This is a biography of Lincoln. The problem in writing a biography of Lincoln, of course, is that so many thousands of books on Lincoln have already been written. How do you say anything new and useful about the man, about whom more words have been written than anyone else in American history?

Donald deals with this problem by adopting an unusual biographic strategy. In most biographies, of course, the writer is writing both the life of the subject and at least to some degree larger history. To put the life into context, as a rule, the writer needs to explore the larger issues with which the person was concerned.

Donald very deliberately does not do this. He says in his introduction that is not a general history of 19th century America and it is not. He says that he will focus only on Lincoln himself, and he does. He does not, for example, give us a detailed description of any of the Civil War battles. Lincoln was not present at those battles, so they are not described. His focus is exclusively on Lincoln, the people around him and the events in which he was directly invovled.

The result is odd, but it works. You get very little about the overall strategy of the Civil War. You get next to nothing about Congressional politics in the Civil War. You get virtually nothing about the Confederacy. Instead, you get this kind of reality-TV approach, where you feel as if you were following Lincoln around.

In line with this approach, Donald offers a minimum of interpretation. He presents no arguments about Lincoln's signifigance or role in history. The thesis of the book, if you can call it that, is a very understated argument that LIncoln saw himself as the passive instrument of events, rather than the active shaper of them. It is more a theme, a literary device, than an argument.

The book, in short, takes a minimalist approach to the subject. It works, simply because there is so much written on LIncoln. Out of the vast oceans of material that one could cover, and out of the oceans of argument one could make, Donald sticks tight to the subject and lets events speak for themselves. The end result is that he is able to write a very full biography, on his own odd terms, and keep it just under 600 pages of text. I found the book kind of cold emotionally, but nonetheless very gripping and very informative. I would not call it a definitive biography of Lincoln -- it is too short and self-consciously limited for that -- but, as one volume biographies go, it is very, very good.

I have a read a lot of biographical works on Abraham Lincoln. I found this to be the best and most balanced view. If you read biographies or other works related to Abraham Lincoln, you must include this book. It is required reading and was written by one of the - if not the - preeminent scholar on Lincoln.

I would also recommend you to other books, in addition to this one, if you desire to learn about Abraham Lincoln. Reading a variety of biographies about Abraham Lincoln will give you an overall and better picture than one book can alone.

However, having said that, this is the best Lincoln biography. It is excellent.

David Donald's Lincoln is packed full of relevant (and irrelevent) facts. I was surprised that a biography of 600 pages on anybody, especially Abraham Lincoln, could contain so much information. It usually takes authors two or three volumes to say as much as Donald does in one.

Just like life on the western frontier, this biography begins slowly. This provides a good place for those interested in getting the author's take on Lincoln as a person. A portion of other people's lives that is usually covered in two to three pages is covered in great depth. In approximately 150+ pages, Donald gives us a look into Lincoln's early life, his time as a moderately successful Lawyer in Illinois, and his unsuccessful political career. For those looking to learn more about Lincoln's Administration, I would recommend skipping to Chapter Eight, where the book gets much more exciting.

Once begun, Donald sets an exciting (and still fact-filled) pace that does not let up until the end.

While this is a great biography, the subject will always be fiercely debated. Lincoln's Administration led during the greatest upheaval our nation has ever seen. Therefore the literature will vary immensely. For some (like Mr. Donald) Lincoln was mostly passive, and reacted to events as they came; for others he was a great leader with some less than great subordinates; and to still others he was a usurper who limited individual rights and constantly ignored the constitution.

Mr. Donald does an excellent job of providing a balanced review of Lincoln, both as a person and as President. Too many biographers prefer to keep out negative aspects of their subjects, hurting the overall integrity of their work, but Mr. Donald is willing to admit fault in his man.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the American Civil War era. I must again warn the reader that this is a hotly debated subject, and taking one opinion is not sufficient. I strongly suggest looking at other writers' take on the subject as well.

Well written book with great detail. The depth of research must have been great to give this reader a special feel for each progression of Lincoln's amazing journey though life. I'm really enjoying this book.

After hearing all of the hype about this Lincoln bio I finally got around to reading it. OK, I am spoiled, I read Sandburg's bio and it is hard to find anything close to that-certainly not in this book. To sum up my feelings, I don't know Lincoln any better after reading this than before. Prof. Donald misses the mark and I think he is somewhat awestruck that he can't seem to get any deeper. It is well researched and well written, but a bio needs much more.
Here was a man with barely any formal education, not particularly succesful as a politician, elected over many who who knew they could do better and then the nation splits apart into Civil War. Not only did he face the undaunted task of trying to hold the nation together, but learn to be a general of sort, let alone his home life. Other bios show how Lincoln rose to the challenge to hold our nation together and finally find the right general, Grant, and become probably our greatest president.
Somehow, Donald's book does not do it for me.

In giving this book five stars, it is easy to confuse the book with its subject. Who doesn't love Lincoln? (Well, I guess there are some, but there are even people who don't like Bob Seger.) Like many people, particularly those (like me) who grew up right in the heart of the Lincoln country of Central Illinois, I thought that I knew Lincoln, but there is a feeling that most of what I knew was mythic legend rather than facts. The biographies of Lincoln are many, and the classic ones are multi-volume and would take years to digest. Donald has given the English-speaking world the gift of condensing all of that into a thorough and modern account that can be easily consumed, and maybe leave the reader healthily interesed in more.
The book literally begins with what little we know of Lincoln's birth, and ends just moments after his untimely death. The entire singular focus of the book is Lincoln. Precious little is devoted to any detail outside of Lincoln's life, so some prior elementary knowledge of Lincoln's place and times (including the Civil War) would be helpful. I think that the one deviation from Lincoln that I noticed was on the topic of Booth and his tragic plot to kidnap and, as it eventually turned out, to kill the President. Other than that, the reader is shown the world and its events as Lincoln saw and knew them, for the most part. I felt that there was enormous and significant gaps in the narrative in places, but it was also obvious to me that the gaps are the result of what we don't know about Lincoln; after all, for most of his life, Lincoln was not a historical figure, and he went about his life and career without keeping minute records of it, just as we all do. What we know of his early life (birth in Kentucky, the surprisingly many years that he spent in the wilderness of Southern Indiana as a young boy, and the New Salem years) we gather from the interviews and biographical accounts that were collected after he was elected President and the world had an interest in these otherwise forgotten facts. We can know much about his adulthood from the accounts of his law partners, fellow legislators, and others who worked and lived with him, and who no doubt recorded their thoughts and memories after it was clear that they had walked with one of history's true giants. Given the sometimes thin detail, I noticed that nowhere in the book were the smallest things noted with more triviality than in the few days between the end of the War (April 9th) and his murder (April 14th/15th). Clearly, those ironically joyous days became more important to the eyewitnesses, and every detail was recorded for posterity. So, whereas there are many important events of which we know little (say, the deliverance of the Gettysburg Address), in the final days and hours of Lincoln's life, we know almost every quip, word, and gesture that he produced. It is precious information, but also sad to reflect on.
Like other reviewers here, I was astonished to learn of the evolution of the man. His country beginnings cannot be overstated: he began life with absolutely no advantage whatsoever, except for the very chemistry that drove him to become truly a masterful President. In one of the book's (that is, the historical record's) many gaps, I missed the force that drove him to leap into his successful law career, but looking back we can see that he parlayed a skill for analysis, speech, and human manipulation into a political career that catapulated him into the White House. This was a time in the young country when such things could be accomplished - even by rough-hewn country lawyers from the "West." The reader also sees his evolution from an inexperienced executive who has the very future of the Union on his shoulders, and whose political mistakes and challenges were as many as they were life-crushing, into a shrewd master of not only the Presidency but the known political world as well.
I was surprised to find that there were places in the book where I find Lincoln to be unlikeable. His contempt of his father is hard to understand, as was his sophomoric early philosophy of "Reason." He certainly seems like he would have been a neat guy to know (major understatement), but he also seems to have been sometimes cold, too driven by his career and politics, and a bit of a jerk to those he could not tolerate (and there were many). Was he "Honest Abe" who would walk a mile to return a few pennies change? Yes, I guess so, but he was not a pushover.
Anyway, this is a review of the book and not the man. Great book on a greater subject. I like what Donald has done: put together the singular and readable biography, and presented one of history's top subjects without too much editorializing or sentiment. Having now read it, I cannot imagine being an American and not doing so.

Dr. Donald's book is an excellent one volume biography of our greatest President, an historical figure of truly Biblical stature who led America and humanity through truly epochal changes. It should be required reading.

Read Leadership: Past, Present & Future by Carlos M. Rivera and then read this book. You will love both books.
5 Stars

This book sheds some light on his personal friendships and his struggle to preserve the Union. There are many things not taught in school that are revealed about this great President. This is a good travel book to read if there is a lot of time to spare.

I am currently reading a biography of every President in order. There is certainly no problem finding a biography of Lincoln, however, given the (in my opinion mostly fabricated) controversy that has appeared about Lincoln lately I was very concerned about selecting a biography that was historically accurate and scholarly rigorous.

David Herbert Donald's Pulitzer Prize winning biography more than met my expectations for a scholarly biography and is a thoroughly engaging read as well. It is one of those rare biographies that manages to achieve a rigorous academic level study while still being as enjoyable to read as a popular novel, and is thus far my second favorite Presidential biography, second only to H.W. Brands volume on Andrew Jackson.

Donald does not fall into the trap of mythologizing Lincoln nor does he waste his time with the unsubstantiated controversy of modern naysayers. Donald's Lincoln is thoroughly human and accessible and the author succeeds in his goal of presenting "what Lincoln knew and when he knew it". With the hindsight of history it is easy to forget that the outcome of the Civil War was very much in doubt until the end and Lincoln was nowhere near as popular as he would become after his death. Donald is most superb at placing the reader in the times and allowing the reader understand Lincoln from the point of view of his contemporaries.

I highly recommend David Herbert Donald's biography of Lincoln. Donald presents the facts as he finds them, organizes the book in a clear and logical fashion, and pulls it all together with thoroughly engaging writing. Certainly one of the best presidential biographies available.

Not much more to say about this book except for this: it's THE book about Lincoln. Period. End of story.

Dr. Vernon M
Cambridge, MA

Donald has written a defining biography of Lincoln. For once, we get to know the man.

But Donald's approach sometimes seeks to make Lincoln banal simply to demythologize him. Telling the story straight would have been enough.

As an example of how he does this and presupposes much more than he could possibly know, Donald states that Abraham and Mary Lincoln only had four children after many years of marriage so they must have used birth control (forgive me for not having the page number handy).

This is just silly. Grinding axes, or trying to shock with sexual speculation is bad history.

The book is very good, and well worth the read. But bring a critical mind so you can sort some of the author's overstretch.

David Donald has for years produced many brilliant histories. This volume is not one of them. It may have been written with "Best Seller" tag in mind, it may be meant for the largest popular readership. If so it succeeds. It is not written for the student of Lincoln and the civil War who is looking for dresh insight into the man and his times.

This is a superb history written by a brilliant historian. If you want to learn about Lincoln's life in depth, this is the place to start. You not only get an exemplary biography, but you also get the notes, references, and citations that Donald has assembled from a lifetime of research, study, and teaching.

Most of us got little more about Lincoln in our school history classes than a thumbnail sketch. This magnificent work corrects that. I came away completely awestruck at Lincoln's life history. Donald's biography succeeds in bringing home to the reader the magnitude of Lincoln's rise from desperate poverty and frontier circumstances to become one of America's greatest Presidents.

Reward yourself and read this book: It's an unbelievable story well told.

Donald has written a very satisfying biography of Abraham Lincoln. As he concedes in his preface, it is not a history of the Civil War. In fact, Donald devotes the first 250 pages of the book to Lincoln's career and life prior to becoming president - some of it in very excruciating and dry detail. The latter 350 pages were a much quicker and enjoyable read, but although set in the context of secession and war, Donald focuses largely on the Washington political scene.

"Lincoln" reminds us of the intense disharmony and discord in both the government and the country during the war, and Lincoln's deftness in keeping the diverse coalitions together and balancing both the altruistic and selfish agendas of the myriad of factions. Even our greatest president was forced to embrace the petty politics so evident today, both to run the government as well as to stay elected. The book is full of imagery of Lincoln coolly, calmly and patiently handling the complaining from all over the country, infighting among his political family, and rival Congressmen trying to topple and undermine his administration. Ironically, much of the spiteful conflict Lincoln dealt with was the result of the rivalry for his esteem and affections, whether it was Seward and Chase, Stanton and Welles, or Mary and Herndon. As Donald said, "it was a problem that Lincoln, like other men of enormous personal magnetism, had dealt with throughout his life." And while conflict physically took its toll, Lincoln also appeared to draw energy from it.

Also amazing is Lincoln's capacity to forgive and dismiss grudges, as evidenced by his appointment of Stanton to Secretary of War after a severe personal slight years earlier, appointment of Chase to Supreme Court justice despite his disloyal and scheming to steal the 1864 nomination, and continued friendship with Sumner despite frequent opposition to Lincoln's policy. And of course, there is his boundless patience with his own wife's selfishness, immaturity, and impetuousness which appeared to be a constant source of torment and embarrassment for him.

While Donald perpetuated the Lincoln myth of greatness, he avoided deification of his subject. He did not hesitate to identify Lincoln's shortcomings, such as the neglecting of Robert Lincoln during the childhood years, his meddling in his generals' military matters, his impractical ideas for colonization, and the disorganized management of his cabinet and administration.

Although the preface made it clear that Donald "focuses on Lincoln himself - on what he knew, when he knew it, and why he made his decisions", the reader may be shocked at the book's abrupt ending at Lincoln's death. Readers may be left desperately wanting more information on what happened next, at least like an epilogue type chapter similar to how Doris Kearns Goodwin ended "Team of Rivals".

Regardless, Donald's biography is well-written and well-researched and well worth a read for those interested in Lincoln.

While I feel that Mr. Donald's sober, respectful portrait of Lincoln reflects serious scholarship, I can't agree that this is the towering literary accomplishment the blurbs suggest. When reading this tome (do you really need such excruciating detail about all those secondary and tertiary 19th century politicians?) one often remembers that the author is an elderly Harvard academic, and not the kind of intuitive storyteller and brilliant writer who is the subject of the book.

To be fair, Lincoln as a man and politician and perhaps our most important president is such a complex proposition that no single volume can do him justice. This is a noble attempt. My only real objection is the author's dryness and lack of narrative propulsion--serious drawbacks at any time but especially taxing in a book this length.

This is a rock solid biography of Abraham Lincoln. The biography is richened by the availability since 1947 of the Abraham Lincoln papers, not hitherto available since they were sealed in 1890. As much as possible the author uses primary sources and liberally uses Lincoln's own words. At the outset, Donald makes a few observations about Lincoln. For instance, he notes that (page 14) ". . .this biography highlights a basic trait of character evident throughout Lincoln's life: the essential passivity of his nature." Lincoln himself once said that (page 15) "I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me." That is, Lincoln responded to changes in circumstances. Donald also notes that (Page 15) "From Lincoln's fatalism derived some of his most lovable traits: his compassion, his tolerance, his willingness to overlook mistakes."

The book begins, traditionally enough, with a look at his family's history, his birth, his movement from Kentucky to eventually settle in Illinois. Key experiences were the death of his mother, his early exposure to books and consequent development of an appetite to read. In 1831, he began life on his own. Over the next decade, he tried many occupations--from carpenter to riverboat man to clerk to postmaster to lawyer and to politician. His life in New Salem was pleasant enough, but it was when he moved to Springfield that his trajectory began really to rise. His law practice and political involvement grounded him in the larger community.

His political career was certainly modest enough for someone who became president (hence, some reviewers noting the paucity of experience, making him one of the least credentialed presidents in American history). His marriage to Mary Todd helped with the often melancholic nature of his life. His political career took off with the Lincoln-Douglas debates in his unsuccessful effort to derail Stephen Douglas' re-election campaign to the United States Senate. Lincoln made a speaking tour and began to gain notice. When the 1860 Republican convention deadlocked, he became nominated as president as the fallback candidate. Once elected, as the book speaks to well, he selected a uniquely headstrong and eminent cabinet, including in it a number of failed presidential hopefuls from the 1860 convention.

The volume also speaks in detail about the human side of his presiding over the Civil War. If you want details about campaigns and battles, this is not the book for you. However, his portrayal of Lincoln on a very human level is nicely done. One can experience Lincoln's back and forthing on slavery and emancipation; one can feel his anguish as he sees that his generals early in the war "don't get it," and so on.

The book concludes with the assassination and the telling phrase by Secretary of War Edwin Stanton as Lincoln breathed his last (page 599): "Now he belongs to the ages."

This is an excellent volume, jam packed with details, and depicting nicely Abraham Lincoln, the human being. Well worth adding to one's Abraham Lincoln collection.

"Lincoln" is a masterpiece. An excellent biography that pulls the reader into the mind of the sixteenth president as he was faced with perhaps the most difficult circumstances in our nation's past. Taking office with secession transpiring, it seems as though he was destined for failure. The mental anguish he endured while in office is simply heart wrenching. Lincoln lost a son while trying to orchestrate the Union's military strategy. Much to the frustration of the president, he had little direct power over the Union generals. The effects of these and other stressors were profound. DHD does an excellent job of illustrating just how hard life was for president Lincoln, from his birth in a 16x18 dirt floor cabin to his presidency during the darkest years of our history.

It's not just the presentation of the history that makes this book great. Many others have retold the stories of Lincoln's life; however, DHD tells the stories in such a way that you feel Lincoln's pain and depression as you read about the deaths of his children and his guilt over the mass bloodshed on the battlefields, etc. etc. You feel his frustration as he attempts to manage the war strategy without possessing the true power of Commander and Chief. In other words, the focus is on the man and his life - not the history of the time. The history serves as a framework, but DHD presents Lincoln for what he is and allows the reader to judge his decisions and integrity.

Thomas Jefferson said, "history is a chronicle of mistakes to be avoided". Unfortunately, Jefferson didn't have the pleasure of meeting Mr. Lincoln. Although many mistakes led to cessation, Lincoln's work as president represents honesty and resiliency like few other accounts in our history. You will actually feel President Lincoln's pain and anguish as you read this fantastic biography. I finished it days ago and am still constantly haunted by thoughts of the trials and tribulations that Lincoln faced. Wow!!

Mr. Donald has written an wonderful, one volume account of Mr. Lincoln's life. His work is exhaustively researched and rich in detail. The account is fair and straight forward. He does not go overboard with praise or analysis but rather presents the story in a manner that allows you to judge for yourself the place Mr. Lincoln takes in history.

Mr. Donald has written an wonderful, one volume account of Mr. Lincoln's life. His work is exhaustively researched and rich in detail. The account is fair and straight forward. He does not go overboard with praise or analysis but rather presents the story in a manner that allows you to judge for yourself the place Mr. Lincoln takes in history.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was without a doubt the most improbable person ever to become the sixteenth president of the United States. Born in a one-room, dirt floor log cabin (it measured 16 by 18 feet), Lincoln's mother died when he was ten. By age fifteen he had finished all the formal schooling he would ever have, and that amounted to less than one year. At twenty-one he left his father's home permanently, and for the next ten years drifted from one occupation to another: "carpenter, riverboat man, store clerk, soldier, merchant, postmaster, blacksmith, surveyor, lawyer, politician. Experience eliminated all but the last two of these possibilities, and by the time he was thirty the direction of his career was firmly established" (p. 38). He was by most accounts a physically unattractive person, socially awkward, and given to bouts of profound depression. Still, he was a person of extreme ambition who had an enormous capacity for work, a supreme sense of self-confidence, and a certain homespun charm. Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner David Donald's meticulous and comprehensive biography takes readers from these unlikely beginnings to how Lincoln became the prototype of the frontier's "self-made man" and the greatest president in our history.

Within a month after his election as President in 1860, every state in the lower South had taken steps to secede and "the country was falling apart" (pp. 257, 267). Five weeks after his inauguration the Confederates bombed Fort Sumter and the Civil War began. But for a president whose name is forever associated with the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment to end slavery, Lincoln's views on abolition were moderate and nuanced. He construed the war as about preserving the union and not about eradicating slavery. He considered slavery a "monstrous injustice," but his ideas about how to end it evolved only slowly. He thought that the Constitution allowed the continued existence of slavery where it already flourished, so he opposed immediate eradication. But he also opposed its further extension into new territories. Long into his presidency he favored a plan to colonize slaves somewhere outside the United States (an idea he eventually abandoned). He did not favor inter-racial marriage, negro suffrage, or enlisting blacks into military service for the Union. Eventually, he prescribed a gradual and voluntary type of compensated emancipation. Even as the war drew to a close, Lincoln "did not insist upon the end of slavery as a precondition for peace" (p. 559). Of course, this middle of the road position made him the object of wrath for both Conservatives who thought he was too severe and Radicals who saw him as too lenient.

Lincoln's stepmother observed that "Abe had no particular religion" (p. 33). In his 1846 bid for Congress he had to deny that he was an "open scoffer of Christianity" (p. 49). His wife Mary once described him as "not a technical Christian," in the sense that he did not subscribe to Orthodox doctrines or church affiliations (p. 514). Still, Lincoln had an unshakable sense of Divine Providence. His reputation for honesty was widely praised and richly deserved. He was an accessible president who held open houses for two to three hours a day, when the most common person could meet the president and ask for help. His "generosity of spirit" (p. 560), immortalized in his second inaugural speech ("With malice toward none; with charity for all"), was precisely what a badly fractured country needed after its most devastating war. Donald's biography ends with his account of Lincoln's assassination by John Wilkes Booth.

"Lincoln" is a very well researched biography. Abraham Lincoln's story is told using many quotes from original sources without being a collection of documents. This is not a story of American history focusing on Lincoln. It is purely a biography of Lincoln without digressions. David Herbert Donald does not `sell' Lincoln to the reader. Donald give us a view of Lincoln though the eyes of many; friendly or not. He shows us the information about Lincoln and the opinions of others at the time. This biography does an excellent job of personifying Lincoln as a man, albeit and exceptional one, rather than a deified symbol. It is quite interesting to read about Lincoln's accomplishments as his political rivals viewed them. My only small suggestion for improving the book would be to include the year each time a date is mentioned. This would have been helpful because, while the biography reads linearly, there are frequent short tangents that are not strictly chronological. Overall this is a great read if you are looking for a scholarly but not dry biography about Lincoln.

The Lincoln who emerges in this well-crafted but sometimes tedious biography is not the Lincoln of northern hagiography or southern demonology. He was a moderate who avoided controversial decisions as much as possible.

Lincoln did what he had to do, not always what he wanted to do. It becomes clear reading this book that the biggest mistake was made by the southern secessionists. In Lincoln they would have had a president who understood the contradictions of having blacks in America, who did not think they could become Americans and wanted them colonized abroad, and who certainly could live with slavery which he considered likely to disappear with time.

The southern fanatics misunderstood Lincoln and started the civil war. New England fanatical abolitionists are the real evil doers in this story.

Given our experience with segregation and failed integration perhaps slavery should have been left alone. It would have disappeared and perhaps the result would have been better than what we got through the civil war and reconstruction.

There are a lot of Lincoln books out there and I was looking for, and found, a good starting point. I thought this was a very even-handed portrait that gave you a sense for the man and provided just enough information on the politics and events of the day to provide context, without bogging down the epic story.

Americans often don't realize how little is known of their history beyond their borders. In France, where I was born and raised, the standard view is that the United States doesn't have a history, only founding myths, and that their entry into the world's drama only dates back from the First World War. School children almost never come across the name of Abraham Lincoln or the role that he played in the Civil War, except in novels like Jules Verne's North Against South. The whole period doesn't occupy more than a page in our history textbooks, and students are lucky if they get to read a translated version of the Gettysburg Address.

My own knowledge of the sixteenth President was thus fragmentary at best when I embarked upon the reading of this 600-page biography that critics described as the best one available. David H. Donald's portrait certainly fulfilled my curiosity and provided me with much more facts than I could swallow. In fact, readers like me who come to this book unprepared and with no previous knowledge of the man and his period clearly run the risk of indigestion. There was no way I could possibly assimilate the wealth of facts that are presented in this volume and achieve to hold all the threads to this story in one hand. Just to give an illustration, the index at the end of the book lists about 836 characters, not including Abe Lincoln's horse ("Old Buck") and his son Tad's goat ("Nanny").

Donald purports to keep as close as possible to his subject, focusing "on what he knew, when he knew it, and how he made his decisions." For instance, the reader learns from the great battlefields of the civil war from the dispatches that Lincoln reads while sitting up anxiously in the telegraph office of the War Department. The result is like a dry landscape where nothing really stands out and which leaves the traveler without a map or milestones to chart his course. Without prior knowledge to identify the key events and main turning points, I was transported from one episode to the next without time to pause or ponder the particular achievements that make Abraham Lincoln an outstanding President.

In a way, this absence of markers and indicators to chart the reader's voyage through Lincoln's life is in accordance with the character of the personage as depicted by the author, who uses as an epigraph the quotations in which Lincoln candidly confesses his sense of helplessness in the hands of a higher order destiny: "I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me." But contrary to his character, the author is in control of the narrative, and could have provided a sense of direction in order to make it an easier read.

David Herbert Martin gives readers a very personal view of Lincoln. We see that Old Abe was honest and gifted, but also calculating, ambitious, and burdened by self-doubt. Perhaps that's normal for an introspective man who overcomes poverty, depression and tragedy. The author maintains this very personal focus as he details Lincoln's rise from young legislative leader and one-term Congressman to national figure as visionary builder of the nascent Republican Party in the 1850's.

Martin continues his personal focus on President Lincoln. Readers see that Lincoln was slightly unsure at first, a bit slow with emancipation, and he made some poor choices for military leadership. But Lincoln was a masterful politician, and his leadership, eloquence, and vision helped keep the nation together through tragedy. Finally, readers sense the gut-wrenching pressure Lincoln faced on a daily basis. In short, the author correctly shows Lincoln as great but imperfect, and readers should come away believing that Old Abe did a better job than would have William Seward, Stephen Douglas, or other top contenders.

I gave the book just four stars due to the author's somewhat thick writing style, and his absence of summary writing after Lincoln's passing. Still, this superbly personal biography is well worth reading.

Six weeks before he was assassinated, Lincoln's words (Second Inaugural Addresss), soothed a wounded nation. As he makes his short talk in 1865, he showed much humility. The Emancipation Proclamation which took effect on Jan. 1, 1863, which ordered the release of slaves in any state or designated part of a state didn't free a single slave. It caused the biggest rebellion against a federal governments, the likes of which we will never get over. That war will never be ended in the minds of Southerners. It's not easy being the loser in anything.

Since the parts of the country covered by this edict were under the control of the Confederate Army, it made it virtually unenforceable. He'd exempted from his ordre 'slaves held in parts of the South which were under control of the Union Army. Excluded were 48 counties of Virginia, later called West Virginia, a new state. It left enslaved blacks in New Orleans and twelve Louisiana parishes, also those in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Virginia, and seven surrounding counties occupied by the Union forces.

In 1865, with 620,000 Amreicans killed in four years, he told the country that the war was not a religious crused and that the enemy prays to the same God as they do. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. Let us judge not, that we be not judged.

Alexander Stephens, Confederate Vice President, acknowledged the central role slavery played in the Civil War. "This was the immediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution," he'd said in his 'cornerstone speech' shortly after the Confederacy was formed. He was talking about 'African' slaves, not American citizens.

Meither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it attained. This is your chance to meet the man who spoke so eloquently, yet failed to protect himself from death, who was not stupid or dishonest enough to believe he had a lock on truth. I've been interested in Lincoln's assassination since the Seventies, and have a good collection of his books. This is another one to add to your collection if you're a Civil War buff.

Since others have thoroughly critiqued the book, I am focusing on the audio version, which I found entertaining and enlightening. I listened to this book on four audio tapes as read by James Naughton, who does an excellent job. The audio version is abridged and runs about six hours.

Lincoln's family history is covered succinctly and the fact that at least one of his forebearers was well off is emphasized to counter the myth that his family was dirt-poor. His early career is covered in detail but not so much that it bores the listener. His romance with Mary Todd is described and returned to again and again as they experience challenges together. I found their devotion to each other to be moving.

My personal fascination is with Lincoln's handling of the crisis of secession. Here we learn how his views on slavery evolved and how he astutely turned them into an asset. He was expert at handling people in spite of his reputation among some as something of a rural bumpkin.

Even the detail in a biography such as this does not fully explain how Lincoln became the incredible leader that he developed into. It is inspiring to hear how he rose to the greatest challenges that our young country had ever faced at that time. And even knowing in advance how his life ended, I found myself in tears along with his wife when he died.

I listened to this book in the car and recommend it to others who like to learn as they drive.

Donald is a Harvard professor and Lincoln scholar who writes from a unique perspective: that of Lincoln living his life, unsure of what the future would bring, unsure of events outside his daily purview. Donald offers no broad historical analysis of Lincoln's times. Reading the book is almost like living Lincoln's life with him, though Donald is honest enough to admit what we do not know, or what is unclear about Lincoln's life. This book is a masterpiece, worthy of Plutarch or Suetonius.

Suggested Reading to Supplement Donald's Lincoln:
-Selected Writings of Abraham Lincoln, Modern Library of America.
(It's pleasurable and edifying to read what Lincoln wrote-
he was a master of American prose. Lincoln limited his
own reading to Blackstone, the KJV Bible, and
Shakespeare.)
-Lincoln, Gore Vidal. (An imaginative, literary account.)
-Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln, C.A. Tripp. (Some intriguing
yet unprovable allegations - was Lincoln an iconoclast
because he was also gay? Or was he just an atheist?)

David Herbert Donald accomplishes with this biography the difficult goal of presenting Lincoln as a character at once thoroughly ordinary and exceptional. Although millions of words have been written about his subject, Lincoln remains shrouded in myth for many of us, but a reading of this fine biography parts those mists and reveals that the sixteenth president is not difficult to understand or relate to, onerous as his burdens may have been to bear.

Donald's prose is as plain-spoken as the words favored by Lincoln, but that is not to say that it is ordinary. On the contrary: Donald's mastery of his subject allows him to write with exceptional clarity and admirable dispassion.

While it is clear that on balance Donald greatly admires Lincoln, he never glorifies him. He is critical, for example, of Lincoln the Whig's occasional taste for demagogery in his partisan attacks on the rival Democratic Party early in his political career. In analyzing Lincoln's writings and speeches, he doesn't shy away from pointing out flaws and speciousness in their reasoning.

The book is also valuable for its ability to present landmarks in Lincoln's career in a clearer light. The best example of this is the recounting of the famous series of debates in pursuit of a Senate seat between Lincoln and his primary rival of the time, Stephen Douglas. History, particularly as it is taught in high school, often presents these debates as lofty philosophical interchanges between the two on slavery, individual rights and the nature of liberty. Donald's careful analysis of each of the seven debates shows that while they contained moments of high drama and keen insight, they were all dragged down by petty attacks -- on both sides -- repetitive arguments and occasional poorly prepared remarks.

Similarly, Donald points out a fact that is often forgotten: while Lincoln deplored slavery on moral grounds, he never believed that African-Americans were the equal of whites on any level. In fact, the author is quite critical of Lincoln's stubborn adherence to the idea that blacks could be relocated to Africa -- one that he held on to far longer than it merited, if indeed it ever did.

The most intriguing and insightful portions of the book center on Lincoln's presidency, for which he was wholly unprepared, by his own admission. While many of us are aware in a general sense that Lincoln was under great pressure during his first term as a wartime president, Donald dramatizes the difficulties in great detail, bringing to life the nearly unbearable weight that Lincoln bore in trying to juggle the demands of a highly disputatious cabinet, a stubbornly unresponsive military leadership, and a Republican Party that was in many cases more hostile to him than were the Democrats.

Lincoln's final success in bringing the war to a successful conclusion -- albeit at staggering human and financial cost -- is all the more satisfying and poignant for Donald's attention to the four years of disappointments. With the description of his death and the knowledge of the unfinished business that awaited his second term in rebuilding the nation, one is left to ponder more than ever what might have been had he not been assassinated.

As a finely drawn portrait reveals something of its subject's inner life, "Lincoln," through its meticulous attention to detail, gives the reader a greater understanding of the man than any mere collection of facts could ever provide. Highly recommended.

This is perhaps one of the largest volumes on Lincoln but also one of the best. It goes from his home life to his political career. The book is very fascinating and also very easy to read and understand. This will answer a lot of questions you have on Lincoln, but I also think it will make you want to learn more about him.

Regarded by many as our greatest president ever, Abraham Lincoln has left a massive impression on the American imagination. Much of who he is comes to us as almost folkloric imagery - the young "railsplitter" on the frontier, the small-town attorney, Stephen Douglas' adversary in the most famous debates in our nation's history, the bearded father figure who led the nation through its most divisive conflict before his assassination at the hands of a deranged actor. Few biographers have been better equipped to study the man behind the legend than David Herbert Donald, a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and longtime scholar of the era.

The result is impressive. Donald sifts through the mythology and interpretations to lay Lincoln bare, often using Lincoln's own words to define the man. He presents a man of considerable ambition and a healthy ego, which helped him overcome the formidable challenges he faced in life. While Donald's argument that Lincoln was controlled by events is difficult to sustain, his portrait of a master politician who maintained his authority over a young party though tact and guile is excellent, as is his examination of Lincoln's constant problems with the army high command. For readers seeking an introduction to the life of one of our most important leaders, this is the book to read.

This is a wonderful biography of Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Donald has made a very to the point work without speculation and over examination. It is simply Lincoln, who comes across as simple and well meaning. This is not the Lincoln of high rhetoric grandly leading the country through a difficult time. Donald's Mr. Lincoln comes across as a man of great potential and high purpose who struggled daily with the complex world around him. You feel his frustrations and his troubles. This is one book that really demonstrates that history does not just happen. The outcomes are not known. The struggles are real. Lincoln's struggles are real. Just a wonderful read!!

Donald writes brilliantly, and truly spans Lincoln's life and gives one a sense of being there. Perhaps most striking is how the tide of events carried Lincoln and changed his views (e.g., with respect to slavery, from colonization to emancipation). Also, Donald describes Lincoln as a master, very calculating politician, not unlike the politicians of today. He was certainly not the folksy backwoods caricature that often is presented, although he used that to his advantage (e.g., to disarm opponents and garner support).

Despite being wonderfully researched, and spreading out the facts for all to see, one gets the sense that what truly made Lincoln "tick" was unknowable, from a deeply personal standpoint. Having worked on Capitol Hill, my sense is that most senators are that way, possibly because they have been compromised again and again to reach high offices, and to be all things to all people.

Also, it was interesting how Grant and Sherman "saved" Lincoln politically, while many of his other generals were either indecisive or utter buffoons. Lincoln knew that changes were needed, but he was often hesitant to "rock the boat" and make them. After his reelection in 1864, he seemed much more self-confident, which was cut short by his tragic death. The reader is left to wonder what he might have accomplished during his second term.

When the book ends somewhat abruptly, one's interest has been whetted. It is only too bad that Donald did not do an appraisal of "what might have been." There is no question that Lincoln was brilliant, and he was really maturing as a political leader when he was killed. What a remarkable four years might have followed. Also, with essentially no protection at all, it is surprising that more leaders of that time were not killed by the Booths of this world. Lincoln, God love him, was fearless and a true fatalist - or at least that is how Donald depicts him.

One is led to think about Lincoln's law partner, Herndon, who was so important in Lincoln's life, and his thoughts about Lincoln's life and death. Also, Grant's memoirs - which are said to be the finest done by an American president - may be an interesting read, along with books about Reconstruction, the diaries of Lincoln's two male "secretaries," etc.

Years ago, I read an article about how one could only understand the Southern "mentality" by appreciating how conquered peoples - or the vanquished - have been able to survive throughout history under the rule of the victors; and Donald's book sets the scene for that to take place. Also, one cannot help but be impressed by what a monumental struggle the Civil War represented, and the human carnage that it left as well as the deep scars that remained.

Truly fascinating, and Donald provides a brilliant "birds-eye view." Well worth reading.

A fascinating, if at times dry, rendering of the man that was Lincoln. Not the myth, not the hero worshipping, just the man. This is not a style of "popular" biography. It is not a sweeping narrative, but a more detailed look at Lincoln's life. Some parts of the story, those of his campaigns get surprisingly long treatment here. Others, his marriage, family, and other personal foibles are not explored in depth. However, it is an honest rendering of the man who lived from 1809-1865. In fact, we see the growth, the honor, and the greatness of the real Lincoln.

Overall, I found Donald's account of Honest Abe to be a good one and I humbly offer what I thought were the good and bad points of this book:

Good:

1. The first couple of chapters describing Lincoln's early life were quite interesting and informative, from the strong relationship with his stepmother to the strained relationship with his father. Reading about his other early struggles and failures further impressed me with Lincoln's persistence and incredible tenacity.
2. Deep level of detail concerning certain points of his life, notably his early law practice, political career, and relationships with cabinet members. If you like this kind of information, then this book is right down your alley!
3. Interesting descriptions of his relationship with certain generals, notably George McClellan (aka "Young Napoleon"). I developed a greater appreciation of the military pressures Lincoln endured during the Civil War.

Bad:

1. The book's length - the text was right at 600 pages and at times proved to be a dry read. While interesting anecdotes were incorporated, the text often seemed to drag on with dry policy decisions. Granted, I am more interested in military affairs as opposed to politics. However, I still believe the book spent too much on the politics and not nearly enough on the military.
2. Personalization of Lincoln - as mentioned in other reviwes, I concur that the reader still misses the essence of Lincoln (What did he experience and how did he really feel about a policy issue or military action? How about more of his relationship with his wife and children?). While the reader is often told things like the incredible number of hours Lincoln put in while in the White House, the essence of Lincoln is left out.

Overall, I do believe the book is a worthwhile read - just be ready to spend plenty of time due to the large content!

Since this is the first comprehensive biography of Lincoln I have read, I cannot honestly compare it to other Lincoln biographers. However, I can say that I have read other biographies (Lee, Grant, etc.) of other famous Americans and I feel like I have gotten to know the person better instead of just knowing ABOUT the person.

Despite this, I still recommend the book.

With word that later in 2004 several new Lincoln biographies are to be published I again turned to my unread copy of Donald's LINCOLN. It had been highly recommended to me when I mentioned that I had never read a biography of Lincoln. I was told this was one of the best Lincoln Biographies.Overall, David Donald's book is just full of details and is interestingly told from Lincoln's perspective. (What did Lincoln know and what did he do? A real time biography.) I greatly admire Donald's accomplishment and learned a great deal but was disappointed that this is just not an "entertaining" narrative. The writing is dry, without a visual sense or an emotional core. You never feel you're experiencing Lincoln, feeling what he must have felt as he comes across in the narrative as stoically reactive to events while holding on to only one true principle, saving the union. I especially like the first part of the book covering Lincoln's early years up to the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates. But once the Great War takes hold Lincoln is depicted as a man given to compromise and taking the middle ground unable to do anything more than ride the whirlwind of events. (Actually Lincoln said himself that this is the case and it comes so apparent in this narrative.) Lincoln appears here as an uncertain politician and seldom the statesman. This may be true and a bit unsettling to those of us who might want to "worship" the Lincoln as statesman who belongs to the ages. My reading left me with little insight into Lincoln's thinking, and more important without an insight into what he is feeling that I felt distanced from subject. The feeling I came away with was that Lincoln was not really comfortable in his own skin and I was uncomfortable and unsure that this could be true. I recommend Donald's book for its detail, overall insight, but warn that it is a tough read.

I read this book as part of my ongoing hobby to read a biography of every President and to be honest this is the worst one I have read to date.

I thought it got bogged down too much in the details of cabinet positions and the daily grind. I wished it would have gone into greater detail on the Civil War and Lincoln's relationships with members of the Union Army, like U.S. Grant for instance. It touched on the subject, but in reading Grant's biography they had an interesting relationship. They both admired each other greatly. I didn't get that from this book.

At times, Lincoln seemed to be a bumbling President that stumbled into good fortune. I hope that was not the case and don't believe that it was, but Donald's writing style suggests that he was lucky and made a habit of listening to bad advice.

My biggest beef was the lack of information surrounding the Gettysburg address. At the very least I expected it to be included in the book, but it just wasn't. There was also a brief mention of his other great speeches, but not enough detail on them.

Just an average book and to be honest I think if you looked hard you could find a better biography of Lincoln.

I will commend the writer for his research. It's thorough, but it's VERY DRY. Usually I read a book in a week, this took me a month.

I have been studying Abraham Lincoln for nearly 40 years. Many Lincoln scholars consider LINCOLN by David Herbert Donald to be one of the three BEST one-volume biographies of Lincoln written to date. LINCOLN by Donald is probably the BEST of the three.

I have been studying Abraham Lincoln for nearly 40 years. Many Lincoln scholars consider LINCOLN by David Herbert Donald to be one of the three BEST one-volume biographies of Lincoln written to date. The other two books are WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE by Stephen B. Oates and ABRAHAM LINCOLN: A BIOGRAPHY by Benjamin P. Thomas. LINCOLN by Donald is probably the BEST of the three.

I'm not typically a biography fan. I'm a history buff, but I tend to prefer reading about events in history, and getting relevant information about the players in those events within the context of that event.

But, I saw a copy of Donald's book a couple of years agao in a bookstore at a discount, and snagged it. Naturally, the course of events required me to shift it down on my reading pile. Recently, I resolved to read it once and for all.

I'm pleased that I did. First, what I know of Lincoln came in broad strokes-what he did mostly, little of what he did. I'm also not a Civil War buff (just more interested in WW II). So my knowledge of both has been greatly enhanced. (Admittedly, Donald wasn't quite interested in parsing out the War, so I will have to pursue that information elsewhere.)

Donald's examination is as even a work as one could ask for. While he admires Lincoln, he's willing to acknowledge that the Lincoln was human, and takes him to task when appropriate.

What I enjoyed most about this book is that I recognized certain traits in my personality that are similar to Lincoln. I don't flatter myself that I'm somehow a "great" man, but rather, I use this to illustrate how down-to-earth Lincoln really was, and how beautifully Donald illustrates that quality.

I don't know that this is the be-all-end-all of Lincoln bios. But, as a single volume piece, it's terrific, and more than worth the time of both historians and casual readers alike.

For anyone curious about Lincoln or the American Civil War, Donald's biography is excellent. Laden with detail, it covers all of Lincoln's life and provides great insight into the forces that shaped the man. But the detail itself is perhaps too much.
Donald's research is impressive. One detail piled upon another. You get a great sense of how Lincoln spent his time, of how the nation thought. But what is missing is animation. Donald wisely keeps whatever biases and opinions he has to himself, for which he is to be greatly commended. No revisionist history here, no trumpeting of personal viewpoints as fact: a delightful relief from many contemporary "historians."
The result, however, is somewhat lifeless. I don't know if this is good or bad. It is left to the reader to supply the "color" of Lincoln and his times, the vibrancy of the world at that time.
I don't know if Donald could have added this missing flavor without destroying his fine narrative. I think probably not and am glad he didn't try. On the other hand, the missing element makes this otherwise exemplary biography a somewhat slow read.
That said, I recommend "Lincoln" to anyone who wants to know more of the man and his times without an author's bias distorting the truth.

Jerry

This book is wonderfully satisfying. The author's scholarship--deep and wide--is evident on every page, and his reflections--mature and nuanced--help to explain countless aspects of Lincoln's life and character. There have been many biographies of Abraham Lincoln, and there will be many more. For now, however, Donald's book is as close to authoritative as a Lincoln biography can get.

David Herbert Donald does a great job of walking the readers through Abraham Lincoln's life. Wonderful depiction of his personality and how he is perceived by others. The only criticism i have is that i found that the book could have included certain documents/letters that Lincoln wrote in addition to the short quotes that are included. Also, the book appeared to end immediately after Lincoln's death. It lacks reflections on Lincoln's life and achievements, as well as his impact on future generations as a result of the emancipation of blacks

David Herbert Donald is considered one of the foremost experts on Abraham Lincoln and his era. He is the author of many books, and has received many academic prizes. One can imagine how difficult it must have been for him to write a single volume biography on Lincoln. The results are very satisfying. Lincoln, warts and all, comes alive in Dr. Donald's prose, as do the times in which he lived. His rise to prominence is chronicled, as is his marriage, family life, and law practice. The reader learns about Lincoln's childhood, his political struggles, and the greatness he achieves as president during a turning point in our nation's history. The work is the culmination of a great man, a great scholar, and a great book.

"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. But by the mid-1850s, slavery came to dominate the political and social life of the country. Lincoln, though clearly antislavery, was not an abolitionist. In his debates with Stephen Douglas in 1858 and on his way to being elected president in 1860, Lincoln articulated, often eloquently, a moderate position on slavery that resonated with a large segment of Northern voters. The extension of slavery to new territories became the foremost issue of the day as compared to eradication.

Lincoln was probably not technically qualified to be president; he had never held an administrative post of any importance. Nor did hundreds of high-level administrative assistants perform most of his duties, as is the case in the modern era. In addition, Lincoln faced perhaps the greatest challenge that any president in our history ever has. The secession of the South exacerbated political divides in the country. Not only did Lincoln have to deal with radical and moderate Republicans and War and Peace Democrats, but also his own cabinet, populated with some of his political rivals, exhibited the same sort of splits. Militarily, the U.S. was totally unprepared to put down a rebellion, as Lincoln called it, of the size that the Confederacy represented. He was often driven to the edge of his patience in dealing with a series of incompetent generals that cost the Northern armies defeat after defeat in the early years of the War.

The author captures the immense pressures on Lincoln during his presidency. His ungainliness was fodder for the various political factions that publicly labeled Lincoln as an "imbecile" or a "baboon." Though the presidency took a tremendous toll on Lincoln, he retained his generally good humor, even seeing countless numbers of nameless citizens straight from the streets in his office. He functioned at a high level of awareness, navigating the political minefields of the day, in making difficult decisions. The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 was just such a decision. It was a typically moderate Lincoln response to the antislavery and unionist extremists. When Lincoln was shot at the beginning of his second term, he had prevailed and brought the country through a terrible experience through the sheer strength and flexibility of his intellect and personality. One doubts whether there existed another individual in the country at that time, who could have dealt with all of the issues that Lincoln did with the same degree of success.

Though the author is favorably deposed towards Lincoln, he does not push Lincoln on the reader - he does not have to. He does a great job of letting the reader closely watch Lincoln in action for about forty years. It is an incredible story.

"Lincoln" pays ample tribute to its subject's achievements and provides interesting information about Lincoln's earlier life that I wasn't aware of.

More interesting are the possibly "negative" sides to his personality--his intense political partisanship, his less than courageous views on race, and his strange relationship with his wife. This isn't to say that Lincoln was not worthy of his reputation, and the book does not aim to strip away the respect so many have for him. The information is simply presented in a matter-of-fact way that shows Lincoln was not perfect but tried to do the best he could within the limits of his world view.

All in all, this book is insightful, well researched, and a good place for expert or novice to get a feel for what made President Lincoln tick.

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. I believe I have no lawful right to
do so, and I have no inclination to do so.

to his second inaugural:

If God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two
hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop
of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as
was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of
the Lord are true and righteous altogether."

This is, naturally, a question that any Lincoln biographer would have to answer (if only by citing someone else who answered it). Donald does a fantastic job of answering this question without ever stating the answer outright. He merely describes the events of Lincoln's life, and lets the reader figure it out. The answer is clear: Lincoln had a fine line to walk between the abolitionists of his party and its less extreme members. At the same time, his main goal was to preserve the Union - whether or not slavery came with it. But as time went on, the political situation got easier to navigate, and Lincoln became more comfortable in his role as a leader. The evolution from one political landscape to another is vital to the answer, and Donald does a masterful job painting us a picture.

Yet never did I feel as though an historian were behind the scenes painting. Instead, it was as though I were watching Lincoln himself, through a lens that Donald provided for me. Surely every historian has his or her biases, even in such subtle ways as the sources he or she chooses to quote. Yet I feel as though Donald silenced these biases and stuck to the raw materials he was given. This is as pure and unadulterated a biography as I could imagine.

I couldn't help but think of _Crime & Punishment_ as I read this biography. In _C&P_, Dostoevsky is a pseudo-omnipotent narrator: he can get inside of Raskolnikov's head and record every thought that the latter has, but he has acces