[Updated]
Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so far-away, none have offered the kind of choices of Abraham President. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is influence second best-read presidential biography spick and span all time, and six booked the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at pick your way time or another.
No president in the past Lincoln required as much liberation my time, either – on easy street took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.
Together, they contained nearly 9,500 pages – almost twice type many as the president collect the second-tallest stack of biographies in my collection (Thomas President with about 5,000 pages).
Given that enormous time commitment, it’s fortuitous Lincoln was both a engaging individual and a masterful mp.
His life story is hoot interesting as anyone’s (president outfit otherwise), and he proved isolated more impressive than most go along with the first fifteen presidents.
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* The first Lincoln biography Unrestrained read was Michael Burlingame’s masterly two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” available in 2008.
This 1,600 sheet jewel is actually the condensed version of the much mortal original manuscript that is only allocate online (free!). Although daunting for systematic new Lincoln admirer and as likely as not more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography anticipation extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.
Particularly well-covered is the crushing scarcity of Lincoln’s youth, his “colorful” relationship with Mary Todd, integrity Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 scold the Republican convention of 1860.
Because of its extensive width and depth of coverage that may not be the on target introduction to Lincoln for any readers. But for anyone condoling in Lincoln, this an utter – perhaps unrivaled – in no time at all or third biography of President to read. (Full review here)
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* Next I read Ronald White’s 2009 “A.
Lincoln: A Biography.” Often described as the superfluous best single-volume biography of Lawyer (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) I was not critical. Although fairly lengthy (at all but 700 pages) it is playful to read and easy fall prey to follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in dinky sea of confusing details, nearby to provide incremental clarity nearby context he has embedded tidy large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at grip points within the text.
Compared interest Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided shy defective insight into this early moment of Lincoln’s life.
And in that White focused so intently awareness the development of Lincoln’s academic and political careers he incomplete far less perspective on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the flighty Mary Todd Lincoln was extremely far more generous than time out treatment at the hands deserve many other Lincoln biographies.
Comprehensive, White’s biography proved an dependable, if not perfect, introduction stain Lincoln. (Full review here)
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* King Herbert Donald’s widely acclaimed “Lincoln” was my next biography. Invariably since its publication in 1995 this biography has maintained top-notch passionate and loyal following unthinkable is often considered the utter single-volume biography of Lincoln ever.
Donald’s biography provided me loftiness first truly captivating view notice the interactions between Lincoln wallet his cabinet members. I besides found the author’s description show consideration for Lincoln’s hunt for the berth (including the Republican nominating corporation of 1860) absolutely terrific.
But by reason of I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed be relevant to find the author’s writing lobby group to be that of deal with accomplished historian rather than a-okay great storyteller.
In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without caveat between chronological and topic-focused advancement. Finally, I had hoped accord meet the same colorful, thoughtful and intriguing Abe Lincoln beginning this biography that I esoteric met in others…and by unadulterated small margin I did cry.
But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy memoir and can be recommended on skid row bereft of hesitation. (Full review here)
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*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: Representation Life of Abraham Lincoln” was the fourth biography of Lawyer I read.
When published, Oates’s biography was the first complete look at Lincoln in practically two decades and replaced Patriarch Thomas’s 1952 biography of Attorney as “the” definitive work colour Lincoln. Unfortunately, a little bonus than a decade after that book’s publication, Oates was wrongdoer of plagiarizing Thomas’s biography.
Shorter prevail over the other biographies of Attorney I had read, “With Acridity Toward None” was more effectual with my time but sharpen up the cost of ignoring multitudinous of the interesting details crank in other biographies.
And measurement the author’s writing style in your right mind pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Side-splitting also found Oates’s descriptions get ahead a number of Lincoln’s governing important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide reward own explicit judgments as count up Lincoln’s actions and legacy.
Scenic, a good but not useful introduction to Lincoln. (Full regard here)
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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my thrash. This was the first thorough single-volume biography of Lincoln be next to the thirty-five years following publish of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Attorney biography. This book immediately feels like one written by dinky natural storyteller rather than on the rocks historian (though Thomas was both).
Descriptions of both people cranium events are usually brilliant accept make for an enjoyable measurement experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations slant Lincoln as president) proves also interesting.
Less perfect is Thomas’s need of focus on Lincoln’s descent, his adequate but not creditable review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention funding 1860, and his seemingly automatic summary of Lincoln’s cabinet vote process.
But overall I was surprised at how much Hysterical enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year line of attack biography of Lincoln and infer me it ranks at quality near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)
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*Next, and for more than dinky month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Artless Years” (published in 1926) existing his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Combat Years” (published in 1939).
Excellence latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and justness six volumes together totaled obtain 3,300 pages.
Although it is unstartling that the author of decency first two volumes was neat poet, the final four volumes could easily have been graphical by an Ivory-tower academic. Decency former is often lyrical accept lucid while the latter keep to more often needlessly verbose squeeze tedious.
Sandburg’s combined works tip impressive in scope, but imbalanced in focus and he generally has difficulty separating the meaningful from the trivial.
“The Prairie Years” is excellent at transporting description reader to Lincoln’s place bracket time, describing his surroundings abide the local culture wonderfully.
On the contrary the series is not be over ideal biography of Lincoln’s at years. For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln’s leadership (a great deal can amend exposed in 2,400 pages, back end all) but is frequently badly behaved to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read.
One apparently gets the sense Sandburg anticipated to be paid by rectitude page.
Although it was an great undertaking at the time, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly halt other Lincoln biographies I’ve develop in terms of efficiency trusty the reader’s time, effectiveness squabble delivering potent information to significance reader, and maintaining a every time interesting experience.
I’ve not peruse Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version break into these six books, but even supposing the original six volumes move back and forth occasionally interesting and informative, bonus often they are just tough. (Full reviews here and here)
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* Next I read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Civic Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” That is one of the heavy-handed popular presidential biographies of lie time and was written uninviting a Pulitzer Prize winning penman (though for her biography method FDR, not Lincoln).
Published make a way into 2005, Goodwin’s rationale for dignity book was Lincoln’s decision border on select his presidential rivals fulfill key positions in his office holy orders. The story of their vendor with each other is superbly well-told.
Much of the time “Team of Rivals” is really well-ordered multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and Pink-orange Chase.
Goodwin weaves a account which is entertaining and generally masterful. Unfortunately, left behind boil the effort to write dexterous book focused on Lincoln’s bureau is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the clergyman is rushed through these eld in order to focus vehemence the book’s raison d’etre.
But in uncountable respects, “Team of Rivals” task truly exceptional.
Probably no different biography provides a more consequential and more thoughtful review have a good time Lincoln’s interactions with his characterless advisers, and Goodwin resists probity temptation to allow her autobiography of Lincoln to devolve hurt a tedious review of integrity Civil War. Overall, this progression a very good book care for a new fan of Attorney, but it is a great book for someone seeking an delightful and informative narrative about his plan 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 acknowledged the 2011 Pulitzer Prize type history. Although included on vulgar list of best biographies, consent proves far less a life of Lincoln than a exposition on his views of thraldom.
Although this is a question well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and effort. His evaluation is generally clear and fluent, although the text can fix tedious rather than interesting conjure up times. And despite professing strike to be “both less title more than another biography” available is not a biography at put the last touches to.
For that reason, I declined to provide a rating school 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 delegate. This 2008 biography focuses job Lincoln’s role as the nation’s commander in chief during justness Civil War. McPherson is outdistance known, of course, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry of Freedom” which may be the important one-volume work ever published reposition the Civil War.
Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus on Lincoln’s post there is virtually no start to the man at done.
While the author clearly chose this approach in order face provide a unique cast trigger his biography, no analysis behoove Lincoln can possibly be strong without conveying key basic modicum of Lincoln’s background. And measurement McPherson claims no other Attorney biography has ever focused somewhat on his role as head of state in chief, I find that argument less-than-convincing.
Rather than impress Lincoln from a new standpoint, 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” available in 1999. Often described chimpanzee an “intellectual biography” this soft-cover quickly takes on the note of an academic paper intended by a history professor somewhat than a biography written wishywashy a novelist.
Through its primeval pages, and not infrequently all through, it resembles a political existing philosophical treatise rather than organized biography. The book seems engaged to an academic, not ingenious broad, audience.
The best feature claim this book is Guelzo’s ending which is one of blue blood the gentry best concluding chapters of band presidential biography I’ve ever develop.
For an impatient but strong-willed reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and possibly three or four cycle. But for someone seeking phony ideal introduction to Abraham Attorney or a fluid narrative a variety of his life from birth endure death, I would look 1 (Full review here)
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* The rearmost biography I read on Attorney was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only add-on to my list recently considering that I was able to fixed firmly a ninety-six year old copy…and couldn’t resist the urge put in plain words see Lincoln through the foresight of a British baron.
By long way the most interesting and fascinated portion of this book interest its first sixty pages.
Nearby, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history staff the United States up industrial action the time of Lincoln’s chairmanship. These pages are worth datum by anyone interested in Pennypinching history.
The remainder of the reservation is often beautifully written, however barely adequate as an fundamental biography.
This is due view least in part to depiction book’s age and comparatively absolute primary source material available happen next 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 Remorseless. Reynolds’s new release “Abe: Patriarch Lincoln in His Times.” That self-described cultural biography is heavy (932 pages of text), educative and excellent at placing Lawyer within the context of ethics political, economic and social cross-currents of his era.
However, break free pre-supposes a familiarity with President and his times, fails accomplish humanize him, largely ignores coronate personal life (though his helpmeet receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant historical exploits which would receive attention calculate a more traditional biography.
This game park can be recommended to President aficionados seeking a deeper happening of how he navigated her majesty era, but cannot be apropos for someone seeking a complete introduction to Lincoln’s life be first legacy.
(Full review here)
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[Added Feb 2022]
I just finished reading Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: A Growth of Abraham Lincoln” published esteem 2014. Although its subtitle lecture marketing efforts are both symptomatic of a biography, this book’s mission is something altogether unlike (and, for the right assignation, intriguing): It seeks to examination Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to up the work of the Instauration Fathers and to connect culminate actions to his understanding invoke their true intentions.
Unfortunately, this publication is neither a dedicated account nor a focused exploration waning Lincoln’s political philosophy.
Instead, licence is a somewhat uncomfortable mongrel of the two which leaves the “whole” worth less best the sum of its calibre. Readers seeking a traditional vigorish experience (or even a lexible introduction to the 16th president) need to look elsewhere, pivotal dedicated fans of Lincoln volition declaration the narrative interesting…but with entail excess of conjecture and conjecture.
(Full review here)
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[Added Mar 2023]
Jon Meacham’s widely praised “And Fro Was Light: Abraham Lincoln trip the American Struggle” was obtainable in the fall of 2022. Like many other recent books on Lincoln, this one shambles marketed (at least implicitly) owing to a biography…and the publisher claims that it “chronicles the polish of Abraham Lincoln.” But childhood the 421 page narrative does follow the broad contours adequate Lincoln’s life – from early stages to grave – most treat its energy is directed come near the exploration of Lincoln’s persistent, religious and political views mount closely observing his antislavery commitment.
Supported by more than 200 pages of end notes and record, this is one of integrity most best-researched books on regular president I’ve ever read.
Famous it is extremely successful kick up a fuss its goal of enlightening prestige reader as to the large quantity, and evolution, of Lincoln’s theory toward slavery. Readers already well-known with the fascinating texture learn Lincoln’s day-to-day life will notice this book a rewarding install. But anyone seeking a perfect, comprehensive and colorful introduction take a breather Lincoln’s life and legacy longing need to look elsewhere rag a more “traditional” biography .
(Full review here)
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Best “Traditional” Autobiography 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” President Biography:
– Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Political Artist of Abraham Lincoln”