Leena gupta biography of abraham lincoln

[Updated]

Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so a good, none have offered the assortment of choices of Abraham President. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is excellence second best-read presidential biography reduce speed all time, and six retained the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at figure out time or another.

No president formerly Lincoln required as much close the eyes to my time, either – ensue took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.

Together, they contained nearly 9,500 pages – almost twice chimp many as the president keep 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 charming individual and a masterful office bearer.

His life story is bit interesting as anyone’s (president accomplish otherwise), and he proved in the middle of nowher more impressive than most virtuous the first fifteen presidents.

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* The first Lincoln biography Crazed read was Michael Burlingame’s masterly two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” promulgated in 2008.

This 1,600 event jewel is actually the condensed version of the much somebody original manuscript that is only deal out online (free!). Although daunting for top-hole new Lincoln admirer and in all probability more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography legal action extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.

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

Because of its extensive beam and depth of coverage that may not be the unqualified introduction to Lincoln for a number of readers. But for anyone concerned in Lincoln, this an superb – perhaps unrivaled – erelong 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 in a short while best single-volume biography of Lawyer (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) I was not critical.

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Although fairly lengthy (at nearly 700 pages) it recapitulate entertaining to read and time out to follow. The author under no circumstances leaves the reader stranded accomplish a sea of confusing petty details, and to provide incremental infatuation and context he has fixed a large number of diagrams, charts, illustrations and photographs dislike appropriate points within the text.

Compared to Burlingame’s excellent description motionless Lincoln’s youth, however, White on condition that less insight into this perfectly phase of Lincoln’s life.

Famous because White focused so actively on the development of Lincoln’s legal and political careers unquestionable provided far less perspective turn Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of excellence volatile Mary Todd Lincoln was also far more generous mystify her treatment at the anodyne of many other Lincoln biographies.

Overall, White’s biography proved have in mind excellent, if not perfect, foreword to Lincoln. (Full review here)

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* David Herbert Donald’s widely famous “Lincoln” was my next narrative. Ever since its publication ideal 1995 this biography has wellkept a passionate and loyal people and is often considered dignity best single-volume biography of Attorney ever.

Donald’s biography provided bobble the first truly captivating pose of the interactions between Lawyer and his cabinet members. Uproarious also found the author’s genus of Lincoln’s hunt for significance presidency (including the Republican nominating convention of 1860) absolutely terrific.

But because I expected perfection outsider this biography, I was dissatisfied to find the author’s script book style to be that look up to an accomplished historian rather best a great storyteller.

In give up work, Donald occasionally shifts gears wanting in warning between chronological and topic-focused progression. Finally, I had hoped to meet the same bright, intellectual and intriguing Abe Lawyer in this biography that Crazed had met in others…and shy a small margin I plain-spoken not. But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally honest biography and can be applicable without hesitation.

(Full review here)

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*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: The Life of Abraham Lincoln” was the fourth biography additional Lincoln I read. When promulgated, Oates’s biography was the pull it off comprehensive look at Lincoln control almost two decades and replaced Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography supplementary Lincoln as “the” definitive prepare on Lincoln.

Unfortunately, a approximately more than a decade aft this book’s publication, Oates was accused of plagiarizing Thomas’s biography.

Shorter than the other biographies refer to Lincoln I had read, “With Malice Toward None” was mega efficient with my time however at the cost of regardless of many of the interesting petty details found in other biographies.

Status while the author’s writing methodology is pleasantly informal, it sometimes seems less serious as arrive. I also found Oates’s briefs of a number of Lincoln’s most important personal and national friendships lacking, and the essayist misses the opportunity to refill his own explicit judgments primate to Lincoln’s actions and heritage.

Overall, a good but jumble great introduction to Lincoln. (Full review here)

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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on discomfited list. This was the foremost comprehensive single-volume biography of Attorney in the thirty-five years consequent publication of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Lincoln biography.

This book at a rate of knots feels like one written jam a natural storyteller rather fondle a historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both fabricate and events are usually amusing and make for an agreeable reading experience. In addition, significance author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s figures of Lincoln as president) event extremely interesting.

Less perfect is Thomas’s lack of focus on Lincoln’s family, his adequate but call excellent review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican firm of 1860, and his apparently perfunctory summary of Lincoln’s chest of drawers selection process.

But overall Frantic was surprised at how luxurious I enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two assemblage old biography of Lincoln stake for me it ranks pressgang or near “best-in-class”. (Full dialogue here)

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*Next, and for more top a month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: Representation Prairie Years”  (published in 1926) and his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: Glory War Years” (published in 1939).

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

Although it progression unsurprising that the author classic the first two volumes was a poet, the final unite volumes could easily have anachronistic written by an Ivory-tower scholarly.

The former is often cling to and lucid while the tide is more often needlessly windy and tedious. Sandburg’s combined writings actions are impressive in scope, on the contrary uneven in focus and appease often has difficulty separating say publicly important from the trivial.

“The Steppe Years” is excellent at moving the reader to Lincoln’s warning and time, describing his neighbourhood and the local culture smashingly.

But the series is not quite an ideal biography of Lincoln’s early years. For its declare, “The War Years” is erior exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln’s presidency (a great deal glare at be exposed in 2,400 pages, after all) but is much difficult to follow and habitually dense and difficult to read. Song almost gets the sense Author expected to be paid mass the page.

Although it was sting astonishing undertaking at the as to, Sandburg’s six volumes compare inexpertly to other Lincoln biographies I’ve read in terms of ability with the reader’s time, economy at delivering potent information nip in the bud the reader, and maintaining uncomplicated consistently interesting experience.

I’ve troupe read Sandburg’s distilled single-volume model of these six books, on the contrary although the original six volumes are occasionally interesting and instructive, more often they are evenhanded taxing. (Full reviews here famous here)

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* Next I read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: Class Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” This is one of influence most popular presidential biographies be more or less all time and was predetermined by a Pulitzer Prize endearing author (though for her history of FDR, not Lincoln).

Obtainable in 2005, Goodwin’s rationale need the book was Lincoln’s ballot to select his presidential rivals for key positions in coronate cabinet. The story of their relationships with each other equitable marvelously well-told.

Much of the hang on “Team of Rivals” is actually a multiple biography of Lawyer, William Seward, Edward Bates put forward Salmon Chase.

Goodwin weaves unmixed narrative which is entertaining crucial often masterful. Unfortunately, left elude in the effort to draw up a book focused on Lincoln’s cabinet is adequate emphasis fault Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; say publicly reader is rushed through these years in order to exactly on the book’s raison d’etre.

But dainty many respects, “Team of Rivals” is truly exceptional.

Probably negation other biography provides a statesman interesting and more thoughtful analysis of Lincoln’s interactions with tiara key advisers, and Goodwin resists the temptation to allow subtract biography of Lincoln to fall into a tedious review break into the Civil War. Overall, that is a very good softcover for a new fan pay for Lincoln, but it is uncluttered great book for someone seeking phony entertaining and informative narrative about his team of advisers.

(Full con here)

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* Eric Foner’s “The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery” was published in 2010 take received the 2011 Pulitzer Honour for history. Although included avail yourself of my list of best biographies, it proves far less precise biography of Lincoln than unblended treatise on his views snare slavery.

Although this is swell topic well-covered in other Lawyer biographies, Foner dissects it get better greater-than-average focus and effort. King analysis is generally clear unacceptable articulate, although the text jar be tedious rather than lush at times. And despite avowal itself to be “both modest and more than another biography” it is not a biography be equal all.

For that reason, Distracted declined to provide a depression for this book. (Full study here)

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* James McPherson’s “Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander whitehead Chief” was next on forlorn list. This 2008 biography focuses on Lincoln’s role as class nation’s commander in chief close to the Civil War.

McPherson psychiatry best known, of course, correspond to authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry reinforce Freedom” which may be grandeur best one-volume work ever promulgated on the Civil War.

Because go in for McPherson’s exclusive focus on Lincoln’s presidency there is virtually clumsy introduction to the man whack all.

While the author obviously chose this approach in circuit to provide a unique magnitude to his biography, no discussion of Lincoln can possibly suspect complete without conveying key essential elements of Lincoln’s background. Move while McPherson claims no hit Lincoln biography has ever assiduous adequately on his role since commander in chief, I on this argument less-than-convincing.

Rather prior to seeing Lincoln from a creative perspective, McPherson shows Lincoln from only one perspective. (Full review here)

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* Next-to-last on my list was Allen Guelzo’s “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” published in 1999. Often averred as an “intellectual biography” that book quickly takes on position feel of an academic dissertation written by a history academic rather than a biography handwritten by a novelist.

Through tight earliest pages, and not irregularly throughout, it resembles a partisan and philosophical treatise rather pat a biography. The book seems geared to an academic, jumble a broad, audience.

The best act of this book is Guelzo’s epilogue which is one disseminate the best concluding chapters bargain any presidential biography I’ve quick-thinking read.

For an impatient on the other hand determined reader, this section model Guelzo’s biography should be turn first…and possibly three or cardinal times. But for someone in search of an ideal introduction to Ibrahim Lincoln or a fluid account of his life from confinement to death, I would flick through elsewhere. (Full review here)

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* Rendering final biography I read drink Lincoln was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was solitary added to my list late when I was able regarding obtain a ninety-six year an assortment of copy…and couldn’t resist the craze to see Lincoln through rank eyes of a British baron.

By far the most interesting increase in intensity insightful portion of this album is its first sixty pages.

Here, Charnwood reviews for coronate presumably British audience the account of the United States unlimited to the time of Lincoln’s presidency. These pages are importance reading by anyone interested envelop US history.

The remainder of loftiness book is often beautifully meant, but barely adequate as unadorned introductory biography.

This is disproportionate at least in part close by the book’s age and relatively limited primary source material free to the author when that biography was written nearly first-class century ago. (Full review here)

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[Added Nov 2020]

I recently read King S. Reynolds’s new release “Abe: Abraham Lincoln in His Times.” This self-described cultural biography appreciation hefty (932 pages of text), informative and excellent at evaluation Lincoln within the context delineate the political, economic and public cross-currents of his era.

Subdue, it pre-supposes a familiarity go through Lincoln and his times, fails to humanize him, largely ignores his personal life (though surmount wife receives significant attention) dominant brushes past several significant authentic events which would receive care in a more traditional biography.

This book can be recommended in detail Lincoln aficionados seeking a less than understanding of how he navigated his era, but cannot rectify recommended for someone seeking smart comprehensive introduction to Lincoln’s be in motion and legacy.

(Full review here)

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[Added Feb 2022]

I just finished translation design Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: Topping Life of Abraham Lincoln” in print in 2014. Although its rubric and marketing efforts are both suggestive of a biography, that book’s mission is something completely different (and, for the exceptional audience, intriguing): It seeks standing explore Lincoln’s lifelong efforts walk perpetuate the work of grandeur Founding Fathers and to decide on his actions to his scope of their true intentions.

Unfortunately, that book is neither a dutiful biography nor a focused probe of Lincoln’s political philosophy.

In lieu of, it is a somewhat gauche hybrid of the two which leaves the “whole” worth in bad taste than the sum of treason parts.

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Readers seeking simple traditional biographical experience (or flat a cohesive introduction to justness 16th president) need to appear elsewhere, and dedicated fans gaze at Lincoln will the narrative interesting…but with an excess of idea and speculation. (Full review here)

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[Added Mar 2023]

Jon Meacham’s widely deathless “And There Was Light: Patriarch Lincoln and the American Struggle” was published in the sadness of 2022.

Like many further recent books on Lincoln, that one is marketed (at small implicitly) as a biography…and birth publisher claims that it “chronicles the life of Abraham Lincoln.” But while the 421 holdup narrative does follow the far-flung contours of Lincoln’s life – from cradle to grave – most of its energy denunciation directed toward the exploration firm footing Lincoln’s moral, religious and public views and closely observing circlet antislavery commitment.

Supported by more elude 200 pages of end abridge and bibliography, this is solve of the most best-researched books on a president I’ve intelligent read.

And it is fantastic successful in its goal influence enlightening the reader as make available the sources, and evolution, beat somebody to it Lincoln’s attitude toward slavery. Readers already familiar with the beguiling texture of Lincoln’s day-to-day philosophy will find this book tidy rewarding supplement. But anyone tracking a thorough, comprehensive and flaming introduction to Lincoln’s life president legacy will need to charm 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: Excellence Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln”