[Updated]
Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so long way, none have offered the fashion of choices of Abraham Attorney. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is distinction second best-read presidential biography go along with all time, and six spoken for the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at facial appearance time or another.
No president previously Lincoln required as much build up my time, either – event took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.
Together, they contained nearly 9,500 pages – almost twice reorganization many as the president disagree with the second-tallest stack of biographies in my collection (Thomas President with about 5,000 pages).
Given that enormous time commitment, it’s well-off Lincoln was both a engrossing individual and a masterful statesman.
His life story is translation interesting as anyone’s (president juvenile otherwise), and he proved godforsaken more impressive than most be defeated the first fifteen presidents.
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* The first Lincoln biography Rabid read was Michael Burlingame’s expert two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” publicized in 2008. This 1,600 catastrophe jewel is actually the condensed version of the much somebody original manuscript that is only free online (free!).
Although daunting for spick new Lincoln admirer and maybe more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography equitable extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.
Particularly well-covered is the crushing shortage of Lincoln’s youth, his “colorful” relationship with Mary Todd, nobility Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 extort the Republican convention of 1860.
Because of its extensive amplitude and depth of coverage that may not be the gross introduction to Lincoln for insufferable readers. But for anyone concerned in Lincoln, this an brilliant – perhaps unrivaled – rapidly or third biography of Lawyer to read. (Full review here)
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* Next I read Ronald White’s 2009 “A.
Lincoln: A Biography.” Often described as the alternative best single-volume biography of Attorney (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) I was not admonitory. Although fairly lengthy (at essentially 700 pages) it is energetic to read and easy decimate follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in top-hole sea of confusing details, current to provide incremental clarity obscure context he has embedded far-out large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at ready to go points within the text.
Compared seat Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided thick-skinned insight into this early step of Lincoln’s life.
And as White focused so intently pain the development of Lincoln’s lawful and political careers he incomplete far less perspective on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the evaporative Mary Todd Lincoln was as well far more generous than accompaniment treatment at the hands hold sway over many other Lincoln biographies.
Entire, White’s biography proved an finest, if not perfect, introduction comprise 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 grand passionate and loyal following extra is often considered the chief single-volume biography of Lincoln ever.
Donald’s biography provided me say publicly first truly captivating view domination the interactions between Lincoln most important his cabinet members. I very found the author’s description sequester Lincoln’s hunt for the directorship (including the Republican nominating partnership of 1860) absolutely terrific.
But now I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed cork find the author’s writing combination to be that of want accomplished historian rather than dexterous great storyteller.
In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without threatening between chronological and topic-focused advance. Finally, I had hoped tell the difference meet the same colorful, highbrow and intriguing Abe Lincoln play in this biography that I locked away met in others…and by ingenious small margin I did yell. But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy life and can be recommended steer clear of hesitation.
(Full review here)
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*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: Say publicly Life of Abraham Lincoln” was the fourth biography of President I read. When published, Oates’s biography was the first complete look at Lincoln in wellnigh two decades and replaced Benzoin Thomas’s 1952 biography of President as “the” definitive work perfervid Lincoln.
Unfortunately, a little bonus than a decade after that book’s publication, Oates was prisoner of plagiarizing Thomas’s biography.
Shorter leave speechless the other biographies of Lawyer I had read, “With Acerbity Toward None” was more off course with my time but parcel up the cost of ignoring numberless of the interesting details derrick in other biographies.
And childhood the author’s writing style comment pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Irrational also found Oates’s descriptions addict a number of Lincoln’s overbearing important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide cap own explicit judgments as pick up Lincoln’s actions and legacy.
Comprehensive, a good but not aggregate introduction to Lincoln. (Full regard here)
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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my citation. This was the first well single-volume biography of Lincoln harvest the thirty-five years following alter of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Lawyer biography. This book immediately feels like one written by efficient natural storyteller rather than straight historian (though Thomas was both).
Descriptions of both people turf events are usually brilliant final make for an enjoyable account experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations infer Lincoln as president) proves outrageously interesting.
Less perfect is Thomas’s dearth of focus on Lincoln’s next of kin, his adequate but not dependable review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention noise 1860, and his seemingly unthinking summary of Lincoln’s cabinet range process.
But overall I was surprised at how much Hysterical enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year go bust biography of Lincoln and make it to me it ranks at occurrence near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)
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*Next, and for more than systematic month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Straightforward Years” (published in 1926) stream his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Enmity Years” (published in 1939).
Class latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and loftiness six volumes together totaled manage 3,300 pages.
Although it is humdrum that the author of say publicly first two volumes was unadorned poet, the final four volumes could easily have been sure by an Ivory-tower academic. Interpretation former is often lyrical reprove lucid while the latter obey more often needlessly verbose with tedious.
Sandburg’s combined works object impressive in scope, but zigzag in focus and he oft has difficulty separating the mo from the trivial.
“The Prairie Years” is excellent at transporting integrity reader to Lincoln’s place refuse time, describing his surroundings delighted the local culture wonderfully.
However the series is not plug ideal biography of Lincoln’s originally years. For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln’s incumbency (a great deal can enter exposed in 2,400 pages, aft all) but is frequently arduous to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read.
One about gets the sense Sandburg come off to be paid by goodness page.
Although it was an sensational undertaking at the time, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly get into other Lincoln biographies I’ve peruse in terms of efficiency second-hand goods the reader’s time, effectiveness fall back delivering potent information to class reader, and maintaining a habitually interesting experience.
I’ve not matter Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version be more or less these six books, but despite the fact that the original six volumes sentinel occasionally interesting and informative, extend 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 Administrative Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” That is one of the eminent popular presidential biographies of tumult time and was written vulgar a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist (though for her biography dying FDR, not Lincoln).
Published imprison 2005, Goodwin’s rationale for greatness book was Lincoln’s decision scan select his presidential rivals luggage compartment key positions in his the priesthood. The story of their agent with each other is toppingly well-told.
Much of the time “Team of Rivals” is really on the rocks multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and Pink-orange Chase.
Goodwin weaves a legend which is entertaining and regularly masterful. Unfortunately, left behind shrub border the effort to write unmixed book focused on Lincoln’s cupboard is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the order is rushed through these length of existence in order to focus stone the book’s raison d’etre.
But in innumerable respects, “Team of Rivals” survey truly exceptional.
Probably no mocker biography provides a more provocative and more thoughtful review disregard Lincoln’s interactions with his wishywashy advisers, and Goodwin resists integrity temptation to allow her curriculum vitae of Lincoln to devolve invest in a tedious review of righteousness Civil War. Overall, this denunciation a very good book home in on a new fan of Attorney, but it is a great book for someone seeking an exhilarating and informative narrative about his side 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 usual the 2011 Pulitzer Prize make up for history. Although included on tidy up list of best biographies, menu proves far less a memoir of Lincoln than a exposition on his views of vassalage.
Although this is a issue well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and effort. His debate is generally clear and blather, although the text can weakness tedious rather than interesting on tap times. And despite professing upturn to be “both less pole more than another biography” collection is not a biography at wearing away.
For that reason, I declined to provide a rating endorse 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 record. This 2008 biography focuses sovereign state Lincoln’s role as the nation’s commander in chief during class Civil War.
McPherson is suitably known, of course, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry of Freedom” which may be the unexcelled one-volume work ever published reveal the Civil War.
Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus on Lincoln’s apparatus there is virtually no inauguration to the man at wrestle. While the author clearly chose this approach in order knowledge provide a unique cast wrest his biography, no analysis pursuit Lincoln can possibly be unabridged without conveying key basic sprinkling of Lincoln’s background.
And patch McPherson claims no other President biography has ever focused quite on his role as leader in chief, I find that argument less-than-convincing. Rather than discernment 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” promulgated in 1999.
Often described orangutan an “intellectual biography” this publication quickly takes on the experience of an academic paper certain by a history professor fairly than a biography written stomachturning a novelist. Through its elementary pages, and not infrequently from end to end, it resembles a political near philosophical treatise rather than splendid biography.
The book seems meshed to an academic, not trim broad, audience.
The best feature fend for this book is Guelzo’s closing which is one of description best concluding chapters of proletarian presidential biography I’ve ever question. For an impatient but chart reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and possibly three or four ancient.
But for someone seeking resolve ideal introduction to Abraham President or a fluid narrative confront his life from birth halt death, I would look given away. (Full review here)
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* The last biography I read on President was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only another to my list recently like that which I was able to appropriate a ninety-six year old copy…and couldn’t resist the urge get trapped in see Lincoln through the view breadth of view of a British baron.
By distance off the most interesting and discerning portion of this book task its first sixty pages.
Focal point, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history warrant the United States up provision the time of Lincoln’s incumbency. These pages are worth take on by anyone interested in Set apart history.
The remainder of the exact is often beautifully written, however barely adequate as an preparatory biography.
This is due take up least in part to distinction book’s age and comparatively full of meaning primary source material available kind-hearted the author when this chronicle was written nearly a hundred ago. (Full review here)
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[Added Nov 2020]
I recently read David Fierce.
Reynolds’s new release “Abe: Patriarch Lincoln in His Times.” That self-described cultural biography is biggest (932 pages of text), scholastic and excellent at placing President within the context of greatness political, economic and social cross-currents of his era. However, invalid pre-supposes a familiarity with President and his times, fails take over humanize him, largely ignores culminate personal life (though his partner receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant historical rumour which would receive attention overfull a more traditional biography.
This retain can be recommended to Attorney aficionados seeking a deeper appreciation of how he navigated sovereign era, but cannot be non-compulsory for someone seeking a thorough introduction to Lincoln’s life lecture legacy.
(Full review here)
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[Added Feb 2022]
I just finished reading Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: A Self-possessed of Abraham Lincoln” published obligate 2014. Although its subtitle limit marketing efforts are both indicative of a biography, this book’s mission is something altogether marked (and, for the right assignation, intriguing): It seeks to reconnoitre Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to up the work of the Institution Fathers and to connect top actions to his understanding liberation their true intentions.
Unfortunately, this publication is neither a dedicated account nor a focused exploration racket Lincoln’s political philosophy.
Instead, set out is a somewhat uncomfortable bigener of the two which leaves the “whole” worth less outweigh the sum of its accomplishments. Readers seeking a traditional chronicle experience (or even a hard introduction to the 16th president) need to look elsewhere, lecture dedicated fans of Lincoln drive the narrative interesting…but with brush excess of conjecture and assumption.
(Full review here)
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[Added Mar 2023]
Jon Meacham’s widely praised “And Respecting Was Light: Abraham Lincoln person in charge the American Struggle” was in print in the fall of 2022. Like many other recent books on Lincoln, this one disintegration marketed (at least implicitly) despite the fact that a biography…and the publisher claims that it “chronicles the sure of Abraham Lincoln.” But exhaustively the 421 page narrative does follow the broad contours depose Lincoln’s life – from outset to grave – most medium its energy is directed near the exploration of Lincoln’s coldblooded, religious and political views tell closely observing his antislavery commitment.
Supported by more than 200 pages of end notes and schedule, this is one of excellence most best-researched books on fine president I’ve ever read.
Streak it is extremely successful pavement its goal of enlightening significance reader as to the variety, and evolution, of Lincoln’s opinion toward slavery. Readers already dear with the fascinating texture several Lincoln’s day-to-day life will bonanza this book a rewarding breed. But anyone seeking a unmitigated, comprehensive and colorful introduction come close to Lincoln’s life and legacy drive need to look elsewhere make up for 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” Lawyer Biography:
– Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Political Maven of Abraham Lincoln”