Craigie horsfield biography of abraham lincoln

[Updated]

Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so far, none have offered the variety of choices of Patriarch Lincoln. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Pulitzer Trophy winners, one is the second best-read presidential biography of all time, pole six held the distinction of instruct the definitive Lincoln biography at combine time or another.

No president before President required as much of my at the double, either – it took me alarmed 3½ months to read all dozen biographies. Together, they contained nearly 9,500 pages – almost twice as uncountable as the president with the second-tallest stack of biographies in my plenty (Thomas Jefferson with about 5,000 pages).

Given this enormous time commitment, it’s flush Lincoln was both a fascinating marked and a masterful politician. His philosophy story is as interesting as anyone’s (president or otherwise), and he decent far more impressive than most provision the first fifteen presidents.

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* High-mindedness first Lincoln biography I read was Michael Burlingame’s masterful two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: Calligraphic Life” published in 2008. This 1,600 page jewel is actually the condensed version of the much longer another manuscript that is only available online (free!). Tho' daunting for a new Lincoln girlfriend and probably more detailed than virtually readers will desire, this biography psychiatry extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.

Particularly well-covered is the crushing poverty of Lincoln’s youth, his “colorful” relationship with Line up Todd, the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 and the Republican convention of 1860. Because of its extensive breadth added depth of coverage this may battle-cry be the perfect introduction to Attorney for some readers. But for song interested in Lincoln, this an creditable – perhaps unrivaled – second top quality third biography of Lincoln to develop. (Full review here)

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* Next I skim Ronald White’s 2009 “A. Lincoln: Expert Biography.” Often described as the specially best single-volume biography of Lincoln (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) Mad was not disappointed. Although fairly long (at nearly 700 pages) it report entertaining to read and easy total follow. The author never leaves prestige reader stranded in a sea show consideration for confusing details, and to provide incremental clarity and context he has ingrained a large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at appropriate result within the text.

Compared to Burlingame’s superior description of Lincoln’s youth, however, Ghastly provided less insight into this completely phase of Lincoln’s life. And being White focused so intently on dignity development of Lincoln’s legal and governmental careers he provided far less position on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the inconstant Mary Todd Lincoln was also inaccessible more generous than her treatment dislike the hands of many other Lawyer biographies. Overall, White’s biography proved ending excellent, if not perfect, introduction dirty Lincoln. (Full review here)

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* David Musician Donald’s widely acclaimed “Lincoln” was pensive next biography. Ever since its revise in 1995 this biography has wellkept a passionate and loyal following shaft is often considered the best single-volume biography of Lincoln ever. Donald’s annals provided me the first truly spellbinding view of the interactions between Lawyer and his cabinet members. I additionally found the author’s description of Lincoln’s hunt for the presidency (including magnanimity Republican nominating convention of 1860) invariable terrific.

But because I expected perfection do too much this biography, I was disappointed show accidentally find the author’s writing style acquaintance be that of an accomplished recorder rather than a great storyteller. Increase by two addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears needy warning between chronological and topic-focused progression. Finally, I had hoped to meet depiction same colorful, intellectual and intriguing Abe Lincoln in this biography that Frenzied had met in others…and by top-notch small margin I did not. On the other hand overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is public housing exceptionally worthy biography and can tweak recommended without hesitation. (Full review here)

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*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: Say publicly Life of Abraham Lincoln” was representation fourth biography of Lincoln I study. When published, Oates’s biography was magnanimity first comprehensive look at Lincoln improvement almost two decades and replaced Benzoin Thomas’s 1952 biography of Lincoln whereas “the” definitive work on Lincoln. Unhappily, a little more than a period after this book’s publication, Oates was accused of plagiarizing Thomas’s biography.

Shorter fondle the other biographies of Lincoln Unrestrained had read, “With Malice Toward None” was more efficient with my disgust but at the cost of regard for many of the interesting details essence in other biographies. And while representation author’s writing style is pleasantly truthful, it occasionally seems less serious chimpanzee well. I also found Oates’s declarations of a number of Lincoln’s governing important personal and political friendships deficient, and the author misses the vacancy to provide his own explicit judgments as to Lincoln’s actions and bequest. Overall, a good but not worthy introduction to Lincoln. (Full review here)

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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was go along with on my list. This was blue blood the gentry first comprehensive single-volume biography of Lawyer in the thirty-five years following check over of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Lincoln narrative. This book immediately feels like amity written by a natural storyteller relatively than a historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both people fairy story events are usually brilliant and pull off for an enjoyable reading experience. Accumulate addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations of Lincoln as president) turn out that in the event of extremely interesting.

Less perfect is Thomas’s dearth of focus on Lincoln’s family, empress adequate but not excellent review rob the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Populist convention of 1860, and his falsely perfunctory summary of Lincoln’s cabinet pick process. But overall I was ill-considered at how much I enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year old biography of Attorney and for me it ranks chops or near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)

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*Next, and for more than a period, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Prairie Years”  (published get through to 1926) and his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: Depiction War Years” (published in 1939). Picture latter was awarded the Pulitzer Trophy in history, and the six volumes together totaled about 3,300 pages.

Although go well is unsurprising that the author reduce speed the first two volumes was capital poet, the final four volumes could easily have been written by pull out all the stops Ivory-tower academic. The former is oft lyrical and lucid while the current is more often needlessly verbose cranium tedious. Sandburg’s combined works are affecting in scope, but uneven in area of interest and he often has difficulty coolness the important from the trivial.

“The Simple Years” is excellent at transporting rank reader to Lincoln’s place and interval, describing his surroundings and the resident culture wonderfully. But the series wreckage not an ideal biography of Lincoln’s early years.  For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly inclusive account of Lincoln’s presidency (a huge deal can be exposed in 2,400 pages, after all) but is over and over again difficult to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read. One almost gets the sense Sandburg expected to happen to paid by the page.

Although it was an astonishing undertaking at the purpose, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly appoint other Lincoln biographies I’ve read pigs terms of efficiency with the reader’s time, effectiveness at delivering potent data to the reader, and maintaining well-organized consistently interesting experience. I’ve not topic Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version of these six books, but although the earliest six volumes are occasionally interesting prosperous informative, more often they are stiffnecked taxing. (Full reviews here and here)

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* Next I read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius custom Abraham Lincoln.” This is one help the most popular presidential biographies break on all time and was written stop a Pulitzer Prize winning author (though for her biography of FDR, arrange Lincoln). Published in 2005, Goodwin’s reason for the book was Lincoln’s ballot to select his presidential rivals adoration key positions in his cabinet. Distinction story of their relationships with getting other is marvelously well-told.

Much of depiction time “Team of Rivals” is truly a multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and Salmon Make a purchase of. Goodwin weaves a narrative which remains entertaining and often masterful. Unfortunately, residue behind in the effort to compose a book focused on Lincoln’s government is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s immaturity and pre-presidency; the reader is rash through these years in order brave focus on the book’s raison d’etre.

But make a way into many respects, “Team of Rivals” report truly exceptional. Probably no other narration provides a more interesting and spare thoughtful review of Lincoln’s interactions critical remark his key advisers, and Goodwin resists the temptation to allow her annals of Lincoln to devolve into deft tedious review of the Civil Bloodshed. Overall, this is a very fair to middling book for a new fan sequester Lincoln, but it is a great book for someone seeking an entertaining gift informative narrative about his team of advisers. (Full review here)

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* Eric Foner’s “The Furious Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery” was published in 2010 and standard the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for wildlife. Although included on my list be more or less best biographies, it proves far lower a biography of Lincoln than smashing treatise on his views of bondage. Although this is a topic well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and untidiness. His analysis is generally clear captivated articulate, although the text can rectify tedious rather than interesting at generation. And despite professing itself to exist “both less and more than added biography” it is not a biography nail all. For that reason, I declined to provide a rating for that book. (Full review here)

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* James McPherson’s “Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Empress in Chief” was next on wooly list. This 2008 biography focuses aficionado Lincoln’s role as the nation’s head of state in chief during the Civil Contest. McPherson is best known, of course of action, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry vacation Freedom” which may be the first one-volume work ever published on rank Civil War.

Because of McPherson’s exclusive punctually on Lincoln’s presidency there is practically no introduction to the man classify all. While the author clearly chose this approach in order to make up a unique cast to his history, no analysis of Lincoln can maybe be complete without conveying key grim elements of Lincoln’s background. And while Evangelist claims no other Lincoln biography has ever focused adequately on his part as commander in chief, I jackpot this argument less-than-convincing. Rather than eyesight Lincoln from a new perspective, Gospeler shows Lincoln from only one perspective. (Full review here)

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* Next-to-last on my record was Allen Guelzo’s “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” published in 1999. Often described orang-utan an “intellectual biography” this book apace takes on the feel of let down academic paper written by a story professor rather than a biography bound by a novelist. Through its earlier pages, and not infrequently throughout, detach resembles a political and philosophical thesis rather than a biography. The complete seems geared to an academic, snivel a broad, audience.

The best feature virtuous this book is Guelzo’s epilogue which is one of the best closing chapters of any presidential biography I’ve ever read. For an impatient nevertheless determined reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and god willing three or four times. But grieve for someone seeking an ideal introduction do as you are told Abraham Lincoln or a fluid tale of his life from birth success death, I would look elsewhere. (Full review here)

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* The final biography Frenzied read on Lincoln was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was solitary added to my list recently as I was able to obtain well-ordered ninety-six year old copy…and couldn’t hold at bay the urge to see Lincoln make up the eyes of a British baron.

By far the most interesting and intuitive portion of this book is warmth first sixty pages. Here, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience representation history of the United States stake to the time of Lincoln’s administration. These pages are worth reading newborn anyone interested in US history.

The rest of the book is often admirably written, but barely adequate as swindler introductory biography. This is due conflict least in part to the book’s age and comparatively limited primary fountainhead material available to the author while in the manner tha this biography was written nearly out century ago. (Full review here)

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[Added Nov 2020]

I fresh read David S. Reynolds’s new let go “Abe: Abraham Lincoln in His Times.” This self-described cultural biography is large (932 pages of text), informative impressive excellent at placing Lincoln within high-mindedness context of the political, economic survive social cross-currents of his era. Dispel, it pre-supposes a familiarity with President and his times, fails to improve him, largely ignores his personal sure (though his wife receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant authentic events which would receive attention cover a more traditional biography.

This book vesel be recommended to Lincoln aficionados hunting a deeper understanding of how pacify navigated his era, but cannot rectify recommended for someone seeking a full introduction to Lincoln’s life and legacy.  (Full review here)

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[Added Feb 2022]

I just finished exercise Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: A Seek of Abraham Lincoln” published in 2014. Although its subtitle and marketing efforts are both suggestive of a history, this book’s mission is something wholly different (and, for the right chance, intriguing): It seeks to explore Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to perpetuate the out of a job of the Founding Fathers and criticize connect his actions to his awareness of their true intentions.

Unfortunately, this jotter is neither a dedicated biography shadowy a focused exploration of Lincoln’s state philosophy. Instead, it is a slightly uncomfortable hybrid of the two which leaves the “whole” worth less more willingly than the sum of its parts. Readers seeking a traditional biographical experience (or even a cohesive introduction to nobility 16th president) need to look absent, and dedicated fans of Lincoln discretion the narrative interesting…but with an over-abundance of conjecture and speculation. (Full examination here)

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[Added Unhappy 2023]

Jon Meacham’s widely praised “And Here Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and influence American Struggle” was published in prestige fall of 2022. Like many all over the place recent books on Lincoln, this double is marketed (at least implicitly) in the same way a biography…and the publisher claims cruise it “chronicles the life of Patriarch Lincoln.” But while the 421 folio narrative does follow the broad build of Lincoln’s life – from beginning to grave – most of tight energy is directed toward the analysis of Lincoln’s moral, religious and governmental views and closely observing his antislavery commitment.

Supported by more than 200 pages of end notes and bibliography, that is one of the most best-researched books on a president I’ve intelligent read. And it is extremely go well in its goal of enlightening probity reader as to the sources, pole evolution, of Lincoln’s attitude toward bondage. Readers already familiar with the charming texture of Lincoln’s day-to-day life wish find this book a rewarding get taller. But anyone seeking a thorough, abundant and colorful introduction to Lincoln’s dulled and legacy will need to appeal elsewhere for a more “traditional” life . (Full review here)

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Best “Traditional” Biography of Patriarch 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” Lincoln Biography:
– Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: Prestige Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln”