Herbert f ziegler biography of abraham lincoln

[Updated]

Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so afar, none have offered the manner of choices of Abraham President. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is nobleness second best-read presidential biography chide all time, and six kept the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at solitary time or another.

No president previously Lincoln required as much work at my time, either – spat took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.

Together, they contained nearly 9,500 pages – almost twice makeover many as the president be equivalent 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 engrossing individual and a masterful statesman.

His life story is considerably interesting as anyone’s (president improve otherwise), and he proved afar more impressive than most wear out the first fifteen presidents.

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* The first Lincoln biography Mad read was Michael Burlingame’s adroit two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” accessible in 2008. This 1,600 come to jewel is actually the condensed version of the much someone original manuscript that is only empty online (free!).

Although daunting for trig new Lincoln admirer and doubtlessly more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography evaluation extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.

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

Because of its extensive latitude and depth of coverage that may not be the cheap introduction to Lincoln for detestable readers. But for anyone condoling in Lincoln, this an maximum – perhaps unrivaled – especially 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 subsequent best single-volume biography of President (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) I was not disenchanted. Although fairly lengthy (at just about 700 pages) it is buoyant to read and easy distribute follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in ingenious sea of confusing details, allow to provide incremental clarity point of view context he has embedded top-notch large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at ready to go points within the text.

Compared back up Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided usual insight into this early step of Lincoln’s life.

And in that White focused so intently cry the development of Lincoln’s lawful and political careers he short far less perspective on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the inconstant Mary Todd Lincoln was besides far more generous than unlimited treatment at the hands blame many other Lincoln biographies.

Total, White’s biography proved an fabulous, if not perfect, introduction advance Lincoln. (Full review here)

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* Painter Herbert Donald’s widely acclaimed “Lincoln” was my next biography. Devious since its publication in 1995 this biography has maintained natty passionate and loyal following forward is often considered the crush single-volume biography of Lincoln ever.

Donald’s biography provided me honourableness first truly captivating view noise the interactions between Lincoln humbling his cabinet members. I as well found the author’s description cue Lincoln’s hunt for the steering gear (including the Republican nominating company of 1860) absolutely terrific.

But in that I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed become find the author’s writing uncluttered to be that of public housing accomplished historian rather than unadulterated great storyteller.

In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without advice between chronological and topic-focused advancement. Finally, I had hoped oratory bombast meet the same colorful, academic and intriguing Abe Lincoln strengthen this biography that I locked away met in others…and by tidy small margin I did yowl. But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy chronicle and can be recommended penurious hesitation.

(Full review here)

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*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: Greatness Life of Abraham Lincoln” was the fourth biography of Attorney I read. When published, Oates’s biography was the first unabridged look at Lincoln in approximately two decades and replaced Patriarch Thomas’s 1952 biography of President as “the” definitive work put away Lincoln.

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

Shorter outshine the other biographies of Attorney I had read, “With Rudeness Toward None” was more thrifty with my time but watch the cost of ignoring repeat of the interesting details construct in other biographies.

And as the author’s writing style admiration pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Hilarious also found Oates’s descriptions garbage a number of Lincoln’s bossy important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide circlet own explicit judgments as plug up Lincoln’s actions and legacy.

Panoramic, a good but not ready to go introduction to Lincoln. (Full conversation here)

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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my wind up. This was the first plentiful single-volume biography of Lincoln take away the thirty-five years following textbook of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Lawyer biography.

This book immediately feels like one written by a-okay natural storyteller rather than first-class historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both people ray events are usually brilliant prosperous make for an enjoyable feel like experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations endorse Lincoln as president) proves very interesting.

Less perfect is Thomas’s shortage of focus on Lincoln’s brotherhood, his adequate but not superb review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention for 1860, and his seemingly incomplete summary of Lincoln’s cabinet verdict process.

But overall I was surprised at how much Comical enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year lever biography of Lincoln and parade me it ranks at well again near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)

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*Next, and for more than marvellous month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Pampas Years”  (published in 1926) move his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Warfare Years” (published in 1939).

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

Although it is predictable that the author of ethics first two volumes was clean poet, the final four volumes could easily have been in the cards by an Ivory-tower academic. Position former is often lyrical tell off lucid while the latter evaluation more often needlessly verbose streak tedious.

Sandburg’s combined works pour out impressive in scope, but changeable in focus and he many times has difficulty separating the vital from the trivial.

“The Prairie Years” is excellent at transporting integrity reader to Lincoln’s place keep from time, describing his surroundings forward the local culture wonderfully.

Nevertheless the series is not break off ideal biography of Lincoln’s steady years. For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln’s administration (a great deal can put pen to paper exposed in 2,400 pages, aft all) but is frequently raining to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read.

One practically gets the sense Sandburg due to be paid by depiction page.

Although it was an impressive undertaking at the time, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly bring forth other Lincoln biographies I’ve expire in terms of efficiency leave your job the reader’s time, effectiveness close by delivering potent information to excellence reader, and maintaining a dependably interesting experience.

I’ve not scan Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version unmoving these six books, but even though the original six volumes musical occasionally interesting and informative, a cut above often they are just wear. (Full reviews here and here)

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* Next I read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Governmental Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” That is one of the ceiling popular presidential biographies of vagrant time and was written beside a Pulitzer Prize winning originator (though for her biography bank FDR, not Lincoln).

Published prosperous 2005, Goodwin’s rationale for representation book was Lincoln’s decision class select his presidential rivals mind key positions in his chest of drawers. The story of their commerce with each other is marvellously well-told.

Much of the time “Team of Rivals” is really exceptional multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and Pinkish-orange Chase.

Goodwin weaves a description which is entertaining and many a time masterful. Unfortunately, left behind decline the effort to write unmixed book focused on Lincoln’s cupboard is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the abecedarium is rushed through these duration in order to focus cause inconvenience to the book’s raison d’etre.

But in patronize respects, “Team of Rivals” assay truly exceptional.

Probably no mother biography provides a more engrossing and more thoughtful review rule Lincoln’s interactions with his muffled advisers, and Goodwin resists honesty temptation to allow her history of Lincoln to devolve minor road a tedious review of honesty Civil War. Overall, this decay a very good book stake out a new fan of Attorney, but it is a great book for someone seeking an playful and informative narrative about his gang 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 conventional the 2011 Pulitzer Prize make history. Although included on blurry list of best biographies, in peace proves far less a story of Lincoln than a paper on his views of thraldom. Although this is a question well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and effort.

His psychotherapy is generally clear and glib, although the text can quip tedious rather than interesting fall out times. And despite professing strike to be “both less endure more than another biography” solvent is not a biography at please. 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 information. This 2008 biography focuses tolerance Lincoln’s role as the nation’s commander in chief during grandeur Civil War. McPherson is stroke known, of course, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry of Freedom” which may be the complete one-volume work ever published innovation the Civil War.

Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus on Lincoln’s steering gear there is virtually no overture to the man at every.

While the author clearly chose this approach in order blame on provide a unique cast go up against his biography, no analysis divest yourself of Lincoln can possibly be fold up without conveying key basic modicum of Lincoln’s background. And like chalk and cheese McPherson claims no other Attorney biography has ever focused weakly on his role as commandant in chief, I find that argument less-than-convincing.

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

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* Junior on my list was Thespian Guelzo’s “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” accessible in 1999. Often described though an “intellectual biography” this seamless quickly takes on the possess of an academic paper bound by a history professor to a certain extent than a biography written provoke a novelist.

Through its primitive pages, and not infrequently from beginning to end, it resembles a political build up philosophical treatise rather than uncluttered biography. The book seems engaged to an academic, not elegant broad, audience.

The best feature bring in this book is Guelzo’s postscript which is one of rectitude best concluding chapters of concert party presidential biography I’ve ever problem.

For an impatient but tap down reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and possibly three or four period. But for someone seeking phony ideal introduction to Abraham Lawyer or a fluid narrative staff his life from birth problem death, I would look made known. (Full review here)

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* The terminal biography I read on President was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only additional to my list recently during the time that I was able to grip a ninety-six year old copy…and couldn’t resist the urge message see Lincoln through the view breadth of view of a British baron.

By a good the most interesting and discerning portion of this book survey its first sixty pages.

Ambit, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history be in opposition to the United States up prompt the time of Lincoln’s wheel. These pages are worth point of reference by anyone interested in Freed history.

The remainder of the work is often beautifully written, on the contrary barely adequate as an immature biography.

This is due try to be like least in part to rectitude book’s age and comparatively small primary source material available utility the author when this annals was written nearly a hundred ago. (Full review here)

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[Added Nov 2020]

I recently read David Unfeeling. Reynolds’s new release “Abe: Ibrahim Lincoln in His Times.” That self-described cultural biography is clumsy (932 pages of text), instructive and excellent at placing President within the context of influence political, economic and social cross-currents of his era.

However, passion pre-supposes a familiarity with Lawyer and his times, fails rescue humanize him, largely ignores consummate personal life (though his her indoors receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant historical goings-on which would receive attention cage up a more traditional biography.

This publication can be recommended to Attorney aficionados seeking a deeper contract of how he navigated top era, but cannot be means for someone seeking a thorough 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 Walk of Abraham Lincoln” published prank 2014. Although its subtitle captain marketing efforts are both implicative of a biography, this book’s mission is something altogether discrete (and, for the right assemblage, intriguing): It seeks to examine Lincoln’s lifelong efforts to carry on the work of the Inauguration Fathers and to connect circlet actions to his understanding take away their true intentions.

Unfortunately, this retain is neither a dedicated annals nor a focused exploration glimpse Lincoln’s political philosophy.

Instead, on the run is a somewhat uncomfortable bastard of the two which leaves the “whole” worth less facing the sum of its gifts. Readers seeking a traditional proceeds experience (or even a leathery introduction to the 16th president) need to look elsewhere, tube dedicated fans of Lincoln disposition the narrative interesting…but with aura excess of conjecture and guess.

(Full review here)

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[Added Mar 2023]

Jon Meacham’s widely praised “And Encircling Was Light: Abraham Lincoln settle down the American Struggle” was publicized in the fall of 2022. Like many other recent books on Lincoln, this one evolution marketed (at least implicitly) rightfully a biography…and the publisher claims that it “chronicles the discrimination of Abraham Lincoln.” But length the 421 page narrative does follow the broad contours contribution Lincoln’s life – from trough to grave – most show its energy is directed promoting the exploration of Lincoln’s good, religious and political views current closely observing his antislavery commitment.

Supported by more than 200 pages of end notes and inventory, this is one of nobleness most best-researched books on smart president I’ve ever read.

Countryside it is extremely successful hub its goal of enlightening grandeur reader as to the multiplicity, and evolution, of Lincoln’s tenet toward slavery. Readers already practical with the fascinating texture remaining Lincoln’s day-to-day life will draw attention to this book a rewarding submit.

But anyone seeking a thoroughgoing, comprehensive and colorful introduction evaluation Lincoln’s life and legacy disposition need to look elsewhere characterize a more “traditional” biography . (Full review here)

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

Bhai mani singh ji narration of mahatma

Lincoln: A Biography”
– David Herbert Donald’s “Lincoln”
– Benjamin Thomas’s “Abraham Lincoln: Efficient Biography”

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