Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

Doris Kearns Goodwin deserves thanks from her readers twice over. Firstly, in the crowded field of writings on the US Civil War and on Abraham Lincoln, she has found a new and fascinating way of illuminating the man, his life and times. And secondly, having identified that opportunity, she had then written an outstanding book.Her book’s concept is simple enough. Four men (excluding also-rans) contested the Republican nomination in 1860: William Seward, Salmon Chase, Abraham Lincoln and Edward Bates. Unusually, after Lincoln won his party’s endorsement and, subsequently, the presidential election, he invited his former competitors to take seats in the cabinet – hence the book’s title. Goodwin’s is the story of how the four came to be the principle Republican candidates and how they interacted once on the same team after the election.That’s a lot of weight for a book to carry and one of its remarkable features is how lightly it does so. Despite measuring in at a little over 750 pages (or well over 900 if notes and index are included), it never plods. Partly, that’s because Goodwin doesn’t stick rigidly to her mission. The first part, leading up to 1860, is essentially four parallel biographies. The temptation, which she rightly resists, is to over-write their early lives. Instead, she focusses on the key experiences that made them who they became, on what they shared in common and where they differed: the essential building blocks of the post-1860 story. What she does write though is comprehensively researched and packed with relevant anecdote and reference. She not only brings the people to life but also the times they lived in.She also lightens the load by ensuring that it is not a Civil War book, as such. The conflict does, of course, dominate Lincoln’s presidency but she’s interested in how it was managed from DC, not the details of the campaigns themselves, unless they link into the main narrative.The four men also do not get equal billing. Lincoln, of course, is pre-eminent but the index is revealing: against Lincoln’s near-six columns of entries, Seward has three, Chase, a little over two and Bates, just one and a quarter. This, again, is as it should be. Bates’ life, for example, was not as dramatic as the other men’s, nor was he as central to the administration as Seward or Chase. Similarly, the cast extends far beyond these central characters, particularly once Lincoln becomes president and the Civil War breaks out.There is, however, a second narrative theme, revealed in the book’s sub-title. I knew (as surely does virtually everyone) that Lincoln was a great man. I hadn’t realised until I read this just how profoundly good a man he was, nor how great a politician either: two surprisingly interrelated attributes. His skill at man-management was extraordinary, helped in no small part by his exceptional patience and magnanimity.That said, it’s in Goodwin’s description of Lincoln’s political ability that I have my one reservation about her book. She doesn’t criticise him for any decision or action he took and his is implicitly described as a career virtually without error. No-one is that perfect and while I’m not a Lincoln expert, the evidence from her own book suggests to me that he was too indulgent at times towards underperforming or disloyal colleagues and commanders – Chase and McClellan being two obvious examples.I’m not particularly religious but it’s hard not to see something providential about Lincoln’s presidency. No one could have led the Union more effectively given the options available (though that was far from clear beforehand); Lincoln was a remarkable choice for candidate given his almost complete lack of experience in office; and considering his upbringing, he’d overcome tremendous obstacles simply to be in the running. How he did it is fascinating and inspiring.

Having recently devoured the whole of the West Wing box sets in a few weeks, I was yearning for some more American political intrigue and insights into the inner workings of the White House. Doris Kearns Goodwin's fascinating biography of Abraham Lincoln certainly delivers on that score, but is so much more than that besides. It was the book that, besides the Bible, Barack Obama chose to take into the White House with him for inspiration, and is also heartily recommended by no less than the new Labour spin doctor Alistair Campbell, as a treatise on leadership. So it certainly has a lot to live up to.Being embarrassingly ignorant about Lincoln, save that he was an American President; had something to do with the Civil War; was assassinated; and has a memorial named after him, this book has been a total revelation to me. Lincoln, who had come from an impoverished family, was a small town lawyer from Springfield, Illinois, and certainly not a name anyone would have mentioned as a favourite for the Republican presidential nomination much before his surprise triumph in 1860. He seemed to come out of nowhere to beat his rivals and established favourites for the nomination, who all came from considerably better stock than Lincoln, namely William Seward, Salmon Chase and Edward Bates. And when he won the Presidential race too, he pulled off a masterstroke, and rather than surrounding himself with his allies who had helped with his victorious campaign, he made these same three former rivals for the Republican leadership, who were still smarting from their defeat to this upstart outsider, his close cabinet members. He had obviously heard of the phrase `keep your friends close, and your enemies closer'.And it is the way that Lincoln conducted himself when President which still serves today as a master class in leadership skills. He was generous and even tempered at all times, dealing with colleagues with kindness and trust. He encouraged colleagues to criticise his speeches, so that he could make them as good as they could possibly be. And he always waited before sending out a letter which he had written in anger, to see if his views changed when his emotions had settled down. In fact some of the letters written in this spirit were never sent by him, but stayed in their sealed envelopes for posterity, and future biographers, to discover. And in this age of instant communication, how many of us wish we had never pressed `Send' on an angry e mail or two? We could certainly all learn a lot from Lincoln on that score.And he had the small matter of the American Civil war to contend with, a conflict which nearly brought the young country to its knees, and caused heartbreaking splits between communities and even within individual families, as the Unionists and Confederates battled it out for four years between 1861 and 1865. Fierce battles raged all over America, and even came perilously close to the White House itself on occasion. Kearns Goodwin relates how Lincoln, who was not originally a champion of equality between the races at all, even giving speeches regarding the superiority of the white race over black people, led the Unionists to victory, and engineered the deployment of blacks into their armies, which was a major the turning point in the war. He was the author of the Thirteenth Amendment, to the US Constitution, which abolished the slavery which the Southern Confederates were so keen to preserve.The long and detailed, but still page turning book, also gives fascinating details on the personal lives of Lincoln and his colleagues, so it is not just a book about leadership and war stratagems. Lincoln was beset by tragedy, apart from his own obvious one, as his young and beloved son Willie died of typhoid fever, a loss than he never seemed to really get over. And his wife Mary was something of a shopaholic, running up huge bills to lavishly kit out both the White House and her own wardrobe, as she thought befitted her husband's status.Whether you are looking for some inspiration on leadership skills, or an account of the politics behind the American Civil War, or simply a cracking good history book, I can't recommend this Pulitzer prize winning great book highly enough. Leo Tolstoy felt that Lincoln was `a humanitarian as broad as the world. He was bigger than his country - bigger than all the Presidents together.' It feels like we could certainly use someone like him at the moment.

I first became aware of Lincoln when I was 17 and visited Washington DC (a beautiful city), where Lincoln has what is undoubtedly the grandest, as well one of the most recognisable, of the many memorials in the city. However, it was only after seeing Steven Spielberg's 'Lincoln' that I truly appreciated exactly what a significant role he played in American history (and in the fate of the world when you consider what may otherwise have happened to the USA).I was keen to learn more and discovered that the movie was based on this book by Doris Kearns Goodwin. The book is a 700-odd page bulk but is consistently absorbing and entertaining. There isn't a dry soulless page or passage to be found. From Lincoln's early years through to his untimely death and legacy, the story (for it is told as a narrative rather than a plain historical text) is insightful and and interesting. This is the ultimate retelling of Lincoln's life, which draws from many of the biographies and historical texts which have come before it, and blends them into a cohesive whole.The book clearly comes from an author who admires Lincoln as it is an overwhelmingly positive portrayal of his role as President of the United States. Still, that isn't to be unexpected when the man is often ranked amongst the top 3 Presidents - the top 1 in some cases - by scholars. As you read you can't help but appreciate the bigger picture drawn by the author, which shows just how much Lincoln pulled the strings and anticipated sentiments and events well in advance. You end up wondering whether it really was divine providence which led to him becoming President. Still, space is still given over to the more critical accounts of Lincoln and Doris Goodwin ably sets out events and issues on which people have differing opinions.I do have a few gripes. First, there is very little focus on the events portrayed in the Lincoln movie. Only 3 or 4 pages is given to the passing of the amendment to abolish slavery. Second, it would have been nice to learn more about what happened to the reconstruction process as a result of Lincoln's death. I have had to rely on Wikipedia for that and come to the conclusion that, of all the men in the administration, it is a travesty that Andrew Johnson was the one in line to become President as he reversed all of Lincoln's good groundwork. Third, the chronology does become a little muddled and confused at times as the book jumps to different individuals and events. It would have been useful to have the rather long chapters divided a little more clearly by dates.Still, those are very minor and do not detract from what is a great read about an absolutely incredible man.

The title is what the author gives us, the intriguing story of Lincoln and the rich cast of prominent characters who moulded the future shape of the US. Me Goodwin pulls together her ensemble in a masterful and compelling fashion. While the scope of the work makes it challenging for someone not conversant with the period to remember who is who, the pace of the narrative makes this less of a flaw. The main achievement of the book is to bring the towering personality and achievements of Lincoln to life, while at the same time bringing to life the supporting characters, all of whom are dealt with both sympathetically and with honest criticism.I saw three minor flaws. First, Lincoln is the only character not subjected any substantial criticism. This made the book read a little like a hagiography. The second is the absence of any sense of what pushed the South into the war. Was it solely slavery? One of causes of this is we get nothing about the main characters in the South. The book shouted out for something parallel to the account of the Northern group. The third flaw I saw was the book's focus on the important men and women (and it does give space to the important women of the time). Given the slaughter and carnage that impacted on hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of lives, I would have liked more focus on the ordinary people, on history from below.These quibbles do not detract from a great read and a first class book.

Can a man reach a position of great power, manage a team of temperamental, talented, opinionated individuals while standing for ideas that half of the country find ridicules and later going to a war with that half of the country - a war that lasted 6 years - while being good tempered, friendly compassionate man?It is not very believable. In our times we value different qualities in people we admire, we believe that in order to change the world you need to be hard, forceful and aggressive. We idolise Steve Jobs, Jeff Besos, Elon Musk. How surprising was it to read about a man who changed the world while being good, compassionate and forgiving. This man managed to unite in his cabinet, under his leadership the biggest political minds of the time. He trusted them, forgave them and believed in good in people even when evidence showed otherwise.I enjoyed this book immensely. It reminded me of how human can humans be. I found this book easy to read and hard to put down.Here are the authors and books I added to my to reading list:Sir Walter Scott, complete works:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Works-Sir-Walter-Scott-ebook/dp/B00ZR5ZHDI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479331569&sr=8-1&keywords=sir+walter+scott+complete+worksMadame de Stael:https://www.amazon.co.uk/MADAME-POLITICS-LITERATURE-NATIONAL-CHARACTER/dp/B000KJRHSY/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1479331848&sr=8-8&keywords=Madame+de+Sta%C3%ABlSome of my favourite quotes:"Every member of this administration was better known, better educated, and more experienced in public life than Lincoln." location 143"He had never even set foot “inside of a college or academy building” until he acquired his license to practice law. What he had in the way of education, he lamented, he had to pick up on his own. Books became his academy, his college. The printed word united his mind with the great minds of generations past." location 1157"Lincoln’s choice of Stanton would reveal, as would his subsequent dealings with Trumbull and Judd, a singular ability to transcend personal vendetta, humiliation, or bitterness." location 3625"he resolved that day to surround himself with the strongest men from every faction ..." location 5732"The masses are taken in by Lincoln’s apparent simplicity and good- naturedness, by his awkwardness, by his vulgar jokes, and, in the people’s belief, the great shifter is earnest and honest.”12272"Discipline and keen insight had once again served Lincoln most effectively. By regulating his emotions and resisting the impulse to strike back at Chase when the circular first became known, he gained time for his friends to mobilize the massive latent support for his candidacy." Location 12294"LINCOLN’S ABILITY TO RETAIN his emotional balance in such difficult situations was rooted in an acute self-awareness and an enormous capacity to dispel anxiety in constructive ways. In the most difficult moments of his presidency, nothing provided Lincoln greater respite and renewal than to immerse himself in a play at either Grover’s or Ford’s." 12300I highly recommend this book.

This is a challenging book mainly because it is full of information about the men vying for top jobs in the Union: a great deal to take in. It is useful if one wants to learn about American History, the American constitution and how it often changed. As I have not yet finished reading it, I will have more to say when I have read it through. Lincoln was an amazing man, full of empathy, tact, wisdom and political common sense. I am enjoying some of his famous words as in “ no man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar”He used the most talented men of his time even though they were not always ‘for’ him. He saw them as benefitting the Union and his country even though they were not necessarily ‘yes’ men. This is not the way most leaders behave as they choose those who align most closely with them.

Honestly, I would give this book ten stars. It is now by far my favorite book. After reading this you realize why Abraham Lincoln is considered the greatest of American presidents. Our knee-jerk reaction would be that it is because he freed the slaves, but as Goodwin points out, many of his rivals would have done the same, faster, and with greater freedoms for blacks. Abraham Lincoln was great because of his unbelievable political instincts. He knew how to use and get the best out of key political players, even when they were his enemies. If he saw greatness in his enemies he attracted them, and they, more often than not, became his friends. He put together one of the greatest cabinets in US history because of this talent. Presidents fill their posts with supporters. Not Lincoln. But they became his supporters. He did not allow ego to get in the way. He turned a blind eye and became the most loved President in American history. And he understood, above everything else, that timing is everything. His policies worked because he waited for the right moment. The emancipation proclamation, the thirteenth amendment, etc..these were successful because they weren't rushed. They came just at the moment they would be received. His political instincts were beyond compare.What I found very interesting is that although as an American my impression has always been that Lincoln was the greatest of all abolitionists, he was not an abolitionist at all. And his policy regarding slavery gradually evolved into what it eventually became, freedom from slavery in the whole United States. Had Lincoln not been assassinated, it is interesting to think whether reconstruction may have been far more successful and the whole history of race relations in America changed.This book is beautifully written. It made me laugh (Lincoln had quite a sense of humor) and it made me cry. I was really moved at the end. This book focuses on the political history of the civil war, and it is moving, inspiring, and reaffirms why I love to read history so much. If you are going to read one book this year, read this one. You will not be disappointed.

Bought this for a work colleague. He has enjoyed the book so much he brings it to work with him.

How to Win Friends & Influence People でLincoln大統領について触れられていたため以前から興味を持っていました。映画 http://www.foxmovies.jp/lincoln-movie/ も見ましたが、あの時間でLincolnの人となりを理解するのは不可能でした。そんなわけで本書を手に取りました。米国の歴史や地理　自分の知識が非常に乏しいため、すべてを理解できたわけではありませんが、映画では描かれていなかった部分で理解が深まった気がします。かなり長いので、読むのに時間がかかりましたが、それに見合う価値のある作品だと思います。

This is an impressive work...meticulously researched, brightly written, replete with quotations from a myriad of private correspondence and commentary of the time.I am not a student of Lincoln or of the Civil War. I studied it in school like all American kids...I had to memorize the Gettyburg Address, and I saw a movie which showed him writing it on the back of an envelope while traveling to Gettysburg...I couldn't remember which side won which battle. I knew Lincoln had freed the slaves, that he had been assassinated. And then the classwork moved on. This book fills in all the gaps.It is rich and rewarding, revealing and sobering, and I couldn't recommend a book more highly, whether one is interested in the Civil War or not. It is a book about the sublime heights to which common sense and decency can take us.It is also a required (I think) stopping point before entering the movie house to see Speilberg's Lincoln. The casting is amazingly true to the photos of the real people. The movie would be hard to follow without this bit of homework.

El contenido del libro es inmejorable; por ello le puse cinco estrellas, Si viste la pelicula de Lincoln con Daniel Day Lewis el libro te brindará un panorama mucho más completo de la circunstancia política en que se desarrolló Abraham Lincoln. Sin embargo lo que en esta ocasión dejó mucho, pero mucho que desear fue el deficiente embalaje del producto, derivado del cual llegó dañado.

Molto interessante il libro. Nonostante usato era in buono stato tranne qualche pagina. La vita di un presidente come se foste lì a vederlo.

Totalmente encantando com o livro, fruto de 10 anos de pesquisa da historiadora escritora, Dóris Goodwin. Quem se interessa por história americana tem que ler. Apesar de longo achei super bem fácil de ler, fluiu mto fácil do começo ao fim. Simplesmente fantástico !!!