A. Lincoln: A Biography

A. Lincoln: A Biography

4.2 of 5 stars 4.20  ·  rating details  ·  2,668 ratings  ·  169 reviews
“If you read one book about Lincoln, make itA. Lincoln.”— USA Today

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY
The Washington PostThe Philadelphia Inquirer •The Christian Science Monitor • St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

NEW YORK TIMESBESTSELLER

WINNER OF THE CHRISTOPHER AWARD


Everyone wants to define the man who signed his name “A. Lincoln.” In his lifetime and ever since, friend an...more
ebook, 816 pages
Published January 13th 2009 by Random House (first published January 1st 2009)
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Elaine
I am a Lincoln buff and have read myriad biographies of the man, ranging fron his ardent admirers to his worst detractors. So, reading yet another one seemed redundant, but I did it anyway, and I'm glad I did. The first few pages start out with the usual retelling of his humble beginnings, but soon the revelations and insights begin. White searched through Lincoln's own notes to himself on every conceivable issue, and bases this new bio them. Lincoln had a lifelong habit of writing down his thou...more
Philipp
Easily my favorite non-fiction book of the year (so far).

It details the life of Abraham Lincoln from birth to death, focusing almost exclusively on what Lincoln thought and did, not much space is given to contemporaries. When there is a quote from an political opponent or from a newspaper, it's about Lincoln. In a way, that's good - I can't remember more than five names at once, anyway.

It's a relatively thick, very detailed book, but it's never truly dry and boring - rather, the myriads of quote...more
Bookmarks Magazine

Having already written two books on Abraham Lincoln, Ronald C. White, Jr., understands better than most the challenges in bringing a fresh perspective to the most scrutinized president in American history. With 16,000 books, and counting, on Lincoln (as well as several dozen more in the period before the bicentennial celebration of his birth), the ground that remains to be covered is disappearing before scholars' eyes. But White, who draws on his own thorough research of the recently available L

...more
Reachhigh
This biography by Ronald C. White, Jr. is a great choice of texts. It seams to focus on Lincoln's highly developed oratory and literary skill. The book is rich with wonderful quotes.

He writes a very respectful, honest, and complete record. President Lincoln also rose from humble beginnings to take his place in history. He loved literature and writing and grew to become, arguably, the best writer and orator of all the American Presidents. He led his nation through great tumult and was the fiber t...more
James Korsmo
In this full-scale biography of Abraham Lincoln, Ronald White does a great job of conveying both the brilliance and the humanity of this great president. As you would expect, White chronicles Lincoln's upbringing, his education (or lack thereof), and his entry into the law profession. It is clear that these years set the stage for what is to come, as you can see the character that will become so essential to his success being formed. White chronicles Lincoln's early forays into politics, his tim...more
Michael Johnston
A very comprehensive bio of Lincoln. Because it is intended to cover his entire life story (and give a glimpse of his motivations, weaknesses and personal literary and political genius) the book is comprehensive in scope. White goes to great lengths to review lesser known portions of Lincoln's life and spends less time covering the more widely documented moments (the Gettysburg Address, the assassination, etc.). While this makes sense in the context of providing a better understanding of the mot...more
Jason Horejs
Though I have long been an avid reader of history - I admit I have generally avoided anything related to the Civil War/Abraham Lincoln. This probably stems from my childhood when I somehow came to the conclusion that the Civil War was . . . boring. I simply couldn't work up any interest - I was much more likely to be interested in Greek or Roman history, 20th century American history, etc. etc.

I changed my mind last summer when I had the opportunity to visit the Lincoln Museum in Springfield, Il...more
Natasha
What I love about this biography of Lincoln is the analysis of his speeches. The author has written two books about Lincoln's great speeches so you could call him a premier expert on the subject. He has studied both Lincoln's public and private writings and convincingly gets to the heart of our sixteenth president.
If you want to learn the art of persuasion, study this book as it expounds on Lincoln's powerful use of the podium. For example:
• Lincoln’s eloquence stemmed from legal knowledge and...more
Adrienne
There are a lot of Lincoln biographies out there, and some of them are probably pretty good. Since this is the only one I've read, I can't really compare it to all the others.

However, Ronald C. White's A. Lincoln was a fascinating read, that really brought Lincoln and his time to life for me. In his book, White focuses on Lincoln's words (of which there are many) to understand a complex man who dealt with a complex problem. White strikes an excellent balance; he lets Lincoln speak for himself, b...more
Dave
An unqualified "five star" effort by Ronald White that I expect will become the definitive biography of our 16th President. But the value of this book is the in depth analysis of Lincoln's writings, letters, and speeches where he penetrates to the soul of the man and brings him to life as an innovater who changed the course of America and brought real meaning to the words in the Declaration of Independence, "that all men are created equal". One is forced to wonder how different America might be...more
Greg Moye
I consider myself an amateur historian of the civil war, so I keep looking for great books on the subject. As much as I knew about Lincoln before this book, I had actually not read a full biography of the man before. This was a big learning experience for me, especially his formative years as a young man in the midwest. We like to look back at "Lincoln, the Myth," this stern resolute figure who championed the saving of the union; however, the truth reveals a much different picture. Lincoln, judg...more
Richard
I do not know enough to weigh in on how this biography compares to some of the others (James M. McPherson says it’s “the best since David Donald’s 1995 Lincoln”). My friend Elliot Trummold, a Lincoln scholar, among other roles, attests that it is “solid and well done.” And various reviews say it’s one of the best one volume works on Lincoln. They know more than I.

But I was enthralled by it. Initially I thought I was taken in by the audio version (read by Bill Weideman) as I felt I was listening...more
Jenny
Amazingly I am fascinated with our history lately. Traveling seems to awaken that in me. Driving through Springfield, IL and going to the Lincoln Museum had me go to my next President adventure and that was Abraham Lincoln. A gentleman at the store recommended this book. It was a good book. I only gave it three stars because he is not a writer like David Mccullough. Interesting but slow. A. Lincoln definitely came into his own as President. It was fascinating to read about. I was a little worrie...more
Brian
Ugh.

I don't know why this got recommended so highly. In fact, I don't know why White wrote this book at all, since it adds almost nothing to Lincoln scholarship. It was just astonishing to see entire topics go unmentioned in this 600+ page doorstop--a book that was billed as *the* authoritative Lincoln of our time.

Interested in the debate over Lincoln's depression? How about his marriage, or his (hetero/a/homo-)sexuality? Or perhaps his management of foreign policy and Reconstruction during the...more
A.J. Smith
As someone who loves history, it's painful to give a mixed review to someone's work, knowing they put so much effort into research and writing. But I can't bring myself to give this book any more than 3 stars. While his research is commendable, and his writing style is well enough, A. Lincoln was never quite as engaging as a biography of one of the most beloved presidents in American history should be. Were it not for the rich historical detail, I would be hard pressed to finish this book. Thoug...more
Wendy
I really wanted to read a good bio about Abraham Lincoln. I know so little about one of America's most reverred presidents. However it seems that most biographies are either 700-1000 pages or 100 page bios for elementary school children. Why can't someone write a good 300-400 page bio? I don't need to know the text of every letter he ever wrote...

This bio on Lincoln assumed you knew the major historical points of the civil war, which I do not. It mentioned historical events with a one sentence e...more
Dan
This book scratched an itch I have had for many years to gain a better understanding of Abraham Lincoln. An excellent overview of Lincoln's life. I gained a tremendous admiration for Lincoln's character as a leader. He was truly a great President and a great man. From this book I came to understand that were it not for Lincoln, it is very possible, even likely the North would have lost the Civil War, which would have changed the course of our nation in incalculably negative ways. Another strengt...more
Susanclouse
I was tired of reading some of the nonsense books purely written for entertainment. I ventured back to my first love...history. There were several figures in history that I wanted to know more about. I started with Abraham Lincoln. What impresses me abt the times and the man was he came from poverty, self-educated and was able to be nominated as an US President. No millions for him, no Harvard education. Yet he was prepared to take upon the challenges of the Presidency. This book is well worth...more
Scott Florence
What an amazing life! What an amazing story! What an amazing man!
I rated this book not on how entertaining or how fun it was to read...frankly it was not really either of those...but I rated it on the life that it detailed. I have always believed that Abraham Lincoln was special, but not until I read this story did I really know. Wow. Lincoln accomplished so much for our country, and not just african americans, but for all of us. He took office as president in what has to have been the most char...more
Barbara
Unbelievable. I enjoy biographies, but not usually Presidential ones. Having read a fascinating book on Mary Todd Lincoln, I decided to read this to get more insight on her story. I was simply blown away. This is so incredibly well crafted, not just the writing but the inclusion of pictures, handwritten copies of letters and speeches, not in a separate section but on the relevant pages. The author doesn't just report what was said, but attempts to explain Lincoln's thinking and thought processes...more
Jackie
From humble beginnings to a respected and admired president, Abraham Lincoln was a master of the message with insightful, precise words. A. Lincoln: A Biography by Ronald C. White, Jr. is a well-researched biography of importance. Only by divine providence and shear determination did Lincoln guide and lead this country during its most tumultuous historical period. So many details are brought to the reader of this book that are beyond the cursory introductions of an American History class. He was...more
Benjamin
This was my first Abraham Lincoln biography and I found it to be a highly readable introduction to his life. There are several elements of his career which I would like to expand upon but as an entry point I found it very helpful. I would agree with other reviewers that White stretches a little far in his suggestions regarding Lincoln's religious growth near the end of this 1st term as president. Still, White clearly has a good handle on Lincoln as a speech writer and orator. The last half of th...more
C Coburn
It's clearer to me now why Abraham Lincoln is a larger than life figure. This is an outstanding biography, first and foremost because it is the story of an outstanding man. I'm embarrassed to say I hadn't read a Lincoln bio until now, so I can't compare it to any other, but I don't see how his story could be presented in a more compelling, insightful way. I wish everyone in public office would read this book. Our politicians could certainly benefit from a better understanding of Lincoln's wisdom...more
Jeff
A large book yet a relatively easy read. White finds a good balance between a scholarly work and one easily enjoyed by the average person with an interest in Lincoln. White just tells the story in chronological order without making value judgments or personal interpretations. The book is an overview. Despite the fact that the book is 650 pages, Lincoln's life is so interesting and deep that one is left wanting to know more about certain aspects. The only drawback is that there were times when I...more
Malek
This book, based on Lincoln's writings, is quite detailed and very revealing. It is not particularly controversial, but might seem that way if you have an extremely one-sided view of Lincoln. It paints him as a very human figure with particular strengths and weaknesses. The book moves quite slowly until the election of Lincoln and the start of the Civil War, when events pick up in terms of speed and intensity. The book does a good job of not foreshadowing events (with a couple of exceptions), al...more
John Kelley
Ronald C White Jr's A.Lincoln is by far the best biography of President Abraham Lincoln I've read since David Donald's Lincoln, Doris Kearns Goodwin's A Team of Rivals, and James McPherson's Tried By War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief. Mr.White was able to me into the soul of our 16th President. This biography opened new ground on Lincoln, notably how he reacted to the secession of Confederate states before he was inaugurated. I urge everyone to read this new biography in particular Repu...more
Sean
I would have preferred a biography that focused on Lincoln's mind, his temperament, and his disposition, but I found this biography mostly a third party rendition of the events surrounding Lincoln's life. Overall, I found myself disappointed and found Lincoln's path to greatness more blasé than I had expected. Repaying one's debts I take as a given, for example. For Lincoln, it established his reputation as "Honest Abe". I felt as thought the biographer could have gone deeper to elucidate the de...more
Dick
You know when you start thinking that no one can tell you anything new about A. Lincoln . . . comes a book like this.

The book is just excellent. The author takes you through Lincoln's life, his evolution as a man, a politician, public servant and with special interest to me and my play . . . his evolution spiritually.

The author also covers Lincoln's use of the language, the words he used, the sources of those words (many from the Bible)and his intellectual honesty and growth.

If you are a Linco...more
Thomas
Published in 2009, this is my favorite biography of our 16th president. It is colorful and fluid, and it is easily accessible by anyone with even a passing interest in Abraham Lincoln and U.S. history.

I also really like White's analysis of Lincoln's communication: the intense work that went into every sentence of a proclamation or a speech, Lincoln's appreciation of rhetorical devices and his empathy for readers and listeners, and his expectation that people generations later would read his word...more
Ross McKenrick
Well written--very interesting biography starting with Lincoln's ancestors' migration from New England to Pennsylvania to Kentucky to Indiana. Really got to know Abraham Lincoln well, from his youth as an axe-weilding rail splitter to lawyer to politician. I knew about Lincoln from my school days--and saw the recent movie about the passing of the 13th Amendment. But I knew little about the supporting characters in his life--Steven Douglas, Frederick Douglas, William Seward, Stanton, Chase, and a...more
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