Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Book Review: An Insight to Abraham Lincoln's Unique Strengths as a Statesman
Summary: 4 Stars
A timely book given the election of President Obama and his selection of a cabinet
Provides a very good insight to the strengths of Abraham Lincoln as had been derived from his austere upbringing and his thirst for knowledge despite having had only one year of full time education. His ability to explain issues in every day terms gave him strengthens of communicating with the people which his political rivals did not have because of over convoluting their cases. For example Seward, one of the rivals, on occasions drew analogies in his speeches to Greek history for an audience who often had just the rudiments of education!. Lincoln realized that the biggest challenge for a leader in a democratic society is in educating public opinion:
" Another beehive was kicked over","Best not to swap horses when crossing streams" "Removing one man from office is easy, replacing him with as one of 20 candidates I can make 19 enemies"
Above all, his magnanimous nature softened blame which he was prepared to share/shoulder was key to his balancing the team of rivals which as he declared from the outset he needed to assemble, since America needed the best people in government.See parallel strategy with President Obama who considers this books an important model for him.
The description of how Lincoln saw the challenge of eliminating slavery in the Southern States -snake in the bed of children, was profound. Also was the way he waited until he saw an legitimate case for abolishing slavery in the existing slave states. Slaves were fundamental to supporting the South's war effort and hence as a war president he could introduce and have past, an amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery in all states.
The book provides a good precis of the American Civil war with good blow by blow accounts but only seen from the Unionist point of view. In a book of this length 757 pages, what is understandingly missing is the perspective of the South during this time. This motivated me to seek out a biography of Jefferson Davis the confederate president:Jefferson Davis The Man and his Hour by W.C. Davis 706 pages of finer print which I am 2/3rds through at the moment.
Book Review: Gripping, inspiring, brilliant
Summary: 5 Stars
A completely gripping, inspiring, fresh read - Team of Rivals is in a different league from most history books.
In thrilling style Doris Kearns Goodwin shows how Lincoln's leadership - especially his brave decision to bring his fiercest enemies into his cabinet - forged what we now call the United States. All his key moments and momentous speeches are brilliantly brought back to life.
No wonder Obama is using this book as the template for his administration. No wonder it won so many literary awards. And no wonder Steven Spielberg is making a film of it (starring Liam Neeson as Abe!).
I work for Penguin Books so I'm proud to have played a part in bringing Team of Rivals to British readers, exactly 200 years since Lincoln was born. But don't take my word for it - just look at Amazon.com, where no fewer than 326 people have given it 5-star reviews.
Book Review: Team of Rivals
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a fascinating and detailed study of Lincoln's early political life and rise to the presidency. His story is set against those of his political rivals, which gives it a greater depth than a pure biography. It is well written and easy to read, rather than being a dense and weighty tome. The text is full of colour and personal or domestic detail. I found it easy to become absorbed in the unfolding narrative, as good a story as many fiction books.Book Review: Rich but quite digestibe
Summary: 5 Stars
A doorstep of a book that kept me engaged for over a week (O K, I'm a slow reader now). It was a lot more approachable than some of the reviews here suggest. I recommend it highly, particularly to those readers who prefer actual history and biography to historical fiction.Book Review: Team of Rivals - Abraham Lincoln
Summary: 4 Stars
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Received promptly, in good condition - excellent value and a "must" read.