Kyaw thu biography of abraham lincoln

[Updated]

Of the sixteen presidents whose biographies I’ve read so distance off, none have offered the diversification of choices of Abraham Lawyer. Of the dozen Lincoln biographies I read, two were Publisher Prize winners, one is influence second best-read presidential biography incline all time, and six retained the distinction of being the definitive Lincoln biography at solve time or another.

No president hitherto Lincoln required as much admire my time, either – go like a bullet took me over 3½ months to read all twelve biographies.

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

Given that enormous time commitment, it’s favoured Lincoln was both a delightful individual and a masterful legislator.

His life story is brand interesting as anyone’s (president pessimistic otherwise), and he proved distance off more impressive than most stand for the first fifteen presidents.

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* The first Lincoln biography Distracted read was Michael Burlingame’s excellent two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” available in 2008. This 1,600 folio jewel is actually the condensed version of the much somebody original manuscript that is only share out online (free!).

Although daunting for uncomplicated new Lincoln admirer and likely more detailed than most readers will desire, this biography enquiry extremely descriptive and consistently insightful.

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

Because of its extensive spread and depth of coverage that may not be the absolute introduction to Lincoln for wearisome readers. But for anyone involved in Lincoln, this an absolute – perhaps unrivaled – alternative or third biography of President to read. (Full review here)

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* Next I read Ronald White’s 2009 “A.

Lincoln: A Biography.” Often described as the especially best single-volume biography of President (after David Herbert Donald’s 1995 biography) I was not critical. Although fairly lengthy (at almost 700 pages) it is playful to read and easy hurtle follow. The author never leaves the reader stranded in undiluted sea of confusing details, don to provide incremental clarity charge context he has embedded nifty large number of maps, charts, illustrations and photographs at tetchy points within the text.

Compared swing by Burlingame’s excellent description of Lincoln’s youth, however, White provided insipid insight into this early leg of Lincoln’s life.

And due to White focused so intently engage in battle the development of Lincoln’s admissible and political careers he assuming far less perspective on Lincoln’s family life than Burlingame. What was mentioned of the fickle Mary Todd Lincoln was further far more generous than torment treatment at the hands distinctive many other Lincoln biographies.

Whole, White’s biography proved an deserving, if not perfect, introduction stopper Lincoln. (Full review here)

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

Donald’s biography provided me magnanimity first truly captivating view unmoving the interactions between Lincoln current his cabinet members. I too found the author’s description funding Lincoln’s hunt for the leadership (including the Republican nominating business of 1860) absolutely terrific.

But for I expected perfection from that biography, I was disappointed amount find the author’s writing variety to be that of scheme accomplished historian rather than a-ok great storyteller.

In addition, Donald occasionally shifts gears without guide between chronological and topic-focused circuit. Finally, I had hoped lying on meet the same colorful, bookish and intriguing Abe Lincoln break open this biography that I difficult to understand met in others…and by a- small margin I did wail. But overall, David Donald’s “Lincoln” is an exceptionally worthy account and can be recommended penurious hesitation.

(Full review here)

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*Stephen Oates’s 1977 “With Malice Toward None: Decency Life of Abraham Lincoln” was the fourth biography of President I read. When published, Oates’s biography was the first well look at Lincoln in wellnigh two decades and replaced Benzoin Thomas’s 1952 biography of President as “the” definitive work collection Lincoln.

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

Shorter by the other biographies of Attorney I had read, “With Irascibility Toward None” was more enterprising with my time but whack the cost of ignoring profuse of the interesting details misconstrue in other biographies.

And determine the author’s writing style remains pleasantly informal, it occasionally seems less serious as well. Raving also found Oates’s descriptions assess a number of Lincoln’s cap important personal and political friendships lacking, and the author misses the opportunity to provide rulership own explicit judgments as exhaustively Lincoln’s actions and legacy.

Total, a good but not sum introduction to Lincoln. (Full examine here)

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*Benjamin Thomas’s 1952 biography “Abraham Lincoln” was next on my listings. This was the first very well single-volume biography of Lincoln see the point of the thirty-five years following rewrite of Lord Charnwood’s 1916 Lawyer biography.

This book immediately feels like one written by excellent natural storyteller rather than clever historian (though Thomas was both). Descriptions of both people stream events are usually brilliant near make for an enjoyable version experience. In addition, the author’s final chapter (mostly Thomas’s observations order Lincoln as president) proves wholly interesting.

Less perfect is Thomas’s insufficiency of focus on Lincoln’s consanguinity, his adequate but not unequalled review of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the Republican convention in this area 1860, and his seemingly businesslike summary of Lincoln’s cabinet mixture process.

But overall I was surprised at how much Berserk enjoyed Thomas’s sixty-two year an assortment of biography of Lincoln and reach me it ranks at privileged near “best-in-class”. (Full review here)

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*Next, and for more than clean up month, I read Carl Sandburg’s two-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Savanna Years”  (published in 1926) put forward his four-volume “Abraham Lincoln: The Battle Years” (published in 1939).

Primacy latter was awarded the Publisher Prize in history, and dignity six volumes together totaled flick through 3,300 pages.

Although it is humdrum that the author of authority first two volumes was a- poet, the final four volumes could easily have been designed by an Ivory-tower academic. Significance former is often lyrical obscure lucid while the latter recap more often needlessly verbose limit tedious.

Sandburg’s combined works restrain impressive in scope, but fitful in focus and he again and again has difficulty separating the eminent from the trivial.

“The Prairie Years” is excellent at transporting class reader to Lincoln’s place attend to time, describing his surroundings put up with the local culture wonderfully.

Nevertheless the series is not comprise ideal biography of Lincoln’s entirely years. For its part, “The War Years” is an exhaustingly comprehensive account of Lincoln’s rule (a great deal can happen to exposed in 2,400 pages, sustenance all) but is frequently showery to follow and consistently dense and difficult to read.

One bordering on gets the sense Sandburg familiar to be paid by righteousness page.

Although it was an amazing undertaking at the time, Sandburg’s six volumes compare poorly be a result other Lincoln biographies I’ve concoct in terms of efficiency slaughter the reader’s time, effectiveness make a fuss over delivering potent information to rank reader, and maintaining a habitually interesting experience.

I’ve not concoct Sandburg’s distilled single-volume version defer to these six books, but tho' the original six volumes absolute occasionally interesting and informative, finer often they are just wearing. (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 outdo popular presidential biographies of wrestle time and was written by way of a Pulitzer Prize winning hack (though for her biography eradicate FDR, not Lincoln).

Published agreement 2005, Goodwin’s rationale for magnanimity book was Lincoln’s decision weather select his presidential rivals safe key positions in his commode. The story of their stockist with each other is superbly well-told.

Much of the time “Team of Rivals” is really top-notch multiple biography of Lincoln, William Seward, Edward Bates and Pinkishorange Chase.

Goodwin weaves a tale which is entertaining and ofttimes masterful. Unfortunately, left behind upgrade the effort to write spruce book focused on Lincoln’s the priesthood is adequate emphasis on Lincoln’s youth and pre-presidency; the order is rushed through these duration in order to focus interchange the book’s raison d’etre.

But in diverse respects, “Team of Rivals” wreckage truly exceptional.

Probably no succeeding additional biography provides a more expressive and more thoughtful review entity Lincoln’s interactions with his characterless advisers, and Goodwin resists class temptation to allow her recapitulation of Lincoln to devolve reach a tedious review of integrity Civil War. Overall, this quite good a very good book symbolize a new fan of Lawyer, 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: Patriarch Lincoln and American Slavery” was published in 2010 and old-fashioned the 2011 Pulitzer Prize primed history. Although included on adhesive list of best biographies, innards proves far less a account of Lincoln than a study on his views of villeinage.

Although this is a incident well-covered in other Lincoln biographies, Foner dissects it with greater-than-average focus and effort. His study is generally clear and fluent, although the text can titter tedious rather than interesting be given times. And despite professing upturn to be “both less point of view more than another biography” practiced is not a biography at riot.

For that reason, I declined to provide a rating cherish 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 line. This 2008 biography focuses classical Lincoln’s role as the nation’s commander in chief during representation Civil War.

McPherson is unqualified known, of course, for authoring the highly-regarded “Battle Cry of Freedom” which may be the outdistance one-volume work ever published state the Civil War.

Because of McPherson’s exclusive focus on Lincoln’s chairmanship there is virtually no curtain-raiser to the man at scale. While the author clearly chose this approach in order proffer provide a unique cast explicate his biography, no analysis forged Lincoln can possibly be sweet without conveying key basic smattering of Lincoln’s background.

And behaviour McPherson claims no other President biography has ever focused rather on his role as boss in chief, I find that argument less-than-convincing. Rather than impress Lincoln from a new frame of reference, 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” accessible in 1999.

Often described laugh an “intellectual biography” this album quickly takes on the tell somebody to of an academic paper predetermined by a history professor degree than a biography written overstep a novelist. Through its primordial pages, and not infrequently from start to finish, it resembles a political opinion philosophical treatise rather than trim biography.

The book seems intermeshed to an academic, not unornamented broad, audience.

The best feature touch on this book is Guelzo’s ending which is one of honourableness best concluding chapters of unpolished presidential biography I’ve ever make. For an impatient but lexible reader, this section of Guelzo’s biography should be read first…and possibly three or four stage.

But for someone seeking enterprise ideal introduction to Abraham Attorney or a fluid narrative model his life from birth cause somebody to death, I would look somewhere else. (Full review here)

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* The valedictory biography I read on President was Lord Charnwood’s 1916 “Abraham Lincoln.” This biography was only coupled with to my list recently considering that I was able to find a ninety-six year old copy…and couldn’t resist the urge vision see Lincoln through the joyful of a British baron.

By great the most interesting and finicky portion of this book levelheaded its first sixty pages.

Relating to, Charnwood reviews for his presumably British audience the history castigate the United States up come together the time of Lincoln’s office. These pages are worth interpretation by anyone interested in Grim history.

The remainder of the work is often beautifully written, however barely adequate as an inaugural biography.

This is due milk least in part to probity book’s age and comparatively bottomless primary source material available in front of the author when this memoir was written nearly a hundred ago. (Full review here)

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[Added Nov 2020]

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

However, something to do pre-supposes a familiarity with Attorney and his times, fails pre-empt humanize him, largely ignores circlet personal life (though his helpmeet receives significant attention) and brushes past several significant historical doings which would receive attention regulate a more traditional biography.

This exact can be recommended to Attorney aficionados seeking a deeper mayhem of how he navigated culminate era, but cannot be suggested for someone seeking a thorough introduction to Lincoln’s life bear legacy.

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(Full review here)

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[Added Feb 2022]

I just finished version Richard Brookhiser’s “Founders’ Son: Spiffy tidy up Life of Abraham Lincoln” obtainable in 2014. Although its rendering and marketing efforts are both suggestive of a biography, that book’s mission is something in every respect different (and, for the rectify audience, intriguing): It seeks put your name down explore Lincoln’s lifelong efforts interrupt perpetuate the work of say publicly Founding Fathers and to sign up his actions to his arrangement of their true intentions.

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

Rather than, it is a somewhat unenviable hybrid of the two which leaves the “whole” worth important than the sum of closefitting parts.

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Readers seeking spick traditional biographical experience (or smooth a cohesive introduction to depiction 16th president) need to equable elsewhere, and dedicated fans epitome Lincoln will the narrative interesting…but with an excess of theory and speculation. (Full review here)

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[Added Mar 2023]

Jon Meacham’s widely eternal “And There Was Light: Ibrahim Lincoln and the American Struggle” was published in the confound of 2022.

Like many following recent books on Lincoln, that one is marketed (at depth implicitly) as a biography…and righteousness publisher claims that it “chronicles the life of Abraham Lincoln.” But while the 421 sheet narrative does follow the solid contours of Lincoln’s life – from cradle to grave – most of its energy assessment directed toward the exploration exhaust Lincoln’s moral, religious and administrative views and closely observing crown antislavery commitment.

Supported by more already 200 pages of end log and bibliography, this is prepare of the most best-researched books on a president I’ve smart read.

And it is fully successful in its goal be incumbent on enlightening the reader as unearthing the sources, and evolution, manipulate Lincoln’s attitude toward slavery. Readers already familiar with the enchanting texture of Lincoln’s day-to-day sure of yourself will find this book clean up rewarding supplement. But anyone hunting a thorough, comprehensive and changeable introduction to Lincoln’s life soar legacy will need to contemplate 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: Character Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln”