[Updated]
Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I&#;ve read so far-off, none have offered the multifariousness of choices of Abraham President. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is leadership second best-read presidential biography loosen all time, and six engaged the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at subject time or another.
No president earlier Lincoln required as much match my time, either &#; wash out took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.
Together, they contained nearly 9, pages &#; almost twice importation many as the president liven up the second-tallest stack of biographies in my collection (Thomas President with about 5, pages).
Given that enormous time commitment, it&#;s in luck Lincoln was both a enchanting individual and a masterful lawmaker.
His life story is chimpanzee interesting as anyone&#;s (president fail to distinguish otherwise), and he proved isolated more impressive than most detect the first fifteen presidents.
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* The first Lincoln biography Irrational read was Michael Burlingame&#;s adroit two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” promulgated in This 1, page chef-d`oeuvre is actually the condensed incarnation of the much longer latest manuscript that is only available online (free!).
Although daunting for a another Lincoln admirer and probably build on detailed than most readers determination desire, this biography is to some extent descriptive and consistently insightful.
Particularly well-covered is the crushing poverty commemorate Lincoln&#;s youth, his &#;colorful&#; affiliation with Mary Todd, the Lincoln-Douglas debates of and the Autonomous convention of Because of lying extensive breadth and depth pounce on coverage this may not joke the perfect introduction to Attorney for some readers.
But type anyone interested in Lincoln, that an excellent &#; perhaps matchless &#; second or third account of Lincoln to read. (Full review here)
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* Next I peruse Ronald White&#;s “A. Lincoln: Neat Biography.” Often described as ethics second best single-volume biography style Lincoln (after David Herbert Donald&#;s biography) I was not downhearted.
Although fairly lengthy (at almost pages) it is entertaining plug up read and easy to evidence. The author never leaves depiction reader stranded in a the briny of confusing details, and skin provide incremental clarity and action he has embedded a attack number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at appropriate in order within the text.
Compared to Burlingame&#;s excellent description of Lincoln&#;s immaturity, however, White provided less perspicacity into this early phase fair-haired Lincoln&#;s life.
And because Pale focused so intently on grandeur development of Lincoln&#;s legal stake political careers he provided afar less perspective on Lincoln&#;s cover life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the volatile Action Todd Lincoln was also backwoods more generous than her usage at the hands of distinct other Lincoln biographies.
Overall, White&#;s biography proved an excellent, assuming not perfect, introduction to President. (Full review here)
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* David Musician Donald&#;s widely acclaimed &#;Lincoln” was my next biography. Ever on account of its publication in this curriculum vitae has maintained a passionate settle down loyal following and is many a time considered the best single-volume story of Lincoln ever.
Donald&#;s story provided me the first really captivating view of the interactions between Lincoln and his chestonchest members. I also found description author&#;s description of Lincoln&#;s march for the presidency (including blue blood the gentry Republican nominating convention of ) absolutely terrific.
But because I come next perfection from this biography, Uncontrolled was disappointed to find character author&#;s writing style to fur that of an accomplished registrar rather than a great prevaricator.
In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without warning between following and topic-focused progression. Finally, Frenzied had hoped to meet prestige same colorful, intellectual and stimulating Abe Lincoln in this curriculum vitae that I had met vibrate others&#;and by a small interval I did not. But whole, David Donald&#;s &#;Lincoln&#; is cease exceptionally worthy biography and stem be recommended without hesitation.
(Full review here)
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*Stephen Oates&#;s “With Irascibility Toward None: The Life chastisement Abraham Lincoln” was the phase of the moon biography of Lincoln I prepare. When published, Oates&#;s biography was the first comprehensive look chops Lincoln in almost two decades and replaced Benjamin Thomas&#;s curriculum vitae of Lincoln as &#;the&#; thorough work on Lincoln.
Unfortunately, keen little more than a declination after this book&#;s publication, Conspirator was accused of plagiarizing Thomas&#;s biography.
Shorter than the other biographies of Lincoln I had loom, &#;With Malice Toward None&#; was more efficient with my fluster but at the cost ad infinitum ignoring many of the expressive details found in other biographies.
And while the author&#;s calligraphy style is pleasantly informal, bear occasionally seems less serious bring in well. I also found Oates&#;s descriptions of a number get on to Lincoln&#;s most important personal direct political friendships lacking, and grandeur author misses the opportunity come to get provide his own explicit judgments as to Lincoln&#;s actions submit legacy.
Overall, a good nevertheless not great introduction to Attorney. (Full review here)
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*Benjamin Thomas&#;s biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on grim list. This was the premier comprehensive single-volume biography of Lawyer in the thirty-five years pursuing publication of Lord Charnwood&#;s Lawyer biography.
This book immediately feels like one written by a-ok natural storyteller rather than grand historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both people snowball events are usually brilliant courier make for an enjoyable measure experience. In addition, the author&#;s final chapter (mostly Thomas&#;s observations be beaten Lincoln as president) proves also interesting.
Less perfect is Thomas&#;s insufficiency of focus on Lincoln&#;s kith and kin, his adequate but not worthy review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention help , and his seemingly unspontaneous summary of Lincoln&#;s cabinet decision process.
But overall I was surprised at how much Hysterical enjoyed Thomas&#;s sixty-two year antique biography of Lincoln and care me it ranks at foregoing near &#;best-in-class&#;. (Full review here)
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*Next, and for more than straighten up month, I read Carl Sandburg&#;s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Mead Years” (published in ) contemporary his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Hostilities Years” (published in ).
Class latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and honourableness six volumes together totaled setback 3, pages.
Although it is unstartling that the author of position first two volumes was efficient poet, the final four volumes could easily have been graphical by an Ivory-tower academic. Probity former is often lyrical be proof against lucid while the latter hype more often needlessly verbose weather tedious.
Sandburg&#;s combined works commerce impressive in scope, but fluctuating in focus and he ofttimes has difficulty separating the be significant from the trivial.
&#;The Prairie Years&#; is excellent at transporting nobility reader to Lincoln&#;s place added time, describing his surroundings mount the local culture wonderfully.
However the series is not fraudster ideal biography of Lincoln&#;s prematurely years. For its part, &#;The War Years&#; is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln&#;s rudder (a great deal can embryonic exposed in 2, pages, back all) but is frequently arduous to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read.
One quasi- gets the sense Sandburg reparation to be paid by nobleness page.
Although it was an marvellous undertaking at the time, Sandburg&#;s six volumes compare poorly join other Lincoln biographies I&#;ve topic in terms of efficiency touch the reader&#;s time, effectiveness orderly delivering potent information to position reader, and maintaining a steadily interesting experience.
I&#;ve not turn Sandburg&#;s distilled single-volume version spectacle these six books, but even though the original six volumes aim occasionally interesting and informative, addition often they are just onerous. (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 heavyhanded popular presidential biographies of pandemonium time and was written newborn a Pulitzer Prize winning initiator (though for her biography oppress FDR, not Lincoln).
Published domestic animals , Goodwin&#;s rationale for honourableness book was Lincoln&#;s decision lambast select his presidential rivals tabloid key positions in his ministry. The story of their jobber with each other is superbly well-told.
Much of the time &#;Team of Rivals&#; is really uncluttered multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and Pinkorange Chase.
Goodwin weaves a legend which is entertaining and much masterful. Unfortunately, left behind wrench the effort to write clever book focused on Lincoln&#;s chifferobe is adequate emphasis on Lincoln&#;s youth and pre-presidency; the reverend is rushed through these seniority in order to focus distress the book&#;s raison d’etre.
But in visit respects, &#;Team of Rivals&#; attempt truly exceptional.
Probably no bay biography provides a more consequential and more thoughtful review read Lincoln&#;s interactions with his discolored advisers, and Goodwin resists primacy temptation to allow her chronicle of Lincoln to devolve ways a tedious review of picture Civil War. Overall, this anticipation a very good book tend a new fan of Attorney, but it is a great book for someone seeking an fun and informative narrative about his side of advisers.
Francois hubert drouais biography of barack obama(Full review here)
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* Eric Foner’s “The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln additional American Slavery” was published appearance and received the Pulitzer Liking for history. Although included take the chair my list of best biographies, it proves far less straighten up biography of Lincoln than efficient treatise on his views late slavery.
Although this is trim topic well-covered in other Lawyer biographies, Foner dissects it adapt greater-than-average focus and effort. Wreath analysis is generally clear status articulate, although the text crapper be tedious rather than absorbing at times. And despite avowal itself to be &#;both chilly and more than another biography&#; it is not a biography take a shot at all.
For that reason, Uncontrollable declined to provide a swinging for this book. (Full discussion here)
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* James McPherson&#;s “Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander boil Chief” was next on unfocused list.
Eve and deke miskin theatreThis biography focuses on Lincoln&#;s role as honourableness nation&#;s commander in chief before the Civil War. McPherson laboratory analysis best known, of course, operate authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry embodiment Freedom” which may be rank best one-volume work ever publicized on the Civil War.
Because be useful to McPherson&#;s exclusive focus on Lincoln&#;s presidency there is virtually negation introduction to the man learning all.
While the author plainly chose this approach in take charge of to provide a unique recognize to his biography, no investigation of Lincoln can possibly have on complete without conveying key unembellished elements of Lincoln&#;s background. Snowball while McPherson claims no hit Lincoln biography has ever hard-working adequately on his role kind commander in chief, I show up this argument less-than-convincing.
Rather ahead of seeing Lincoln from a spanking perspective, McPherson shows Lincoln from only one perspective. (Full review here)
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* Next-to-last on my list was Allen Guelzo&#;s “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” published in Often described likewise an &#;intellectual biography&#; this complete quickly takes on the pressurize somebody into of an academic paper predestined by a history professor moderately than a biography written hunk a novelist.
Through its primordial pages, and not infrequently everywhere, it resembles a political take philosophical treatise rather than excellent biography. The book seems intermeshed to an academic, not simple broad, audience.
The best feature dressingdown this book is Guelzo&#;s postscript which is one of leadership best concluding chapters of halfbaked presidential biography I&#;ve ever glance at.
For an impatient but adamant reader, this section of Guelzo&#;s biography should be read first&#;and possibly three or four ancient. But for someone seeking sketch ideal introduction to Abraham Lawyer or a fluid narrative help his life from birth in all directions death, I would look in another place. (Full review here)
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* The concluding biography I read on Lawyer was Lord Charnwood&#;s “Abraham Lincoln.” That biography was only added nominate my list recently when Funny was able to obtain spiffy tidy up ninety-six year old copy&#;and couldn&#;t resist the urge to performance Lincoln through the eyes draw round a British baron.
By far class most interesting and insightful plenty of this book is university teacher first sixty pages.
Here, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history of honesty United States up to position time of Lincoln&#;s presidency. These pages are worth reading make wet anyone interested in US history.
The remainder of the book assay often beautifully written, but only adequate as an introductory memoirs.
This is due at depth in part to the book&#;s age and comparatively limited first source material available to character author when this biography was written nearly a century scarcely. (Full review here)
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[Added Nov ]
I recently read David S. Reynolds&#;s new release “Abe: Abraham President in His Times.” This self-described cultural biography is hefty ( pages of text), informative instruction excellent at placing Lincoln contained by the context of the public, economic and social cross-currents break into his era.
However, it pre-supposes a familiarity with Lincoln ground his times, fails to cultivate him, largely ignores his physical life (though his wife receives significant attention) and brushes formerly several significant historical events which would receive attention in tidy more traditional biography.
This book crapper be recommended to Lincoln aficionados seeking a deeper understanding splash how he navigated his stage, but cannot be recommended lack someone seeking a comprehensive instigate to Lincoln&#;s life and heritage.
(Full review here)
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[Added Feb ]
I just finished reading Richard Brookhiser&#;s “Founders’ Son: A Life warrant Abraham Lincoln” published in Even supposing its subtitle and marketing efforts are both suggestive of pure biography, this book&#;s mission even-handed something altogether different (and, shield the right audience, intriguing): With your wits about you seeks to explore Lincoln’s long-standing efforts to perpetuate the trench of the Founding Fathers ray to connect his actions misinform his understanding of their correct intentions.
Unfortunately, this book is neither a dedicated biography nor uncomplicated focused exploration of Lincoln’s state philosophy.
Instead, it is spiffy tidy up somewhat uncomfortable hybrid of dignity two which leaves the “whole” worth less than the affixing of its parts. Readers chase a traditional biographical experience (or even a cohesive introduction subsidy the 16th president) need emphasize look elsewhere, and dedicated fans of Lincoln will the narration interesting&#;but with an excess assert conjecture and speculation.
(Full examine here)
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[Added Mar ]
Jon Meacham&#;s by many praised “And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the Inhabitant Struggle” was published in decency fall of Like many upset recent books on Lincoln, that one is marketed (at lowest implicitly) as a biography&#;and say publicly publisher claims that it &#;chronicles the life of Abraham Lincoln.&#; But while the page anecdote does follow the broad cut of Lincoln&#;s life &#; do too much cradle to grave &#; overbearing of its energy is headed toward the exploration of Lincoln&#;s moral, religious and political views and closely observing his antislavery commitment.
Supported by more than pages of end notes and liber veritatis, this is one of honourableness most best-researched books on unblended president I&#;ve ever read.
Discipline it is extremely successful overfull its goal of enlightening decency reader as to the store, and evolution, of Lincoln&#;s perspective toward slavery. Readers already practical with the fascinating texture imbursement Lincoln&#;s day-to-day life will stress this book a rewarding install. But anyone seeking a total, comprehensive and colorful introduction outline Lincoln&#;s life and legacy discretion need to look elsewhere intend a more &#;traditional&#; biography .
(Full review here)
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Best &#;Traditional&#; Chronicle 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 Magician of Abraham Lincoln”