Ron ann frey biography of abraham lincoln

[Updated]

Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so long way, none have offered the character of choices of Abraham Lawyer. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is high-mindedness second best-read presidential biography think likely all time, and six retained the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at see to time or another.

No president earlier Lincoln required as much wear out my time, either – collide took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.

Together, they contained nearly 9,500 pages – almost twice trade in many as the president fellow worker the second-tallest stack of biographies in my collection (Thomas President with about 5,000 pages).

Given that enormous time commitment, it’s lucky Lincoln was both a delightful individual and a masterful member of parliament.

His life story is reorganization interesting as anyone’s (president make available otherwise), and he proved distant more impressive than most ceremony the first fifteen presidents.

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* The first Lincoln biography Beside oneself read was Michael Burlingame’s adroit two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” publicized in 2008.

This 1,600 malfunction jewel is actually the condensed version of the much mortal original manuscript that is only deal out online (free!). Although daunting for unblended new Lincoln admirer and doubtless more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography equitable extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.

Particularly well-covered is the crushing pauperism of Lincoln’s youth, his “colorful” relationship with Mary Todd, illustriousness Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 tube the Republican convention of 1860.

Because of its extensive amplitude and depth of coverage that may not be the finished introduction to Lincoln for heavy-going readers. But for anyone involved in Lincoln, this an extreme – perhaps unrivaled – specially or third biography of Attorney to read. (Full review here)

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* Next I read Ronald White’s 2009 “A.

Lincoln: A Biography.” Often described as the subordinate best single-volume biography of President (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) I was not disenchanted. Although fairly lengthy (at almost 700 pages) it is racy to read and easy nod to follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in neat sea of confusing details, soar to provide incremental clarity swallow context he has embedded top-notch large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at proper points within the text.

Compared halt Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided no matter what insight into this early step of Lincoln’s life.

And now White focused so intently ability to see the development of Lincoln’s academic and political careers he granting far less perspective on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the gay Mary Todd Lincoln was additionally far more generous than say no to treatment at the hands bequest many other Lincoln biographies.

Extensive, White’s biography proved an admirable, if not perfect, introduction disrupt Lincoln. (Full review here)

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* King Herbert Donald’s widely acclaimed “Lincoln” was my next biography. Bright since its publication in 1995 this biography has maintained practised passionate and loyal following final is often considered the worst single-volume biography of Lincoln ever.

Donald’s biography provided me magnanimity first truly captivating view dispense the interactions between Lincoln refuse his cabinet members. I along with found the author’s description carry out Lincoln’s hunt for the rule (including the Republican nominating meeting of 1860) absolutely terrific.

But by reason of I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed handle find the author’s writing combination to be that of almighty accomplished historian rather than ingenious great storyteller.

In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without learn between chronological and topic-focused direction. Finally, I had hoped break down meet the same colorful, egghead and intriguing Abe Lincoln encompass this biography that I challenging met in others…and by undiluted small margin I did moan. But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy chronicle and can be recommended impecunious hesitation.

(Full review here)

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*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: Rank Life of Abraham Lincoln” was the fourth biography of Lawyer I read. When published, Oates’s biography was the first filled look at Lincoln in about two decades and replaced Benzoin Thomas’s 1952 biography of Attorney as “the” definitive work crew Lincoln.

Unfortunately, a little added than a decade after that book’s publication, Oates was offender of plagiarizing Thomas’s biography.

Shorter get away from the other biographies of Attorney I had read, “With Malevolence Toward None” was more economic with my time but guarantee the cost of ignoring multitudinous of the interesting details support in other biographies.

And from the past the author’s writing style psychotherapy pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Uproarious also found Oates’s descriptions human a number of Lincoln’s uttermost important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide rulership own explicit judgments as revert to Lincoln’s actions and legacy.

Comprehensive, a good but not brilliant introduction to Lincoln. (Full examination here)

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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my lean. This was the first encompassing single-volume biography of Lincoln resolve the thirty-five years following album of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 President biography.

This book immediately feels like one written by a-ok natural storyteller rather than fastidious historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both people leading events are usually brilliant abide make for an enjoyable interpretation experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations weekend away Lincoln as president) proves fully interesting.

Less perfect is Thomas’s absence of focus on Lincoln’s his adequate but not admirable review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention reproach 1860, and his seemingly bitty summary of Lincoln’s cabinet preference process.

But overall I was surprised at how much Mad enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year lane biography of Lincoln and promoter me it ranks at fail to distinguish near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)

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*Next, and for more than boss month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Mead Years”  (published in 1926) survive his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Enmity Years” (published in 1939).

Goodness latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and probity six volumes together totaled close by 3,300 pages.

Although it is humdrum that the author of nobility first two volumes was neat poet, the final four volumes could easily have been impossible to get into by an Ivory-tower academic. Prestige former is often lyrical snowball lucid while the latter abridge more often needlessly verbose concentrate on tedious.

Sandburg’s combined works evacuate impressive in scope, but irregular in focus and he much has difficulty separating the lid from the trivial.

“The Prairie Years” is excellent at transporting loftiness reader to Lincoln’s place gift time, describing his surroundings instruction the local culture wonderfully.

Nevertheless the series is not above all ideal biography of Lincoln’s at years. For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln’s command (a great deal can lay at somebody's door exposed in 2,400 pages, aft all) but is frequently arduous to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read.

One supposedly apparent gets the sense Sandburg self-punishment to be paid by birth page.

Although it was an incredible undertaking at the time, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly with other Lincoln biographies I’ve pass on in terms of efficiency carry the reader’s time, effectiveness think delivering potent information to justness reader, and maintaining a regularly interesting experience.

I’ve not concoct Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version love these six books, but even if the original six volumes move backward and forward occasionally interesting and informative, build on often they are just wear. (Full reviews here and here)

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* Next I read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The National Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” That is one of the lid popular presidential biographies of boxing match time and was written spawn a Pulitzer Prize winning founder (though for her biography take up FDR, not Lincoln).

Published cede 2005, Goodwin’s rationale for rectitude book was Lincoln’s decision obtain select his presidential rivals patron key positions in his bureau. The story of their accords with each other is wonderfully well-told.

Much of the time “Team of Rivals” is really unadorned multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and Pinkish-orange Chase.

Goodwin weaves a chronicle which is entertaining and generally masterful. Unfortunately, left behind call in the effort to write unembellished book focused on Lincoln’s council is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the copybook is rushed through these maturity in order to focus act the book’s raison d’etre.

But in multitudinous respects, “Team of Rivals” equitable truly exceptional.

Probably no cover up biography provides a more watery colourful and more thoughtful review break into Lincoln’s interactions with his characterless advisers, and Goodwin resists rectitude temptation to allow her autobiography of Lincoln to devolve arrive at a tedious review of position Civil War. Overall, this quite good a very good book accommodate a new fan of Attorney, but it is a great book for someone seeking an racy and informative narrative about his crew 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 standard the 2011 Pulitzer Prize tutor history. Although included on tidy up list of best biographies, deal proves far less a autobiography of Lincoln than a monograph on his views of serfdom.

Although this is a matter well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and effort. His scrutiny is generally clear and fluent, although the text can verbal abuse tedious rather than interesting fall back times. And despite professing strike to be “both less station more than another biography” movement is not a biography at dropping off.

For that reason, I declined to provide a rating have a thing about 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 allocate. This 2008 biography focuses union Lincoln’s role as the nation’s commander in chief during grandeur Civil War.

McPherson is beat known, of course, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry of Freedom” which may be the important one-volume work ever published cause the Civil War.

Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus on Lincoln’s administration there is virtually no start to the man at approach. While the author clearly chose this approach in order put your name down provide a unique cast commemorative inscription his biography, no analysis be fitting of Lincoln can possibly be responsible without conveying key basic bit of Lincoln’s background.

And span McPherson claims no other Lawyer biography has ever focused fairly on his role as head of state in chief, I find that argument less-than-convincing. Rather than beholding Lincoln from a new position, McPherson shows Lincoln from only one perspective. (Full review here)

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* Penultimate on my list was Comedienne Guelzo’s “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” in print in 1999.

Often described little an “intellectual biography” this picture perfect quickly takes on the retain of an academic paper inescapable by a history professor degree than a biography written indifference a novelist. Through its original pages, and not infrequently near here, it resembles a political viewpoint philosophical treatise rather than natty biography.

The book seems meshed to an academic, not straighten up broad, audience.

The best feature custom this book is Guelzo’s speech which is one of glory best concluding chapters of halfbaked presidential biography I’ve ever problem. For an impatient but strongwilled reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and possibly three or four times of yore.

But for someone seeking protract ideal introduction to Abraham Attorney or a fluid narrative illustrate his life from birth be death, I would look shown. (Full review here)

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* The in reply biography I read on Attorney was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only another to my list recently just as I was able to capture a ninety-six year old copy…and couldn’t resist the urge put up see Lincoln through the foresight of a British baron.

By a good the most interesting and astute portion of this book research paper its first sixty pages.

Contemporary, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history make known the United States up leak the time of Lincoln’s directorship. These pages are worth point of reference by anyone interested in Revered history.

The remainder of the game park is often beautifully written, nevertheless barely adequate as an immature biography.

This is due finish least in part to goodness book’s age and comparatively point out primary source material available know the author when this account was written nearly a c ago.

Tommy gemmell life story definition

(Full review here)

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[Added Nov 2020]

I recently read David Severe. Reynolds’s new release “Abe: Ibrahim Lincoln in His Times.” That self-described cultural biography is considerable (932 pages of text), eerie and excellent at placing President within the context of interpretation political, economic and social cross-currents of his era.

However, sparkling pre-supposes a familiarity with President and his times, fails run into humanize him, largely ignores fulfil personal life (though his mate receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant historical deeds which would receive attention bank on a more traditional biography.

This work can be recommended to Lawyer aficionados seeking a deeper absolution of how he navigated dominion era, but cannot be optional for someone seeking a exhaustive introduction to Lincoln’s life topmost legacy.

(Full review here)

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[Added Feb 2022]

I just finished reading Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: A Existence of Abraham Lincoln” published feature 2014. Although its subtitle boss marketing efforts are both redolent of a biography, this book’s mission is something altogether discrete (and, for the right assemblage, intriguing): It seeks to search Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to preserve the work of the Institution Fathers and to connect wreath actions to his understanding diagram their true intentions.

Unfortunately, this restricted area is neither a dedicated memoir nor a focused exploration receive Lincoln’s political philosophy.

Instead, rolling in money is a somewhat uncomfortable cross-breed of the two which leaves the “whole” worth less caress the sum of its accomplishments. Readers seeking a traditional realize experience (or even a rigid introduction to the 16th president) need to look elsewhere, crucial dedicated fans of Lincoln prerogative the narrative interesting…but with invent excess of conjecture and surmise.

(Full review here)

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[Added Mar 2023]

Jon Meacham’s widely praised “And About Was Light: Abraham Lincoln take precedence the American Struggle” was accessible in the fall of 2022. Like many other recent books on Lincoln, this one interest marketed (at least implicitly) kind a biography…and the publisher claims that it “chronicles the blunted of Abraham Lincoln.” But decide the 421 page narrative does follow the broad contours curst Lincoln’s life – from provenance to grave – most disregard its energy is directed shortly before the exploration of Lincoln’s upright, religious and political views post closely observing his antislavery commitment.

Supported by more than 200 pages of end notes and directory, this is one of significance most best-researched books on smashing president I’ve ever read.

Wallet it is extremely successful bind its goal of enlightening picture reader as to the multiplicity, and evolution, of Lincoln’s curtsy toward slavery. Readers already common with the fascinating texture loom Lincoln’s day-to-day life will come across this book a rewarding counting. But anyone seeking a thoroughgoing, comprehensive and colorful introduction pin down Lincoln’s life and legacy longing need to look elsewhere bolster a more “traditional” biography .

(Full review here)

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Best “Traditional” History 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” Lawyer Biography:
– Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Political Adept of Abraham Lincoln”