(2009)NF Very good personal biography of Lincoln that does personalize him as well as deal with the well-known issues he had to confront. A very good companion to Team of Rivals.Washington Post's Book World/washingtonpost.com Reviewed by David W. Blight The famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass once declared: "It is impossible for . . . anybody . . . to say anything new about Abraham Lincoln." And that was in 1893! More than 100 years later, as we contemplate the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth on Feb. 12, an avalanche of new books about the 16th president descends upon an eager reading audience. Why? Ronald C. White Jr., an astute scholar of Lincoln's religion and language, has an apt answer: Lincoln continues to fascinate us "because he eludes simple definitions and final judgments." In A. Lincoln -- the title is taken from the way Lincoln signed his name -- White does not portray a genius who seemed to figure out all things before other mortals. Rather, this is a Lincoln of self-doubt, an evolving personality and an emerging and curious mind. This is a Lincoln of growth from backwoods ignorance to Enlightenment thinker, from prejudice and caution to boldness and imagination. This is a Lincoln, White writes, on a "journey of self-discovery" to the very end of his life. As Douglass poignantly said, Lincoln "began by playing Pharaoh [but] ended by playing Moses." Now that is a story. White, a visiting professor at UCLA, has written two previous books on Lincoln's rhetoric. The signature feature of this full biography is White's treatment of Lincoln as reader, writer and orator, a terrain where new insights are still available. Abraham Lincoln loved books, an old trope in the Lincoln myth, but it is so very true. Among my favorite images in this work is that of Lincoln, the young congressman in 1847 in Washington, D.C. He did not drink, chew tobacco or gamble away hours at his boarding house across the street from the Capitol. Instead, he was observed walking out of the Library of Congress, carrying books wrapped in a scarf tied on a pole over his shoulder. His colleagues accused him of incessantly "mousing" around in the stacks. And this is White's core argument: Lincoln didn't just enjoy books, he craved them -- from Blackstone's Commentaries to Shakespeare, from many kinds of history to regular reading of the Bible (often aloud), political philosophy and the poetry of Robert Burns. The boy who first started reading in Sinking Creek, Ky., when he was 5 and then yearned to escape his father's Indiana farm as a teenager later said that in his youth "there was absolutely nothing to excite ambition for education." White makes this "interior world of intellectual curiosity" the central theme of Lincoln's life. Given all the discussion of the legacy of the outgoing George W. Bush (not a curious reader) and the ambitions of the incoming Barack Obama (a well-read man), White's observation that it was in reading that Lincoln could "clarify" his evolving "ethical identity" is worth our contemplation. The book's other signature is White's treatment of Lincoln's use of private notes, often mere "scraps of paper" on which he constantly tried out ideas and phrasing, especially when preparing for a major speech. In these accumulated notes (sometimes whole pages of prose), White concludes, Lincoln kept his own kind of "journal." And these musings were never so important as when he wrote orations such as his "House Divided" or "Cooper Union" speeches, or the transcendent Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural (which White beautifully illuminates). White sees the origins of many famous speeches in earlier jottings, a window into how Lincoln "thinks his way into a problem." Moreover, White stresses the importance of Lincoln's public letters while president. A master ironist, Lincoln embodied paradox and ambiguity as a politician, and he was both fascinated with and knew the importance of public opinion. He also, usually, managed to sustain a moral clarity in the face of withering criticism and pressure. From a letter to Horace Greeley about "saving the Union" in 1862, to his letters to Erastus Corning about habeas corpus and to James Conkling about the emancipation policy in 1863, his missives were read by millions when published in major newspapers. In these unprecedented public letters, Lincoln made his case to the nation and even to the Confederacy, often through subtlety and lasting metaphors. White provides the full story down to the assassination. He examines Lincoln's private life, including his early insecurities with women, his troubled marriage to Mary Todd and the devastating deaths of their two young sons. Mary makes many appearances but is too often described as "pretty" and "perky." The presidency and the war, on the other hand, emerge with order and clarity. The detail sometimes is numbing (hotel room numbers, addresses, names of generals' horses) and sometimes exhilarating, as in the thorough coverage of Lincoln's debates with Stephen A. Douglas in 1858 or the dramatic balloting at the 1860 Republican convention that nominated Lincoln. White writes engaging narrative, occasionally at the expense of analysis. Sometimes, he simply lets Lincoln's words speak for themselves and sidesteps explanation. Why did Lincoln idolize Henry Clay or support colonization of blacks to foreign lands for so long? Why did he not fire Maj. Gen. George McClellan sooner, after McClellan's many battlefield failures? We are never told. White takes note of Lincoln's problem with "sadness" but does not take up historian Joshua Wolf Shenk's call to look deeper into the president's depression. And White movingly describes the final drafting of the Emancipation Proclamation, but he falls flat when discussing Lincoln's meeting with five black leaders in August 1862, at which he told them that the races must remain "separate," that they should emigrate from the United States and that their presence in the country had caused the war. How daunting it must be for any biographer to take on Lincoln's life in this crowded literary marketplace! But this thoroughly researched book belongs on the A-list of major biographies of the tall Illinoisan; it's a worthy companion for all who admire Lincoln's prose and his ability to see into, and explain, America's greatest crisis.

I have read a few books on the Civil War, but this is my first biography of Lincoln. I am left in wonder and awe of our past President. As I read this biography, I hungered for more about the time, other people in this great trajedy, and especially more about Lincoln.

White builds a good narrative history of Lincoln and his world that ends with Lincoln’s second inaugural address. I am deeply moved by the religious beliefs that White focused on with Lincoln’s writings near the end of his life. It actually means more if Lincoln truly avoided religion in his public life up to that point as much as the author describes.

While I don't know a deep knowledge of the history involved here, I can still say this biography is a great read and study of Lincoln. It only builds a desire for further study. ( )

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12876315

An extremely well written account of the life of the man who was instrumental in helping win the war for America's soul. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. However, I did feel that parts of it dragged. I had problems getting through chapters that were more about local politics, I wanted to read about Lincoln and would have been happy to have something with not quite so much detail. I do see how it was important for White to set up the background events and current political climate that allowed/caused Lincoln to become president and ultimately amazing person that he became.

The section on the civil war, and really Lincolns entire time in the presidency, was fascinating. A real page turner. It was exactly how I wanted to read about Lincoln. Even though I of course knew what was going to happen I still found myself absolutely gutted at the end of the book. ( )

In so many ways, I really enjoyed this biography of Abraham Lincoln. I learned a great deal about his upbringing, the challenges he had early in his life and the number of choices he had to make - and sometimes reverse - before becoming the savior of the Union. A. Lincoln also shined a spotlight on the conditions of the American Midwest in the middle of the nineteenth century as the pressures of an expanding country ran into the pull of slavery. This biography does an outstanding job of portraying America in the leadup to the Civil War.

While there is so much to applaud with A. Lincoln, there are shortcomings as well. White has a propensity to linger on small points for far too long and then slip right past major points barely an acknowledgement. These are minor quibbles. The real disappointment was the way White cruised right over the final months of Lincoln's life, barely mentioned his assassination and completely ignored any discussion of the impact of his life on the years and decades that came after.

As much as I learned from A. Lincoln, I have to admit I was a bit disappointed with it in places, especially at the end. It may be that other presidential biographies have set a bar to high, it is difficult to achieve. But for Honest Abe, that bar is certainly worth exceeding. Still, despite its shortcomings, A. Lincoln is still worth spending time with. ( )

How many of us can even pretend to live by this sentiment? How many politicians? In this day of virulent political bashing--even from the pulpit, how many clergy, even, can say this. So the story of this man, this ordinary, honest, rail-splitting, Father Abraham, alone rates five stars.

I down rate the narration simply because I feel the narrator attempted, but did not carry-off, the Hoosier twang or the Illionois accent:Lincoln must have had some combination. But other than that, I thought the narrator, Bill Weideman, did a good job. I did not hear him breathe, nor did he swallow excessively...two of my real complaints too often.

Overall, I suppose, biographies have a need for repetition of the same or similar material in various sections due to then nature of the uses that students will put the volume through. ( )

This is a very thorough biography of Lincoln. It is especially strong in analyzing the speeches and rhetorical gifts of Lincoln. ( )

Since his assassination Abraham Lincoln has become the most written about American in history and his life has crossed over to film and cable television 'documentaries'. Early written portraits of Lincoln included elements that bordered myth, however the increased gathering of sources and attention to detail the story of Lincoln life has outgrown those earlier "mythic" elements to an even richer story. A. Lincoln by Ronald C. White, Jr., has emerged as not only the finest biography of the 16th President of the United States, but the most in-depth and fantastically written.

White begins his biography by describing how Abraham Lincoln wrote his longest autobiography during the campaign of 1860, which was scant of detail and length to the frustration of newspaper editors. White then gives the reader a short, but detailed Lincoln family biography not only giving Lincoln's place within the whole of American history even greater context but giving the reader a taste of the depth of his research and what they're about to read.

White describes Lincoln's early life in the context of frontier life and how it transformed as the frontier in which he lived transformed into a center of population and commerce. Lincoln's early Illinois political campaigns and career are examined, with White highlighting elements that showed Lincoln's progression not only as a politician and lawyer but as a leader as well. After the earlier successes in his political career up to 1848, Lincoln would not find election day success for himself until 1860 but White shows how the political leader Lincoln emerged not only in Illinois but onto the national stage to would springboard him to the Republican nomination and eventually the White House.

The progression of Lincoln's executive and military leadership are fascinatingly written by White as Lincoln's presidency covers the last half of the biography. However, it is White's examination of Lincoln's evolving policy and speeches during this time that truly gives the reader a better understanding of the man himself.

Having read Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals, I was introduced to many of the things White would highlight and truly give understanding to the reader. Although Goodwin's description and analysis of the 1860 and 1864 Presidential elections in Team of Rivals is superior to that found in White's A. Lincoln, it is minor to the fact that with White one gets a fuller sense of Abraham Lincoln himself while with Goodwin he is seen in connection and comparison with his cabinet.

If you read one Lincoln biography or if you have read a hundred, I can not recommend A. Lincoln enough. Ronald C. White, Jr., book is the crowning achievement in Lincoln biographies and will be for decades to come. ( )

Having not read any biographies of Lincoln, I was impressed with this very readable and informative addition to the many volumes out there. I'm now intrigued enough to search out others. ( )

This is the best biography of Abraham Lincoln I have ever read. I had read others in the past, but this included personal items about Lincoln which impacted his actions as President - like his trip to Richmond shortly after it fell. Sadly also his ignoring threats against his life. This is a book worth reading again. ( )

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 this book has a much quicker pace than the first half. I found myself eagerly awaiting the next section that dealt with the civil war battles and the follies of the war's prominent generals. The sections on the war's progress were intermittent and interspersed with political machinations back in DC our Illinois. If anything, this great book has convinced me to read more about the civil war and perhaps another biography or two of Abraham Lincoln to flesh out some of the more complex elements of his life. ( )

Ronald White, author of two previous books on Abraham Lincoln, offers his hand at a full biography of the 16th president in "A. Lincoln." Well-researched and well-written, the volume capably gives a solid and balanced portrait, but hardly breaks new ground. In many ways, the book pales in comparison to David Herbert Donald's 1995 "Lincoln," with its fuller treatment; the only improvements involve the incorporation of recent scholarship -- such as the importance of the Soldier's Home as a location for Lincoln's presidential years -- and an increased appreciation of Lincoln's agency (in contrast to Donald). ( )

An excellent biography of Lincoln, but I wish it had contained a little more information about what happened to other players in the aftermath of his death. While its true that the story of Abraham Lincoln as a living man ended in 1865, his legacy has lived on much longer than that. I'm not advocating that White comment on the modern view of Lincoln, but a few pages discussing how close family and friends behaved in the immediate aftermath would have added a nice bit of closure for this reader. ( )

White's biography, released at the bicentennial of Lincoln's birthday, incorporates new information mined since David Donald's 1996 "Lincoln," but does not improve on it. If you are only going to read one book on Lincoln, I would suggest Donald's book. If you plan to read more than that you will naturally want to read White's book as well (and probably Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals," with it's slightly larger scope and shorter time frame).
White's most substantive variations from Donald's work is in his account of Lincoln's pre-Presidential life and in his parsing of Lincoln's speeches. The former serves to flesh out a subject with additional detail and structure than Donald's work. The latter is interesting to a point, but one could choose to read Gary Will's "Lincoln at Gettysburg" or White's own "Eloquent President" if one wanted an analysis of Lincoln's rhetoric. White also spends substantial time attempting to support the argument that Lincoln was more religious than popularly believed. This argument puzzles me somewhat - White seems to want to stretch Lincoln's church attendance and use of biblical rhetoric beyond where one can safely go in reconstructing the inner beliefs of a man over a century dead. While it is obvious Lincoln's early fatalism and near-agnosticism was tempered later in life by a belief in divine providence, I read nothing that indicated Lincoln became anything close to an orthodox Protestant Christian. And it hardly matters, anyway, except perhaps to religious history professors, like White.
White does a good job of conveying Lincoln's development over time - how he became more confident of his own judgment on the war instead of simply deferring to the Generals, and especially his slow, pragmatic approach to emancipation, but the book as a whole is vaguely unsatisfying. But then, the more I read of and about Lincoln, the more I want to read and the less satisfied I become. White seems to recognize the appetite Lincoln awakens in those who study his life and work, as he himself seems to have acquired it, too. ( )

I believe that 500 years from now, Lincoln will have joined the historical people of the ages, and this book will make a large contribution to realizing that honored position. Clearly, White has done a huge amount of research and describes wonderfully how Lincoln learned every day of his life. It is a mark of greatness that as we learn we are able to reform our thinking. The changes in Lincoln's view of slavery and of God, as noted in this work, are wonderful to note. ( )

This is an ok bio. of lincoln, not real in depth. mr. white does show the political side of lincoln very well. he shows lincoln's confilict with slavery, he believed it to be morallly wrong but also believed until the civil war started the consititon protected it. lincoln was a very good lawyer and had a strong belief in the law ( )