Lincoln
by David Herbert Donald
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 412)
Read in November, 2007
Although I am not a Lincoln or Civil War junkie, both subjects interest me greatly, and it had been a long time since I had read anything in depth about our 16th president.
When I went to research the available listings of recommended texts, this biography showed up prominently. Donald is a known Lincoln scholar, and this work was awarded a Pulitzer Prize when it was published. Both of these facts could actually have turned out to be warning notes. Fortunately, that was not the case. This a ...more
When I went to research the available listings of recommended texts, this biography showed up prominently. Donald is a known Lincoln scholar, and this work was awarded a Pulitzer Prize when it was published. Both of these facts could actually have turned out to be warning notes. Fortunately, that was not the case. This a ...more
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recommends it for:
teachers, civil war buffs
I read this after taking a class on "most courageous US presidents" or something like that. If you are an historian or a teacher, this is a fantastic book. It really focuses on the person and not all the politics like so many other books about presidents do. There are a lot of quotes taken from journals, and a lot of psychological speculation by the author, which made the book even more interesting to me. Flaws and mistakes are pointed out so Lincoln is not put on a pedistal by the...more
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Read in September, 2008
recommends it for:
History Buffs, People who know the subject area
A solid, insightful book that humanizes the subject while opening up his decisions to serious questioning. In light of recent events, it is interesting to see both the decisions Lincoln made, and the reactions by his opposition.
The book is not for those unfamiliar with the relevant history. As the author himself notes, it is narrowly focused upon Lincoln and Lincoln alone. If you do not understand the ebb and flow of the Civil War, or know the history of some of the other people in this boo...more
The book is not for those unfamiliar with the relevant history. As the author himself notes, it is narrowly focused upon Lincoln and Lincoln alone. If you do not understand the ebb and flow of the Civil War, or know the history of some of the other people in this boo...more
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Read in July, 2004
recommends it for:
american history lovers and lincoln admirers
Amazing read. Unfortunately this was one of the first full length biographies I ever read so I didn't appreciate how great it really was at the time. In hindsight, its still one of the most complete and well written biographies I've ever read (I acknowledge a heavy bias toward all things Lincoln). Way too many books out there to re-read but this is an exception. Warning: While I stand by my 5 star rating I will say that it isn't the easiest read. It gets a bit dense at times because of the...more
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One cannot deny the enormous amount of research that went into Donald's work. It is easy to see why it is considered THE Lincoln biography. Nevertheless, I found myself skipping through certain sections realizing that some parts were not as engaging as others. Without a doubt, if you need a book that contains information about all facets of Lincoln's life this is the book for you. If you are looking for an engaging book, you might want to try another biography.
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Read in September, 2007
The author is dispassionate towards Lincoln, trusting that the reader already understands his great character and needs no encouragement to admire him. The mark of a great biography is the feeling that you personally know the subject after reading the book, and David Herbert Donald does not disappoint. This book serves as an inspiration to anyone who hopes that when placed in difficult situations, they will live up to life's challenges and succeed.
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Read in May, 2007
I read this because it's on Bill Clinton's list of his 21 favorite books. It was alright as a biography, but didn't strike me as particularly memorable.
What I learned: Lincoln was a really moody guy, he had really bad luck for most of his life and failed several times, he was incredibly good at thinking in practical terms about what would actually work, he though keeping the union together was supremely important, and he was an amazing hero.
What I learned: Lincoln was a really moody guy, he had really bad luck for most of his life and failed several times, he was incredibly good at thinking in practical terms about what would actually work, he though keeping the union together was supremely important, and he was an amazing hero.
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Read in June, 1994
This is one of the best and most compact biographies I have read about Lincoln that sucessfully portrayed the character of this man. Lincoln was not the typical politician and suffered great loss before the Presidency and during his difficult tenure in the White House. Although much of the biographical information has been rehashed before, this book adds more dimension to our understanding of Lincoln.
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Read in January, 2004
This Lincoln biography (since there are thousands of them) is not focussed on just the exciting dramatic stuff: the Civil War and his assassination. It is focussed on the LIFE of Lincoln. From his birth until his death. Thus, a whole lot of time is given to Lincoln's time in Illinois. It is very well written and a great way to get to know one of our most uniique and important presidents.
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Read in January, 2004
recommended to Chickencake2000 by:
Mr. Westerman, 11th Grade AP American History Teacherrecommends it for: Anyone who loves history, or the Civil War
I believe this is the right edition/author. I read Lincoln in 11th grade as an assignment for AP American History. It was the best biography I'd ever read; it helped me get to know Lincoln like I'd never known him before. It helped me get to know the pain of the time, and the struggles that Lincoln and everyone else had to go through. This book was very influential to my love of history.
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I was instructed to read this book for my Civil War class, but found that I couldn't put it down. At times the writing was a little dry...as a reader I rarely felt that I was inside Lincoln's head, I was always an oberserver. However, on that note, I felt that this biography, to date, is one of the best on a president that has been so loved and so hated throughout our nation's history.
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Usually when you think of leadership, one thinks of someone out front, pulling people forward with passionate speeches or physical bravery. This book shows that true leadership is getting the best out of people who are working towards your goals, not theirs. A great book about a great man, who was never considered great or even good until he was gone.
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I was biking on my mission and felt inspired to learn about Abraham Lincoln. When I got home from Thailand, I checked this book out from the Rexburg library. The book is written well, but the subject is so awesome that authors mostly just need to stay out of the way and let his life and actions speak for themselves. He was an incredible man.
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Read in June, 2008
This is a great biography of Lincoln, with most of the book dedicated to his presidency and the civil war that engulfed his entire life. It is amazing to see how politics is different today. Lincoln had virtually no political career before becoming president, and he had to learn to be a politician while in office.
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Read in October, 2004
He was a complicated man. Donald offers a very balanced treatment of the legendary president. I was surprised how unpopular he was in his own time, even in the North. I also learned that practical politics can bring about an enormous amount of good.
Maybe there's hope for our politicians today...
Maybe there's hope for our politicians today...
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Read in June, 2007
This book was a bit of a struggle to get through. I had to put it down several times and re-attack it in short bursts. It isn't a bad book, and it isn't poorly written, I just never really got into this one. I would only recommend this book to someone doing comprehensive research on Abraham Lincoln.
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Read in August, 2008
This was a good book. It goes through about every detail of Abraham Lincoln's life and seems to present the facts subjectively. I learned a lot about him and the time he lived. It's amazing to see what he did for the nation during such a pivotal time in history.
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A fascinating, but difficult treatise on Lincoln. Provided me with a whole new perspective on his strengths and weaknesses. A much more interesting than the glorified, sanitized history of Lincoln and the Civil War I learned in history class.
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I read this while sitting in a park across from the White House on lunch breaks from work. It was surreal to be reading this and living among all the landmarks mentioned in the book. It was an engaging account of a fascinating individual.
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Read in February, 2007
recommends it for:
Historians, Lincoln fans
This quite good one volume Lincoln biography does an excellent job detailing one of histories most famous men without dragging too deeply into the minutia of his life. Both historians and relatively casual readers should enjoy this volume.
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