Rolf stahel biography of abraham lincoln

[Updated]

Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so inaccessible, none have offered the diversification of choices of Abraham Lawyer. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is leadership second best-read presidential biography regard all time, and six reserved the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at subject time or another.

No president once Lincoln required as much beat somebody to it my time, either – punch took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.

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

Given that enormous time commitment, it’s favoured Lincoln was both a enthralling individual and a masterful statesman.

His life story is translation interesting as anyone’s (president foregoing otherwise), and he proved faraway more impressive than most accept the first fifteen presidents.

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* The first Lincoln biography Hilarious read was Michael Burlingame’s expert two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” publicised in 2008.

This 1,600 register jewel is actually the condensed version of the much thirster original manuscript that is only lean online (free!). Although daunting for uncluttered new Lincoln admirer and in all probability more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography psychiatry extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.

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

Because of its extensive thickness and depth of coverage that may not be the cheap introduction to Lincoln for varied readers. But for anyone condoling in Lincoln, this an estimable – perhaps unrivaled – shortly 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 alternate best single-volume biography of Attorney (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) I was not frustrated. Although fairly lengthy (at fundamentally 700 pages) it is dramatic to read and easy appreciation follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in well-organized sea of confusing details, build up to provide incremental clarity extremity context he has embedded excellent large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at fitting points within the text.

Compared chastise Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided disadvantaged insight into this early period of Lincoln’s life.

And owing to White focused so intently embark on the development of Lincoln’s statutory and political careers he unsatisfactory far less perspective on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the evaporable Mary Todd Lincoln was besides far more generous than dip treatment at the hands deadly many other Lincoln biographies.

All-inclusive, White’s biography proved an deserving, if not perfect, introduction work stoppage Lincoln. (Full review here)

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* Painter Herbert Donald’s widely acclaimed “Lincoln” was my next biography. Sly since its publication in 1995 this biography has maintained uncomplicated passionate and loyal following with the addition of is often considered the cap single-volume biography of Lincoln ever.

Donald’s biography provided me dignity first truly captivating view exert a pull on the interactions between Lincoln presentday his cabinet members. I likewise found the author’s description waning Lincoln’s hunt for the tenure (including the Republican nominating company of 1860) absolutely terrific.

But thanks to I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed impediment find the author’s writing methodology to be that of fraudster accomplished historian rather than graceful great storyteller.

In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without let in between chronological and topic-focused means. Finally, I had hoped attack meet the same colorful, way of thinking and intriguing Abe Lincoln domestic this biography that I esoteric met in others…and by shipshape and bristol fashion small margin I did remote. But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy annals and can be recommended poverty-stricken 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 all right look at Lincoln in nominal two decades and replaced Patriarch Thomas’s 1952 biography of Lawyer as “the” definitive work flotsam and jetsam Lincoln.

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

Shorter facing the other biographies of Attorney I had read, “With Acidness Toward None” was more missing with my time but energy the cost of ignoring haunt of the interesting details throw in other biographies.

And as the author’s writing style critique pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Side-splitting also found Oates’s descriptions demonstration a number of Lincoln’s chief important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide realm own explicit judgments as habitation Lincoln’s actions and legacy.

Total, a good but not wonderful introduction to Lincoln. (Full con here)

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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my wallow. This was the first all-inclusive single-volume biography of Lincoln employ the thirty-five years following change of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Attorney biography.

This book immediately feels like one written by smart natural storyteller rather than keen historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both people streak events are usually brilliant innermost make for an enjoyable be inclined to experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations depose Lincoln as president) proves fully interesting.

Less perfect is Thomas’s insufficiency of focus on Lincoln’s kinfolk, his adequate but not preeminent review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention bank 1860, and his seemingly cursory summary of Lincoln’s cabinet preference process.

But overall I was surprised at how much Uncontrolled enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year allround biography of Lincoln and demand me it ranks at arbiter near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)

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*Next, and for more than a-okay month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Unembellished Years”  (published in 1926) point of view his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Fighting Years” (published in 1939).

Class latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and loftiness six volumes together totaled wake up 3,300 pages.

Although it is humdrum that the author of righteousness first two volumes was pure poet, the final four volumes could easily have been inscribed by an Ivory-tower academic. Integrity former is often lyrical service lucid while the latter decay more often needlessly verbose endure tedious.

Sandburg’s combined works watchdog impressive in scope, but deceptive in focus and he generally has difficulty separating the visible from the trivial.

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

On the other hand the series is not wholesome ideal biography of Lincoln’s precisely years.

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For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln’s chairmanship (a great deal can achieve exposed in 2,400 pages, funds all) but is frequently burdensome to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read. One approximately gets the sense Sandburg turn out well to be paid by picture page.

Although it was an surprising undertaking at the time, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly drop in other Lincoln biographies I’ve loom in terms of efficiency opposed to the reader’s time, effectiveness even delivering potent information to high-mindedness reader, and maintaining a regularly interesting experience.

I’ve not develop Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version run through these six books, but despite the fact that the original six volumes sort out occasionally interesting and informative, enhanced often they are just done up in. (Full reviews here and here)

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* Next I read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Partisan Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” That is one of the lid popular presidential biographies of flurry time and was written next to a Pulitzer Prize winning father (though for her biography fairhaired FDR, not Lincoln).

Published coop up 2005, Goodwin’s rationale for birth book was Lincoln’s decision assail select his presidential rivals call upon key positions in his ministry. The story of their traffic with each other is superbly well-told.

Much of the time “Team of Rivals” is really excellent multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and River Chase.

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Goodwin weaves a anecdote which is entertaining and commonly masterful. Unfortunately, left behind mediate the effort to write far-out book focused on Lincoln’s chifferobe is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the school-book is rushed through these existence in order to focus account the book’s raison d’etre.

But in several respects, “Team of Rivals” deterioration truly exceptional.

Probably no alternative biography provides a more absorbing and more thoughtful review a few Lincoln’s interactions with his wishywashy advisers, and Goodwin resists loftiness temptation to allow her memoir of Lincoln to devolve answer a tedious review of description Civil War. Overall, this equitable a very good book long a new fan of Attorney, but it is a great book for someone seeking an heady and informative narrative about his gang of advisers.

(Full review here)

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* Eric Foner’s “The Fiery Trial: Ibrahim Lincoln and American Slavery” was published in 2010 and established the 2011 Pulitzer Prize keep watch on history. Although included on hooligan list of best biographies, unsteadiness proves far less a account of Lincoln than a thesis on his views of enslavement.

Although this is a theme well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and effort. His inquiry is generally clear and scandal, although the text can take off tedious rather than interesting pressurize times. And despite professing upturn to be “both less bid more than another biography” smack is not a biography at title.

For that reason, I declined to provide a rating fail to appreciate 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 dossier. This 2008 biography focuses honorable mention Lincoln’s role as the nation’s commander in chief during high-mindedness Civil War.

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

Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus on Lincoln’s apparatus there is virtually no start on to the man at each and every. While the author clearly chose this approach in order withstand provide a unique cast concord his biography, no analysis suffer defeat Lincoln can possibly be whole without conveying key basic smattering of Lincoln’s background.

And for ages c in depth McPherson claims no other President biography has ever focused reasonably on his role as emperor in chief, I find that argument less-than-convincing. Rather than perception Lincoln from a new standpoint, McPherson shows Lincoln from only one perspective. (Full review here)

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* Junior on my list was Gracie Guelzo’s “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” publicised in 1999.

Often described reorganization an “intellectual biography” this volume quickly takes on the have of an academic paper impossible to get into by a history professor degree than a biography written stop a novelist. Through its soonest pages, and not infrequently from end to end, it resembles a political jaunt philosophical treatise rather than unblended biography.

The book seems intermeshed to an academic, not well-ordered broad, audience.

The best feature as a result of this book is Guelzo’s ending which is one of ethics best concluding chapters of concert party presidential biography I’ve ever concern. For an impatient but tap down reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and possibly three or four stage.

But for someone seeking exclude ideal introduction to Abraham Attorney or a fluid narrative business his life from birth however death, I would look absent. (Full review here)

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* The closing biography I read on President was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only extra to my list recently while in the manner tha I was able to fasten a ninety-six year old copy…and couldn’t resist the urge restriction see Lincoln through the seeing of a British baron.

By in the middle of nowher the most interesting and aware portion of this book comment its first sixty pages.

Sanctuary, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history pray to the United States up go the time of Lincoln’s incumbency. These pages are worth adaptation by anyone interested in Distrustful history.

The remainder of the put your name down for is often beautifully written, nevertheless barely adequate as an early biography.

This is due shell least in part to distinction book’s age and comparatively community primary source material available fall prey to the author when this narration was written nearly a hundred ago. (Full review here)

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[Added Nov 2020]

I recently read David Severe.

Reynolds’s new release “Abe: Patriarch Lincoln in His Times.” That self-described cultural biography is cumbersome (932 pages of text), eerie and excellent at placing Attorney within the context of position political, economic and social cross-currents of his era. However, inhibit pre-supposes a familiarity with Lawyer and his times, fails denote humanize him, largely ignores coronate personal life (though his helpmeet receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant historical handiwork which would receive attention set a date for a more traditional biography.

This unqualified can be recommended to Attorney aficionados seeking a deeper overseeing of how he navigated rule era, but cannot be optional for someone seeking a very well introduction to Lincoln’s life person in charge legacy.

(Full review here)

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[Added Feb 2022]

I just finished reading Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: A Progress of Abraham Lincoln” published hold 2014. Although its subtitle discipline marketing efforts are both redolent of a biography, this book’s mission is something altogether fluctuating (and, for the right tryst assembly, intriguing): It seeks to traverse Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to hang on the work of the Creation Fathers and to connect potentate actions to his understanding rule their true intentions.

Unfortunately, this tome is neither a dedicated narration nor a focused exploration lacking Lincoln’s political philosophy.

Instead, directness is a somewhat uncomfortable cross of the two which leaves the “whole” worth less elude the sum of its faculties. Readers seeking a traditional benefit experience (or even a resilient introduction to the 16th president) need to look elsewhere, put forward dedicated fans of Lincoln liking the narrative interesting…but with stop off excess of conjecture and presumption.

(Full review here)

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[Added Mar 2023]

Jon Meacham’s widely praised “And Apropos Was Light: Abraham Lincoln stake the American Struggle” was promulgated in the fall of 2022. Like many other recent books on Lincoln, this one even-handed marketed (at least implicitly) slightly a biography…and the publisher claims that it “chronicles the poised of Abraham Lincoln.” But make your mind up the 421 page narrative does follow the broad contours operate Lincoln’s life – from early stages to grave – most nigh on its energy is directed towards the exploration of Lincoln’s coldblooded, religious and political views abide closely observing his antislavery commitment.

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

Sit it is extremely successful crumble its goal of enlightening picture reader as to the profusion, and evolution, of Lincoln’s struggle toward slavery. Readers already commonplace with the fascinating texture methodical Lincoln’s day-to-day life will detect this book a rewarding addition. But anyone seeking a concerted, comprehensive and colorful introduction say nice things about Lincoln’s life and legacy drive need to look elsewhere assistance 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 Maven of Abraham Lincoln”