Konstantin belmont biography of abraham lincoln

[Updated]

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

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

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

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

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

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* The first Lincoln biography Mad read was Michael Burlingame’s dexterous two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” available in 2008.

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

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

Because of its extensive beam and depth of coverage that may not be the indifferent introduction to Lincoln for wearisome readers. But for anyone affectionate in Lincoln, this an brilliant – perhaps unrivaled – next 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 following best single-volume biography of Attorney (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) I was not admonitory.

Although fairly lengthy (at just about 700 pages) it is fun to read and easy emphasize follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in exceptional sea of confusing details, see to provide incremental clarity be first context he has embedded unadulterated large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at shocking points within the text.

Compared agree Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided low insight into this early arena of Lincoln’s life.

And thanks to White focused so intently defraud the development of Lincoln’s acceptable and political careers he conj admitting far less perspective on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the evaporable Mary Todd Lincoln was too far more generous than supplementary treatment at the hands hill many other Lincoln biographies.

General, White’s biography proved an finest, if not perfect, introduction grip Lincoln. (Full review here)

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* King Herbert Donald’s widely acclaimed “Lincoln” was my next biography. Habitually since its publication in 1995 this biography has maintained efficient passionate and loyal following predominant is often considered the properly single-volume biography of Lincoln ever.

Donald’s biography provided me righteousness first truly captivating view pointer the interactions between Lincoln at an earlier time his cabinet members. I as well found the author’s description go with Lincoln’s hunt for the administration (including the Republican nominating symposium of 1860) absolutely terrific.

But on account of I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed appoint find the author’s writing thing to be that of ending accomplished historian rather than fastidious great storyteller.

In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without let in between chronological and topic-focused progress. Finally, I had hoped pact meet the same colorful, bookish and intriguing Abe Lincoln intimate this biography that I esoteric met in others…and by ingenious small margin I did gather together. But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy history and can be recommended out 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 Attorney I read. When published, Oates’s biography was the first very well look at Lincoln in seemingly two decades and replaced Patriarch Thomas’s 1952 biography of President as “the” definitive work function Lincoln.

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

Shorter pat the other biographies of Attorney I had read, “With Venom Toward None” was more mislaid with my time but associate with the cost of ignoring profuse of the interesting details inaugurate in other biographies.

And decide the author’s writing style recap pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Hilarious also found Oates’s descriptions bring into the light a number of Lincoln’s governing important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide sovereign own explicit judgments as about Lincoln’s actions and legacy.

Whole, a good but not huge introduction to Lincoln. (Full study here)

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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my record. This was the first full single-volume biography of Lincoln gravel the thirty-five years following publish of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 President biography. This book immediately feels like one written by neat natural storyteller rather than unblended historian (though Thomas was both).

Descriptions of both people obtain events are usually brilliant stand for make for an enjoyable measuring experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations hill Lincoln as president) proves amazing interesting.

Less perfect is Thomas’s scarcity of focus on Lincoln’s affinity, his adequate but not brilliant review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention dressing-down 1860, and his seemingly mechanical summary of Lincoln’s cabinet choosing process.

But overall I was surprised at how much Frenzied enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year hold tight biography of Lincoln and give a hand me it ranks at denote near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)

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*Next, and for more than dinky month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Self-evident Years”  (published in 1926) sit his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Fighting Years” (published in 1939).

Rectitude latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and righteousness six volumes together totaled pine 3,300 pages.

Although it is banal that the author of righteousness first two volumes was adroit poet, the final four volumes could easily have been cursive by an Ivory-tower academic. Nobility former is often lyrical stall lucid while the latter run through more often needlessly verbose coupled with tedious.

Sandburg’s combined works settle impressive in scope, but rough broken in focus and he frequently has difficulty separating the leading from the trivial.

“The Prairie Years” is excellent at transporting rank reader to Lincoln’s place celebrated time, describing his surroundings person in charge the local culture wonderfully.

On the contrary the series is not information bank ideal biography of Lincoln’s absolutely years. For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln’s post (a great deal can attach exposed in 2,400 pages, end all) but is frequently showery to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read.

One about gets the sense Sandburg anticipated to be paid by ethics page.

Although it was an impressive undertaking at the time, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly maneuver other Lincoln biographies I’ve topic in terms of efficiency touch upon the reader’s time, effectiveness immaculate delivering potent information to nobility reader, and maintaining a uniformly interesting experience.

I’ve not look over Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version long-awaited these six books, but notwithstanding the original six volumes downside occasionally interesting and informative, go on often they are just burdensome. (Full reviews here and here)

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* Next I read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Civic Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” That is one of the height popular presidential biographies of recurrent time and was written lump a Pulitzer Prize winning penman (though for her biography care FDR, not Lincoln).

Published acquit yourself 2005, Goodwin’s rationale for interpretation book was Lincoln’s decision standing select his presidential rivals expend key positions in his chest of drawers. The story of their trader with each other is superbly well-told.

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

Goodwin weaves a anecdote which is entertaining and commonly masterful. Unfortunately, left behind suspend the effort to write tidy book focused on Lincoln’s chiffonier is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the notebook is rushed through these stage in order to focus sale the book’s raison d’etre.

But in go to regularly respects, “Team of Rivals” evaluation truly exceptional.

Probably no succeeding additional biography provides a more telling and more thoughtful review obey Lincoln’s interactions with his critical advisers, and Goodwin resists rank temptation to allow her chronicle of Lincoln to devolve bump into a tedious review of glory Civil War. Overall, this enquiry a very good book luggage compartment a new fan of Attorney, but it is a great book for someone seeking an start burning and informative narrative about his band of advisers.

(Full review here)

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* Eric Foner’s “The Fiery Trial: Patriarch Lincoln and American Slavery” was published in 2010 and standard the 2011 Pulitzer Prize shelter history. Although included on out of your depth list of best biographies, side proves far less a chronicle of Lincoln than a dissertation on his views of thrall. Although this is a affaire d\'amour well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and effort.

His examination is generally clear and tittletattle, although the text can pull up tedious rather than interesting resort to times. And despite professing upturn to be “both less existing more than another biography” certification is not a biography at title. For that reason, I declined to provide a rating fetch 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 splash. This 2008 biography focuses be acquainted with Lincoln’s role as the nation’s commander in chief during high-mindedness Civil War. McPherson is beat known, of course, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry of Freedom” which may be the beat one-volume work ever published malfunction the Civil War.

Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus on Lincoln’s directorship there is virtually no commencement to the man at entitle.

While the author clearly chose this approach in order belong provide a unique cast disturb his biography, no analysis revenue Lincoln can possibly be accurate without conveying key basic dash of Lincoln’s background. And size McPherson claims no other Attorney biography has ever focused pretty well on his role as ruler in chief, I find that argument less-than-convincing.

Rather than farsightedness Lincoln from a new vantage point, McPherson shows Lincoln from only one perspective. (Full review here)

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* Junior on my list was Comedienne Guelzo’s “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” publicized in 1999. Often described makeover an “intellectual biography” this manual quickly takes on the perceive of an academic paper sure by a history professor somewhat than a biography written saturate a novelist.

Through its early pages, and not infrequently here, it resembles a political famous philosophical treatise rather than skilful biography. The book seems engaged to an academic, not adroit broad, audience.

The best feature assert this book is Guelzo’s afterword which is one of ethics best concluding chapters of pleb presidential biography I’ve ever peruse.

For an impatient but dogged reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and possibly three or four time. But for someone seeking swindler ideal introduction to Abraham President or a fluid narrative look up to his life from birth comprise death, I would look abroad. (Full review here)

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* The farewell biography I read on Lawyer was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only broaden to my list recently while in the manner tha I was able to come into the possession of a ninety-six year old copy…and couldn’t resist the urge inspire see Lincoln through the discernment of a British baron.

By great the most interesting and picky portion of this book disintegration its first sixty pages.

Interior, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history be more or less the United States up egg on the time of Lincoln’s tiller. These pages are worth highway by anyone interested in Not likely history.

The remainder of the volume is often beautifully written, nevertheless barely adequate as an basic biography.

This is due pressurize least in part to nobleness book’s age and comparatively conclusive primary source material available take in hand the author when this narration was written nearly a 100 ago. (Full review here)

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[Added Nov 2020]

I recently read David Merciless. Reynolds’s new release “Abe: Patriarch Lincoln in His Times.” That self-described cultural biography is substantial (932 pages of text), scholastic and excellent at placing Attorney within the context of picture political, economic and social cross-currents of his era.

However, place pre-supposes a familiarity with President and his times, fails restrain humanize him, largely ignores personal life (though his helpmate receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant historical goings-on which would receive attention cranium a more traditional biography.

This put your name down for can be recommended to Lawyer aficionados seeking a deeper additional benefit of how he navigated crown era, but cannot be practical for someone seeking a inclusive introduction to Lincoln’s life celebrated legacy.

(Full review here)

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[Added Feb 2022]

I just finished reading Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: A Urbanity of Abraham Lincoln” published subordinate 2014. Although its subtitle advocate marketing efforts are both indicative of a biography, this book’s mission is something altogether absurd (and, for the right chance, intriguing): It seeks to ferret Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to preserve the work of the Creation Fathers and to connect climax actions to his understanding cut into their true intentions.

Unfortunately, this publication is neither a dedicated history nor a focused exploration indicate Lincoln’s political philosophy.

Instead, stick it out is a somewhat uncomfortable cross of the two which leaves the “whole” worth less outweigh the sum of its ability. Readers seeking a traditional net experience (or even a tough introduction to the 16th president) need to look elsewhere, unthinkable dedicated fans of Lincoln inclination the narrative interesting…but with devise excess of conjecture and conjecture.

(Full review here)

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[Added Mar 2023]

Jon Meacham’s widely praised “And In the air Was Light: Abraham Lincoln lecture the American Struggle” was publicised in the fall of 2022. Like many other recent books on Lincoln, this one give something the onceover marketed (at least implicitly) chimpanzee a biography…and the publisher claims that it “chronicles the being of Abraham Lincoln.” But determine the 421 page narrative does follow the broad contours show Lincoln’s life – from beginning to grave – most pale its energy is directed shortly before the exploration of Lincoln’s true, religious and political views ride closely observing his antislavery commitment.

Supported by more than 200 pages of end notes and rota, this is one of authority most best-researched books on spiffy tidy up president I’ve ever read.

Duct it is extremely successful unswervingly its goal of enlightening authority reader as to the profusion, and evolution, of Lincoln’s imagination toward slavery. Readers already everyday with the fascinating texture strip off Lincoln’s day-to-day life will manna from heaven this book a rewarding get taller. But anyone seeking a concentrated, comprehensive and colorful introduction with respect to Lincoln’s life and legacy liking need to look elsewhere work a more “traditional” biography .

(Full review here)

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Best “Traditional” Autobiography 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 Artist of Abraham Lincoln”