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A masterful work by Pulitzer Prize–winning author David Herbert Donald, Lincoln is a stunning portrait of Abraham Lincoln’s life and presidency.Donald brilliantly depicts Lincoln’s gradual ascent from humble beginnings in rural Kentucky to the ever-expanding political circles in Illinois, and finally to the presidency of a country divided by civil war. Donald goes beyond biography, illuminating the gradual development of Lincoln’s character, chronicling his tremendous capacity for evolution and growth, thus illustrating what made it possible for a man so inexperienced and so unprepared for the presidency to become a great moral leader. In the most troubled of times, here was a man who led the country out of slavery and preserved a shattered Union—in short, one of the greatest presidents this country has ever seen.
Paperback: 720 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1st Touchstone Ed edition (November 5, 1996)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 068482535X
ISBN-13: 978-0684825359
Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.4 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (273 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #15,533 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #17 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Historical > United States > Civil War #27 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Elections & Political Process > Leadership #39 in Books > History > Americas > United States > Civil War
"Lincoln" is a remarkable look at Abraham Lincoln as he advanced from extremely poor, rural roots, in what was then the western United States, into both the Illinois legislature and the U.S. Congress for one term, through a career as a self-taught lawyer, and finally to the presidency. The author has extensively researched Lincoln's movements, first-hand accounts of his utterances, his formal speeches and writings, as well as official records kept in the discharge of his various duties and offices.It is a fascinating look at the evolution of the character and personality of a man of meager origins and virtually no formal education. Lincoln was driven to make something of himself; this is best seen in his insatiable desire to educate himself. Beyond self-development, Lincoln had an inherent ability to relate to others. He combined humility with a great ability to tell stories. This ease among his fellow citizens led to his being elected to the Illinois legislature at a fairly young age and to a reasonably successful career as a lawyer.Lincoln was a Whig and devotee of Henry Clay and his American system of internal improvements. But it would be completely wrong to regard Lincoln as mostly an opportunistic politician. He was principled, if anything. Manipulating a political view to get elected would have never occurred to Lincoln. Furthermore, Lincoln was a man of his word. When elected to Congress in 1846, he returned home after one term as he promised, though undoubtedly he could have been re-elected. However, the author shows that Lincoln became very astute politically with a substantial network of political friends both at the state and national levels.Early in Lincoln's career, slavery was seldom an issue.
Before reading _Lincoln_, I had read David McCullough's _John Adams_. The latter is good but nonetheless unsatisfying, because McCullough clearly worships Adams. (See my review of McCullough's book.) I went right into _Lincoln_. All I can say is that it's astonishing.The organizing principle of _Lincoln_ makes Donald's job very hard. When Donald met JFK during the latter's presidency, Kennedy attacked historians for retrospectively judging the worth of presidents. Historians, said Kennedy, had no right to make such judgments until they sat in the presidential desk and had to make the tough decisions.Donald wrote _Lincoln_ in an attempt to honor Kennedy's wishes, and he more than succeeded. Every sentence in _Lincoln_ is guided by the question, ``What did Lincoln know at the time he made this decision? What information did he have on hand? What could he have been reasonably expected to know? Why did he make this decision?" At no moment does Donald judge Lincoln - he is a scrupulous researcher, not historiography's answer to God.Through this biography, we learn that Lincoln was very human. He made mistakes. Not only did he mess up, but Donald makes it clear that he wasn't always as revered as he is today. Through newspaper clippings, diary entries, and hundreds of other primary sources, Donald paints a picture of a man who very nearly lost the Union as well as his second term. Only through skillful politicking did Lincoln neutralize his enemies and get reelected.I came into this book curious how Lincoln moved from his first inaugural address, during which he said I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists.
Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America (Simon & Schuster Lincoln Library) Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Abraham Lincoln: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #47: Abe Lincoln at Last! Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker: The Unlikely Friendship of Elizabeth Keckley and Mary Todd Lincoln Abraham Lincoln in the Kitchen: A Culinary View of Lincoln's Life and Times Mr. Lincoln's T-Mails: How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War The Civil War Diary of Gideon Welles, Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy: The Original Manuscript Edition (The Knox College Lincoln Studies Center) The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War Our Lincoln: New Perspectives on Lincoln and His World Lincoln's Sanctuary: Abraham Lincoln and the Soldiers' Home The Lincoln Lawyer (A Lincoln Lawyer Novel) The Vanished Man: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel (Lincoln Rhyme Novels) The Burning Wire: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel (Lincoln Rhyme Novels) The Broken Window: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel (Lincoln Rhyme Novels) The Twelfth Card: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel (Lincoln Rhyme Novels) The Cold Moon: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel (Lincoln Rhyme Novels) Lincoln's White House: The People's House in Wartime Paul Etienne Lincoln: The Glovers' Repository: The Tenaciousness of Subterfuge Houses of Civil War America: The Homes of Robert E. Lee, Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, Clara Barton, and Others Who Shaped the Era The Lincoln Highway: Coast to Coast from Times Square to the Golden Gate Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
