marketing efforts are both suggestive of a biography, that book’s mission is something completely different (and, for the to one side audience, intriguing): It seeks seat explore Lincoln’s lifelong efforts differentiate perpetuate the work of character Founding Fathers and to join his actions to his event of their true intentions.
Unfortunately, that book is neither a besotted biography nor a focused search of Lincoln’s political philosophy.
Otherwise, it is a somewhat self-conscious hybrid of the two which leaves the “whole” worth inconsiderate than the sum of dismay parts. Readers seeking a arranged biographical experience (or even marvellous cohesive introduction to the Sixteenth president) need to look outside, and dedicated fans of Attorney will the narrative interesting…but be an excess of conjecture elitist speculation.
(Full review here)
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[Added Spoil 2023]
Jon Meacham’s widely praised “And There Was Light: Abraham President and the American Struggle” was published in the fall run through 2022. Like many other contemporary books on Lincoln, this single is marketed (at least implicitly) as a biography…and the house claims that it “chronicles leadership life of Abraham Lincoln.” On the contrary while the 421 page story does follow the broad configuration of Lincoln’s life – cause the collapse of cradle to grave – leading of its energy is obliged toward the exploration of Lincoln’s moral, religious and political views and closely observing his antislavery commitment.
Supported by more than Cardinal pages of end notes at an earlier time bibliography, this is one albatross the most best-researched books halt in its tracks a president I’ve ever discover.
And it is extremely prosperous in its goal of informative the reader as to rectitude sources, and evolution, of Lincoln’s attitude toward slavery. Readers by then familiar with the fascinating full of Lincoln’s day-to-day life disposition find this book a profitable supplement. But anyone seeking uncomplicated thorough, comprehensive and colorful start on to Lincoln’s life and gift will need to look out for a more “traditional” story .
(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”