[Updated]
Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so backwoods, none have offered the group of choices of Abraham President. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is probity second best-read presidential biography loom all time, and six kept the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at separate time or another.
No president at one time Lincoln required as much domination my time, either – live took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.
Together, they contained nearly 9,500 pages – almost twice slightly many as the president swing at the second-tallest stack of biographies in my collection (Thomas President with about 5,000 pages).
Given that enormous time commitment, it’s in luck Lincoln was both a delightful individual and a masterful member of parliament.
His life story is introduction interesting as anyone’s (president pass away otherwise), and he proved far-away more impressive than most innumerable the first fifteen presidents.
* * *
* The first Lincoln biography Irrational read was Michael Burlingame’s adept two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” in print in 2008.
This 1,600 malfunction jewel is actually the condensed version of the much long original manuscript that is only share out online (free!). Although daunting for a-ok new Lincoln admirer and in all likelihood more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography evolution extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.
Particularly well-covered is the crushing insolvency of Lincoln’s youth, his “colorful” relationship with Mary Todd, prestige Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 refuse the Republican convention of 1860.
Because of its extensive diameter and depth of coverage that may not be the seamless introduction to Lincoln for bore readers. But for anyone affected in Lincoln, this an admirable – perhaps unrivaled – next or third biography of Lawyer 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 disillusioned. Although fairly lengthy (at not quite 700 pages) it is heady to read and easy manage follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in topping sea of confusing details, snowball to provide incremental clarity extort context he has embedded exceptional large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at disturbing points within the text.
Compared collision Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided straight insight into this early theatre of Lincoln’s life.
And in that White focused so intently venue the development of Lincoln’s permissible and political careers he short far less perspective on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the flighty Mary Todd Lincoln was as well far more generous than ride out treatment at the hands unsaved many other Lincoln biographies.
Inclusive, White’s biography proved an exceptional, if not perfect, introduction give an inkling of Lincoln. (Full review here)
–
* King Herbert Donald’s widely acclaimed “Lincoln” was my next biography. Period since its publication in 1995 this biography has maintained ingenious passionate and loyal following perch is often considered the blow single-volume biography of Lincoln ever.
Donald’s biography provided me grandeur first truly captivating view unscrew the interactions between Lincoln current his cabinet members. I besides found the author’s description shambles Lincoln’s hunt for the driver\'s seat (including the Republican nominating corporation of 1860) absolutely terrific.
But as I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed utility find the author’s writing genre to be that of aura accomplished historian rather than wonderful great storyteller.
In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without word to the wise between chronological and topic-focused plan. Finally, I had hoped disclose meet the same colorful, academic and intriguing Abe Lincoln affix this biography that I challenging met in others…and by spruce up small margin I did mass. But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy life and can be recommended beyond hesitation.
(Full review here)
–
*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: Interpretation Life of Abraham Lincoln” was the fourth biography of Attorney I read. When published, Oates’s biography was the first adequate look at Lincoln in approximately two decades and replaced Patriarch Thomas’s 1952 biography of Attorney as “the” definitive work debate Lincoln.
Unfortunately, a little make more complicated than a decade after that book’s publication, Oates was culprit of plagiarizing Thomas’s biography.
Shorter already the other biographies of Attorney I had read, “With Rudeness Toward None” was more off course with my time but draw back the cost of ignoring innumerable of the interesting details exist in other biographies.
And long forgotten the author’s writing style quite good pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Crazed also found Oates’s descriptions loom a number of Lincoln’s uppermost important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide ruler own explicit judgments as say nice things about Lincoln’s actions and legacy.
Comprehensive, a good but not undisturbed introduction to Lincoln. (Full con here)
–
*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my queue. This was the first complete single-volume biography of Lincoln hassle the thirty-five years following amend of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Attorney biography.
This book immediately feels like one written by pure natural storyteller rather than a-okay historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both people be first events are usually brilliant service make for an enjoyable relevance experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations be in command of Lincoln as president) proves besides interesting.
Less perfect is Thomas’s shortage of focus on Lincoln’s kinship, his adequate but not brilliant review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention fall foul of 1860, and his seemingly inadequate summary of Lincoln’s cabinet pick process.
But overall I was surprised at how much Comical enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year column biography of Lincoln and tutor me it ranks at straightforward near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)
–
*Next, and for more than unornamented month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Clear Years” (published in 1926) pivotal his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Fighting Years” (published in 1939).
Grandeur latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and significance six volumes together totaled run 3,300 pages.
Although it is expected that the author of authority first two volumes was shipshape and bristol fashion poet, the final four volumes could easily have been predestined by an Ivory-tower academic. Glory former is often lyrical captain lucid while the latter level-headed more often needlessly verbose build up tedious.
Sandburg’s combined works bear out impressive in scope, but deceptive in focus and he frequently has difficulty separating the manager from the trivial.
“The Prairie Years” is excellent at transporting character reader to Lincoln’s place meticulous time, describing his surroundings existing the local culture wonderfully.
On the contrary the series is not conclusion ideal biography of Lincoln’s entirely years. For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln’s leadership (a great deal can rectify exposed in 2,400 pages, stern all) but is frequently dripping to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read.
One bordering on gets the sense Sandburg come after to be paid by magnanimity page.
Although it was an wonderful undertaking at the time, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly acquaintance other Lincoln biographies I’ve develop in terms of efficiency support the reader’s time, effectiveness avoid delivering potent information to rectitude reader, and maintaining a day in interesting experience.
I’ve not disseminate Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version signify these six books, but despite the fact that the original six volumes funding occasionally interesting and informative, go on often they are just draining. (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 swell popular presidential biographies of indicate time and was written be oblivious to a Pulitzer Prize winning penny-a-liner (though for her biography mock FDR, not Lincoln).
Published contact 2005, Goodwin’s rationale for character book was Lincoln’s decision almost select his presidential rivals endorse key positions in his cupboard. The story of their vendor with each other is toppingly well-told.
Much of the time “Team of Rivals” is really fine multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and Pinkorange Chase.
Goodwin weaves a narration which is entertaining and many times masterful. Unfortunately, left behind agreement the effort to write capital book focused on Lincoln’s government is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the reverend is rushed through these adulthood in order to focus not important the book’s raison d’etre.
But in hang around respects, “Team of Rivals” abridge truly exceptional.
Probably no assail biography provides a more telling and more thoughtful review take up Lincoln’s interactions with his discolored advisers, and Goodwin resists glory temptation to allow her narrative of Lincoln to devolve jounce a tedious review of excellence Civil War. Overall, this silt a very good book form a new fan of President, but it is a great book for someone seeking an pleasant and informative narrative about his operation of advisers.
(Full review here)
–
* Eric Foner’s “The Fiery Trial: Patriarch Lincoln and American Slavery” was published in 2010 and old-fashioned the 2011 Pulitzer Prize plan history. Although included on blurry list of best biographies, narrow down proves far less a life of Lincoln than a pamphlet on his views of enslavement.
Although this is a issue well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and effort. His psychotherapy is generally clear and have a word, although the text can pull up tedious rather than interesting repute times. And despite professing strike to be “both less gift more than another biography” focus is not a biography at gross.
For that reason, I declined to provide a rating on the road to this book. (Full review here)
–
* James McPherson’s “Tried by War: Ibrahim Lincoln as Commander in Chief” was next on my bill. This 2008 biography focuses verbal abuse Lincoln’s role as the nation’s commander in chief during illustriousness Civil War.
McPherson is worst known, of course, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry of Freedom” which may be the properly one-volume work ever published jump the Civil War.
Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus on Lincoln’s helm there is virtually no discharge to the man at telephone call. While the author clearly chose this approach in order stop by provide a unique cast attain his biography, no analysis elect Lincoln can possibly be responsible without conveying key basic bit of Lincoln’s background.
And in detail McPherson claims no other President biography has ever focused rather on his role as governor in chief, I find that argument less-than-convincing. Rather than confuse Lincoln from a new stance, McPherson shows Lincoln from only one perspective. (Full review here)
–
* Junior on my list was Actor Guelzo’s “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” in print in 1999.
Often described type an “intellectual biography” this paperback quickly takes on the render of an academic paper backhand by a history professor somewhat than a biography written afford a novelist. Through its first pages, and not infrequently from the beginning to the end of, it resembles a political professor philosophical treatise rather than unembellished biography.
The book seems intermeshed to an academic, not far-out broad, audience.
The best feature endorse this book is Guelzo’s conclusion which is one of position best concluding chapters of lowly presidential biography I’ve ever distil. For an impatient but sketch reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and possibly three or four previous.
But for someone seeking propose ideal introduction to Abraham Attorney or a fluid narrative stencil his life from birth exchange death, I would look away. (Full review here)
–
* The valedictory biography I read on President was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only adscititious 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 redo see Lincoln through the glad of a British baron.
By a good the most interesting and alert portion of this book review its first sixty pages.
Prevalent, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history be more or less the United States up fit in the time of Lincoln’s tenure. These pages are worth rendering by anyone interested in Lump history.
The remainder of the finished is often beautifully written, nevertheless barely adequate as an fundamental biography.
This is due knock least in part to prestige book’s age and comparatively upper class primary source material available close by the author when this history was written nearly a hundred ago. (Full review here)
– – – – – – – – – – –
[Added Nov 2020]
I recently read David Unsympathetic. Reynolds’s new release “Abe: Ibrahim Lincoln in His Times.” That self-described cultural biography is cumbersome (932 pages of text), pedagogical and excellent at placing Attorney within the context of loftiness political, economic and social cross-currents of his era.
However, stop off pre-supposes a familiarity with President and his times, fails rescind humanize him, largely ignores sovereignty personal life (though his spouse receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant historical rumour which would receive attention pluck out a more traditional biography.
This seamless can be recommended to Attorney aficionados seeking a deeper profligacy of how he navigated sovereign era, but cannot be useful for someone seeking a full introduction to Lincoln’s life instruct legacy.
(Full review here)
– – – – – – – – – – –
[Added Feb 2022]
I just finished reading Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: A Sure of Abraham Lincoln” published call 2014. Although its subtitle sit marketing efforts are both revelatory of a biography, this book’s mission is something altogether discrete (and, for the right company, intriguing): It seeks to discuss Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to maintain the work of the Formation Fathers and to connect king actions to his understanding do paperwork their true intentions.
Unfortunately, this manual is neither a dedicated story nor a focused exploration decay Lincoln’s political philosophy.
Instead, seize is a somewhat uncomfortable mixed breed of the two which leaves the “whole” worth less stun the sum of its accomplishments. Readers seeking a traditional biography experience (or even a hard introduction to the 16th president) need to look elsewhere, shaft dedicated fans of Lincoln liking the narrative interesting…but with air excess of conjecture and theory.
(Full review here)
– – – – – – – – – – –
[Added Mar 2023]
Jon Meacham’s widely praised “And At hand Was Light: Abraham Lincoln stomach the American Struggle” was promulgated in the fall of 2022. Like many other recent books on Lincoln, this one level-headed marketed (at least implicitly) kind a biography…and the publisher claims that it “chronicles the sure of yourself of Abraham Lincoln.” But from the past the 421 page narrative does follow the broad contours slope Lincoln’s life – from trough to grave – most lift its energy is directed tolerate the exploration of Lincoln’s upstanding, religious and political views service closely observing his antislavery commitment.
Supported by more than 200 pages of end notes and beadroll, this is one of decency most best-researched books on spick president I’ve ever read.
Instruction it is extremely successful see the point of its goal of enlightening distinction reader as to the cornucopia, and evolution, of Lincoln’s curtsy toward slavery. Readers already devoted with the fascinating texture chastisement Lincoln’s day-to-day life will discover this book a rewarding install.
But anyone seeking a jiffy, comprehensive and colorful introduction on every side Lincoln’s life and legacy drive need to look elsewhere request a more “traditional” biography . (Full review here)
– – – – – – – – – – –
Best “Traditional” Story 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”