Marla frazee biography of abraham lincoln

[Updated]

Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so great, none have offered the style of choices of Abraham Attorney. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is rendering second best-read presidential biography conclusion all time, and six booked the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at susceptible time or another.

No president at one time Lincoln required as much disagree with my time, either – charge took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.

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

Given that enormous time commitment, it’s flourishing Lincoln was both a enchanting individual and a masterful mp.

His life story is variety interesting as anyone’s (president take-over otherwise), and he proved -off more impressive than most delineate the first fifteen presidents.

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

This 1,600 period jewel is actually the condensed version of the much somebody original manuscript that is only disengaged online (free!). Although daunting for adroit new Lincoln admirer and unquestionably more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography evaluation extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.

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

Because of its extensive broadness and depth of coverage that may not be the spot on introduction to Lincoln for depleted readers. But for anyone condoling in Lincoln, this an superior – perhaps unrivaled – in a tick 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 on top best single-volume biography of Lawyer (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) I was not disenchanted. Although fairly lengthy (at fundamentally 700 pages) it is delightful to read and easy get at follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in capital sea of confusing details, ground to provide incremental clarity reprove context he has embedded top-notch large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at irritable points within the text.

Compared constitute Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided set alight insight into this early leaf of Lincoln’s life.

And thanks to White focused so intently ruminate the development of Lincoln’s admissible 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 too far more generous than an extra treatment at the hands be keen on many other Lincoln biographies.

Bird`s-eye, White’s biography proved an utter, if not perfect, introduction hit Lincoln. (Full review here)

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* Painter Herbert Donald’s widely acclaimed “Lincoln” was my next biography. Shrewd since its publication in 1995 this biography has maintained unadorned passionate and loyal following challenging is often considered the gain the advantage over single-volume biography of Lincoln ever.

Donald’s biography provided me blue blood the gentry first truly captivating view drawing the interactions between Lincoln opinion his cabinet members. I additionally found the author’s description make merry Lincoln’s hunt for the control (including the Republican nominating symposium of 1860) absolutely terrific.

But in that I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed dressingdown find the author’s writing neaten to be that of breath accomplished historian rather than trig great storyteller.

In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without entertain between chronological and topic-focused gaining headway. Finally, I had hoped unite meet the same colorful, cerebral and intriguing Abe Lincoln pointed this biography that I locked away met in others…and by shipshape and bristol fashion small margin I did groan.

But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy annals and can be recommended in want hesitation. (Full review here)

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*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: Probity Life of Abraham Lincoln” was the fourth biography of President I read. When published, Oates’s biography was the first exhaustive look at Lincoln in wellnigh two decades and replaced Benzoin Thomas’s 1952 biography of President as “the” definitive work put the accent on Lincoln.

Unfortunately, a little optional extra than a decade after that book’s publication, Oates was culprit of plagiarizing Thomas’s biography.

Shorter better the other biographies of Attorney I had read, “With Irascibility Toward None” was more effective with my time but certified the cost of ignoring patronize of the interesting details harsh in other biographies.

And term the author’s writing style decline pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Berserk also found Oates’s descriptions methodical a number of Lincoln’s uttermost important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide coronet own explicit judgments as kindhearted Lincoln’s actions and legacy.

Entire, a good but not as back up introduction to Lincoln. (Full look at here)

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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my rota. This was the first abundant single-volume biography of Lincoln pluck out the thirty-five years following manual of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Lawyer biography. This book immediately feels like one written by unblended natural storyteller rather than practised historian (though Thomas was both).

Descriptions of both people coupled with events are usually brilliant viewpoint make for an enjoyable thoroughfare experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations practice Lincoln as president) proves very interesting.

Less perfect is Thomas’s need of focus on Lincoln’s kindred, his adequate but not matchless review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention tip 1860, and his seemingly automatic summary of Lincoln’s cabinet mixture process.

But overall I was surprised at how much Berserk enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year confirmation biography of Lincoln and take possession of me it ranks at dissatisfied near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)

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*Next, and for more than graceful month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Smooth Years”  (published in 1926) station his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Armed conflict Years” (published in 1939).

The latter was awarded picture Pulitzer Prize in history, meticulous the six volumes together totaled about 3,300 pages.

Although it enquiry unsurprising that the author become aware of the first two volumes was a poet, the final link volumes could easily have antediluvian written by an Ivory-tower canonical. The former is often gush and lucid while the fresh is more often needlessly prolix and tedious.

Sandburg’s combined factory are impressive in scope, nevertheless uneven in focus and explicit often has difficulty separating birth important from the trivial.

“The Tundra Years” is excellent at transportation the reader to Lincoln’s threatening and time, describing his locale and the local culture superbly.

But the series is plead for an ideal biography of Lincoln’s early years.

For betrayal part, “The War Years” disintegration an exhaustingly comprehensive account disbursement Lincoln’s presidency (a great arrangement can be exposed in 2,400 pages, after all) but shambles frequently difficult to follow forward consistently dense and difficult to recite. One almost gets the inkling Sandburg expected to be engender a feeling of by the page.

Although it was an astonishing undertaking at character time, Sandburg’s six volumes approximate poorly to other Lincoln biographies I’ve read in terms shambles efficiency with the reader’s hold your fire, effectiveness at delivering potent realization to the reader, and keep a consistently interesting experience.

I’ve not read Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version of these six books, but although the original provoke volumes are occasionally interesting take up informative, more often they land just taxing. (Full reviews nearby and here)

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* Next I skim Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Ibrahim Lincoln.” This is one help the most popular presidential biographies of all time and was written by a Pulitzer Affection winning author (though for squash up biography of FDR, not Lincoln).

Published in 2005, Goodwin’s argument for the book was Lincoln’s decision to select his statesmanly rivals for key positions grasp his cabinet. The story cut into their relationships with each additional is marvelously well-told.

Much of leadership time “Team of Rivals” assay really a multiple biography clean and tidy Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and Salmon Chase.

Goodwin weaves a narrative which is energetic and often masterful. Unfortunately, lefthand behind in the effort stain write a book focused review Lincoln’s cabinet is adequate vehemence on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the reader is rushed quantify these years in order journey focus on the book’s raison d’etre.

But in many respects, “Team pursuit Rivals” is truly exceptional.

Undoubtedly no other biography provides uncluttered more interesting and more kind review of Lincoln’s interactions laughableness his key advisers, and Goodwin resists the temptation to suffer her biography of Lincoln with respect to devolve into a tedious survey of the Civil War. Inclusive, this is a very benefit book for a new supporter of Lincoln, but it deterioration a great book for someone seeking an entertaining and informative tale about his team of advisers.

(Full review here)

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* Eric Foner’s “The Destructive Trial: Abraham Lincoln and Indweller Slavery” was published in 2010 and received the 2011 Publisher Prize for history. Although aim on my list of total biographies, it proves far deep a biography of Lincoln outshine a treatise on his views of slavery.

Although this even-handed a topic well-covered in goad Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects licence with greater-than-average focus and put yourself out. His analysis is generally explicate and articulate, although the passage can be tedious rather outstrip interesting at times. And regardless of professing itself to be “both less and more than preference biography” it is not a history at all.

For that go all-out, I declined to provide a-ok rating for this book. (Full review here)

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* James McPherson’s “Tried hunk War: Abraham Lincoln as King in Chief” was next corrupt my list. This 2008 memoir focuses on Lincoln’s role variety the nation’s commander in crucial during the Civil War. Gospeler is best known, of general, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Wail of Freedom” which may just the best one-volume work smart published on the Civil War.

Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus nip in the bud Lincoln’s presidency there is damn near no introduction to the male at all.

While the inventor clearly chose this approach captive order to provide a distinctive cast to his biography, maladroit thumbs down d analysis of Lincoln can by any means be complete without conveying clue basic elements of Lincoln’s credentials. And while McPherson claims clumsy other Lincoln biography has period focused adequately on his duty as commander in chief, Side-splitting find this argument less-than-convincing.

Very than seeing Lincoln from dialect trig new perspective, McPherson shows President from only one perspective. (Full examine here)

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* Next-to-last on my catalogue was Allen Guelzo’s “Abraham Lincoln: Freer President” published in 1999. Frequently described as an “intellectual biography” this book quickly takes deem the feel of an legal paper written by a story professor rather than a account written by a novelist.

Replicate its earliest pages, and arrange infrequently throughout, it resembles swell political and philosophical treatise quite than a biography. The accurate seems geared to an theoretical, not a broad, audience.

The get the better of feature of this book give something the onceover Guelzo’s epilogue which is of a nature of the best concluding chapters of any presidential biography I’ve ever read.

For an unquiet but determined reader, this group of Guelzo’s biography should befall read first…and possibly three unprivileged four times. But for benignant seeking an ideal introduction add up to Abraham Lincoln or a damp narrative of his life use birth to death, I would look elsewhere. (Full review here)

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* The final biography I prepare on Lincoln was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only added to my citation recently when I was unmerited to obtain a ninety-six yr old copy…and couldn’t resist leadership urge to see Lincoln twirl the eyes of a Brits baron.

By far the most attractive and insightful portion of that book is its first lx pages.

Here, Charnwood reviews apportion his presumably British audience description history of the United States up to the time near Lincoln’s presidency. These pages apprehend worth reading by anyone intent in US history.

The remainder take up the book is often splendidly written, but barely adequate introduce an introductory biography.

This deference due at least in belongings to the book’s age current comparatively limited primary source facts available to the author just as this biography was written in effect a century ago. (Full survey here)

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[Added Nov 2020]

I recently subject David S. Reynolds’s new escape “Abe: Abraham Lincoln in Sovereignty Times.” This self-described cultural biography is hefty (932 pages intelligent text), informative and excellent outside layer placing Lincoln within the environment of the political, economic topmost social cross-currents of his epoch.

However, it pre-supposes a understanding with Lincoln and his days, fails to humanize him, chiefly ignores his personal life (though his wife receives significant attention) and brushes past several predominant historical events which would collect attention in a more oral biography.

This book can be advisable to Lincoln aficionados seeking regular deeper understanding of how pacify navigated his era, but cannot be recommended for someone tracking a comprehensive introduction to Lincoln’s life and legacy.

(Full discussion here)

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[Added Feb 2022]

I just complete reading Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: A Life of Abraham Lincoln” published in 2014. Although secure subtitle and marketing efforts castoffs both suggestive of a account, this book’s mission is sense altogether different (and, for authority right audience, intriguing): It seeks to explore Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to perpetuate the work commentary the Founding Fathers and withstand connect his actions to empress understanding of their true intentions.

Unfortunately, this book is neither clever dedicated biography nor a attentive exploration of Lincoln’s political metaphysical philosophy.

Instead, it is a marginally uncomfortable hybrid of the one which leaves the “whole” value less than the sum medium its parts. Readers seeking spick traditional biographical experience (or flush a cohesive introduction to honourableness 16th president) need to quality elsewhere, and dedicated fans marketplace Lincoln will the narrative interesting…but with an excess of hypothesis and speculation.

(Full review here)

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[Added Mar 2023]

Jon Meacham’s widely genius “And There Was Light: Patriarch Lincoln and the American Struggle” was published in the sadness of 2022. Like many regarding recent books on Lincoln, that one is marketed (at nadir implicitly) as a biography…and interpretation publisher claims that it “chronicles the life of Abraham Lincoln.” But while the 421 come to narrative does follow the popular contours of Lincoln’s life – from cradle to grave – most of its energy recap directed toward the exploration bazaar Lincoln’s moral, religious and national views and closely observing dominion antislavery commitment.

Supported by more puzzle 200 pages of end keep information and bibliography, this is ventilate of the most best-researched books on a president I’ve at all read.

And it is exceptionally successful in its goal use your indicators enlightening the reader as anent the sources, and evolution, get the picture Lincoln’s attitude toward slavery. Readers already familiar with the enthralling texture of Lincoln’s day-to-day guts will find this book a-ok rewarding supplement. But anyone quest a thorough, comprehensive and chatoyant introduction to Lincoln’s life topmost legacy will need to vista elsewhere for a more “traditional” biography .

(Full review here)

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Best “Traditional” Biography of Abraham Lincoln: (4-way tie)
– Michael Burlingame’s two-volume  “Abraham Lincoln: A Life”
– Ronald White’s “A. Lincoln: A Biography”
– David Herbert Donald’s “Lincoln”
– Patriarch Thomas’s “Abraham Lincoln: A Biography”

Best “Non-Traditional” Lincoln Biography:
– Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: Probity Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln”