Team of Rivals

In this outstanding work, Doris Kearns Goodwin wields a staggering volume of scholarship in a cohesive, compelling narrative that both humanizes and lionizes a true giant of American history, whose story and character, a century and a half later, has essentially reached legendary status. Eschewing a typical subject-centered pattern, Goodwin weaves together the threads of Lincoln's biggest rivals for the Republican nomination in 1860, William Seward, Salmon Chase, and Edward Bates, each of whom would serve in his cabinet. The depiction of how these ambitious men pursued the presidency and then adjusted to "consolation prizes" is a primary driver of the book, and an endless source of fascination. Other members of the cabinet, in particular the second Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, also provide a tremendous amount of color and interest, as do Lincoln's encounters with Frederick Douglass, who, like many others, went from disliking the President to holding him in the highest esteem. The "Team of Rivals" Lincoln had assembled sometimes worked really well, sometimes did not, but Lincoln had deeper motives for choosing an adversarial cabinet: not the least of which was keeping the various political factions from fracturing the Union.

Lincoln the man is depicted nowhere better than in his family life: his "hellcat" wife Mary, grown and largely absent son Robert, and precious boys Willie and Tad. That Lincoln was able to absorb so much tragedy in his own life, as well as in the bloodshed of the Civil War, while staying focused and enabling his team to be the best civil servants they could be, is truly remarkable. And the wind cries Mary.

Like any other reader, going into this book, I knew how it was going to end, with John Wilkes Booth fleeing from Ford's Theatre. But I had no idea how much it would move me. Goodwin's writing in the final chapter truly shines.

Finally, studying Civil War history from a purely military perspective misses so much important context. Goodwin's book provides a ton of that context, and humanizes the conflict. And I have to reiterate the level of scholarship - 120 pages of notes give some hint - she put in to the work, seemingly effortless insertions of quotations into the narrative.

A simultaneous biography of Lincoln and his cabinet, highly recommended to me by A2J, Glen V and Mike K. If you've read civil war histories, you will know the story. The viewpoint here is unusual, though; the history is a personal one with a lot of attention to everybody's feelings about each other and long quotations from their 19th century letters and diary entries (they hadn't figured out how to write 20th century letters yet). You feel like you know these people much better than you might after a more typical history - whether the feeling represents some kind of reality, to quote Pee-Wee Herman, I don't know. I did give it 4 big stars. I must say it took me a long time to read this, and the author at times seems to leave no blind alley unexplored. A few comments:

Fascinating description of Delaware Senator Willard Saulsbury (page 503)another great Delawarean that I didn't know about. He said to the sergeant-at-arms of the Senate "Damn you, if you touch me I'll shoot you dead".

One of the books best features, I think, is that instead of saying what a cut-up Lincoln was, it actually uses others' accounts of their conversations to actually report Lincoln's jokes verbatim! Apparently a favorite phrase of his was "the bottom is out of the tub"(page 426). Perhaps this will gain currency again.

Just a few exemplary complaints: On page 678. Is it really necessary to list all of Stanton's "heartfelt" note replying to Henry Ward Beecher's "heartfelt" note saying how great they both were?
On page 617 there is a lengthy aside about Jefferson Davis' son falling off the balcony and killing himself. What is this doing here?