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388th out of 641 books
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345 voters
The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage
The first full-length portrait of the marriage of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln in more than fifty years, The Lincolns is a fascinating new work of American history by Daniel Mark Epstein, an award-winning biographer and poet known for his passionate understanding of the Civil War period.
Although the private lives of political couples have in our era become front-page new...more
Although the private lives of political couples have in our era become front-page new...more
Hardcover, 576 pages
Published
May 20th 2008
by Ballantine Books
(first published April 29th 2008)
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I have read many books about Lincoln and the Civil War, so I did not run into a great deal of new information here. But what made this book stand out is that the Civil War was a secondary story to the story of a marriage of two intelligent, passionate, extraordinary people. This story was about how these two people made their mark on history and the price they paid for it--individually and in their marriage. Like all marriages, the Lincoln's had its good times and bad. They weathered many hard t...more
I haven't read many books on Lincoln, but the more I learn beyond my high school social studies class, the more he emerges as a sympathethic and fascinating man. He obviously had a singular intelligence and the unique ability to attract capable men and women to his side.
Although this book deals mainly with the relationship between Mary and Lincoln, it also does a fair bit of analysis of Lincoln's political aspirations and achievements (whetting my appetite to tackle the enormous tome "Team of R...more
Although this book deals mainly with the relationship between Mary and Lincoln, it also does a fair bit of analysis of Lincoln's political aspirations and achievements (whetting my appetite to tackle the enormous tome "Team of R...more
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Feb 05, 2009
Bookmarks Magazine
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This book may not be the final word on the Lincolns' marriage, but it is hardly doomed for the discount bin. Overall, critics were divided. The historically minded disliked Epstein's endless hypothesizing, particularly in his speculative narration of the goings-on in the Lincolns' bedroom. But then Epstein is not the typical Lincoln scholar; his other publications include several books of poetry and a biography of Nat King Cole. The less-fastidious critics enjoyed Epstein's eccentric tale of an
...more
I've read a fair few books about Abraham Lincoln - most, more focused on his role as President then as a man, mention his wife very little, and few of them had much good to say about her. History on the whole has not been kind to Mary Todd Lincoln.
So this book was a real breath of fresh air - the politics and Civil War by and large takes a back seat and the Lincolns' marriage is the real focus. Right from the early days of their courtship in Springfield to the day of Lincoln's assassination, Eps...more
So this book was a real breath of fresh air - the politics and Civil War by and large takes a back seat and the Lincolns' marriage is the real focus. Right from the early days of their courtship in Springfield to the day of Lincoln's assassination, Eps...more
I liked this book. It really is a close examination of the Lincoln's marriage relationship based on the historical record, set in the context of the extraordinary times in which they lived. It would be really easy to point to the flaws of both marriage partners and their failures in the tragedy that was their lives, but to the end they loved and cared deeply for each other. Both carried difficult burdens. Lincoln endured his wife's mental illness. She struggled through long periods without him w...more
This is a biography of both Abraham and Mary Lincoln from their courtship to Lincoln's death. It shows the highs and lows of their life together. Although it appears that they truly did love each other, their lives were affected by the challenges of swings in mood similar to manic depression on the part of both of them. I was aware of Mary's mental instability yet I didn't realize that Lincoln, also could be morose. It is apparent that Lincoln was an honest, kind and gentle man and had a large b...more
The first full-length portrait of the marriage of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln in more than fifty years, The Lincolns is a fascinating new work of American history by Daniel Mark Epstein, an award-winning biographer and poet known for his passionate understanding of the Civil War period.
Although the private lives of political couples have in our era become front-page news, the true story of this extraordinary and tragic first family has never been fully told. The Lincolns eclipses earlier accou...more
Although the private lives of political couples have in our era become front-page news, the true story of this extraordinary and tragic first family has never been fully told. The Lincolns eclipses earlier accou...more
A GREAT BOOK. Much better than the mediocre reader reviews. Both the Wall Street Journal and Chicago Sun Times had this book in their Top 10 for 2008. Some of the reader reviews are quick to point out that Epstein has not revealed any new material about Lincoln. That might be true. I do not have enough knowledge to differ. But what makes Epstein great is his analysis of the "old" material and the way he synthesizes all of this material and lays it out in such an organized, coherent and chronolog...more
This was a moving, compassionate look at the complexity of Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln and their rocky marriage. The book does not seem one sided in its examination of either and does not automatically label her as crazy as some books do. It does show the decline in her mental stability always accompanied by her intense love of Lincoln, even though he was gone for almost half of their married life. The book also reveals his distraction and solitariness (which must have been so frustrating to h...more
I came into this book with a certain point of view: that Mary Lincoln had been unfairly maligned by History. When people say, "Mary Lincoln was crazy," I'd rebut: try having three of your four children perish before adulthood; suffer a debilitating carriage accident that changes your brain chemistry; attempt living with a melancholic husband (who is trying to save the Union, by the way); and then sit next to your husband when he's shot in the head by a fanatic. Then test your sanity.
Upon readin...more
Upon readin...more
Abraham Lincoln is one of the most revered individuals of the modern age. And not just in America, but around the world. I heard once that more books have been written about Abraham Lincoln than any other American. I don't know if it's true, but it wouldn't surprise me if it were. Lincoln's accomplishments in the midst of national and personal tragedy are inspiring.
On the other hand, while Illinoisan's are eager to claim Lincoln, his wife who also grew up in Kentucky and immigrated to Springfiel...more
On the other hand, while Illinoisan's are eager to claim Lincoln, his wife who also grew up in Kentucky and immigrated to Springfiel...more
An intimate look at Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd.
A great deal is known and has been written about Abraham Lincoln’s humble beginnings, his business failures, his presidency and his death. Until now, no one has put together the history of Lincoln and Mary Todd’s courtship and marriage or peered behind the historical mystique into the heart of this famous couple’s devotion. Daniel Mark Epstein bares the hearts and minds of the Lincolns.
Using a novelist’s sensibilities and tools, Epstein gives col...more
A great deal is known and has been written about Abraham Lincoln’s humble beginnings, his business failures, his presidency and his death. Until now, no one has put together the history of Lincoln and Mary Todd’s courtship and marriage or peered behind the historical mystique into the heart of this famous couple’s devotion. Daniel Mark Epstein bares the hearts and minds of the Lincolns.
Using a novelist’s sensibilities and tools, Epstein gives col...more
This book has been criticized for not offering any particularly new knowledge or insight, but I loved how deftly Epstein weaves together the couple's political and domestic lives, particularly through the use of letters they sent and received. The book reads like a very sad novel, and even though I knew the ending, I had trouble putting it down. I also appreciate that the author is so attentive to Mary's mental illness and tries to rationalize her behavior, to the extent that it's possible.
This readable book focuses on the marriage of the Lincolns, ending with the assassination. It painted a well-rounded portrait of Mary Todd Lincoln, who was not just the shopaholic, grief-stricken figure we think of. Instead, we see someone who was well-educated, politically astute and more ambitious than her husband. Neither of them come across as very good parents and the sections on the relationship with their sons were rather heartbreaking.
A somewhat disappointing look at the Lincoln's marriage. The author spent a lot of time on what was going on politically, a topic that has been well covered in other books. I was hoping for real insight into their marriage, but came away with the realization that there just isn't enough accurate information to do that.
The book is poorly written history with unneccesary filler added. I almost feel it should be listed as historical fiction because the author treats as fact infomation that would only be known to Abraham and Mary Lincoln and could in no way be documented. Discussing a marriage is difficult because only the two people involved know the true story. There are many good books on the Lincolns but I will not recommend this book.
to be fair, another book i gave up on, so maybe it got better in the end -- but it had so much (uninteresting) detail it sucked the life out of the story. it became so tedious, i gave up and put the book down (and not in my "to be picked up later" pile).
Picked this up because Team of Rivals is too heavy to carry around; I'll save that for my maternity leave. I was looking for a historical work that would read like a novel, which is what the reviews indicated it would be. It was, unfortunately, very slow and kind of tedious.
At many points this came dangerously close to historical fiction as the author makes repeated assertions about thoughts or emotions the Lincolns had. That said, I think it is well-written and insightful.
I found myself depressed by the constant emotional trauma, illness and death both Lincolns faced. If poor Mary Lincoln could just have had some psychotropic drugs, stat.
I found myself depressed by the constant emotional trauma, illness and death both Lincolns faced. If poor Mary Lincoln could just have had some psychotropic drugs, stat.
Unique glimpse into the marriage of the Lincolns. They were not the people I thought they were, but they had many of the same traits most marriages people have. Very engaging.
This was an extraordinary look at the Lincolns and their lives together which included loss, struggle and mental illness. Mary Todd Lincoln was by far the most interesting. The book ends with Lincoln's death and the author's note that Mary's last 17 years without Abe deserved a book of it's own. I would highly recommend this book.
This author was very gentle with Mrs Lincoln, unlike so many other authors. Enjoyed reading it, but didn't learn much of anything new.
Well written. A unique perspective. Makes you see how much the power behind the throne can help/or hinder a rise to power.
This book offered great insight to Lincoln as a man as well as his marriage. I really liked this book a lot.
Interesting but dry. Gave me some new ways to look at the history of the era
An in-depth look at the Lincoln & Mary dynamic. Fascinating!
One of the best book on the Lincoln's that I have read.
Fascinating and quite eye-opening. A very good read.
This book made me even more of a Lincoln admirer.
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“He was a secretive man, who kept his own counsel. He was an ambitious man of humble origins, with colossal designs on the future. And it would always be advantageous not to be closely known, never to be transparent. Passing a farmer on a day, he would tip his hat and grin. Everybody knew him. Nobody knew him. He would play the fool, the clown, the melancholy poet dying for love, the bumpkin. He would take the world by stealth and not by storm. He would disarm enemies by his apparent naiveté, by seeming pleasantly harmless. He would go to such lengths in making fun of his own appearance that others felt obliged to defend it. -Daniel Mark Epstein.”
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May 01, 2011 07:13pm