Abraham Lincoln: A Penguin Life (Penguin Lives)

Rating:
Summary: A good Solid short Bio
Review: After a bad experience with Tom Wicker's Penguin Lives book on Bush 41, I decided to give the series one more chance and got what I wanted with Keneally's Lincoln. I've read enough about the Civil War to have a decent understanding of Lincoln's Civil War years, but Keneally does a good concise job of leading the reader up to that point. This poor Lincoln could be compared to Job in so many ways. His wife Mary Todd would have been a handful for anyone, but circumstances resulted in him burying half his children from some disease or another. Lincoln then goes on to save the nation only to find a bullet.

Again and again in his career, Lincoln escaped his own ego in order to pursue the greater end. His homely self-effacing appearance and manner led many to underestimate him and he let them do so to win points later. You could argue that it won him the Republican nomination, because "smarter" men thought that they could control him. It was the same thing in his cabinet and with his commanding General, McClellan. Everybody wondered how this "idiot" could be in charge of the country. Some like McClellan never got wise, even after being roundly defeated by Lincoln in the 1864 election. Others like Stanton and Seward grew to understand Lincoln's brand of genius.

Like good literature, Lincoln dies at the end of the story rather than serving two more terms of mediocrity. Also like good literature, it was a southerner that killed the man, and the result of that action was a much harsher treatment by the radical Republicans toward the south than Lincoln would have cottoned too. As a reader of Shakespeare, Lincoln would have enjoyed the cosmic joke of it all.

Lincoln's greatness is without question so it's a little hard for an author to find fault with the man, but Keneally does what he can to present the full Lincoln and I enjoyed his 200 pages.

Rating:
Summary: One of the better American presidents
Review: All in all, this is a reasonable but uninspired biography suitable for anyone not otherwise familiar with the heritage and life of America's greatest, or at least second-greatest, president.

History, even biography, is an examination of the past to understand the present and offer a guide for the future. On this basis, the contrast between Lincoln and modern politicians is abundantly relevant; Kenneally makes abundantly clear that Lincoln was a compromiser, a man concerned with temporary expediency of policy, a man of stubborn persistence and long-held values. Unlike today's politicians, who like bold decisive actions, he was not a man of unilateral impulsive decisions and hasty judgments.

As Kenneally makes clear, it was the Confederate leaders who recklessly and unilaterally plunged into the Civil War. Had they accepted Lincoln's compromise efforts, the Old South might still be a cotton-picking slave society; at the very least, slavery would have lasted for decades past the Emancipation Declaration of Jan. 1, 1863.

Sound familiar? Lincoln had his own "radical right" critics; instead of being ruled by their evangelical values, he remained in charge and favored gradualism. This gradualism may have been beneficial, or it may have been disastrous. Kenneally writes, "But even Lincoln began to believe, as McClellan delayed, that some Democratic generals didn't really want anything drastic to happen to the Confederacy, fearing that a great victory would encourage the administration to emancipate slaves."

Perhaps Lincoln's compromise and gradualism meant he selected "cautious" generals rather than plunge an unprepared army into disaster as happened at Bull Run on July 21, 1861. Except for U.S. Grant, Union generals have always been criticized for caution. But, Kenneally makes me wonder if Lincoln's conscious or even unconscious "cautious" nature prompted him to select cautious generals.

It's a basic question that comes to mind from this book: Were Lincoln's generals incompetent? Or did his generals merely reflect the innate nature of Lincoln, preferring caution and thoroughness to impulsive and unilateral action?

Lincoln is the worldwide symbol of American greatness, just as Southern slavery typifies the worst of America. Every nation, every person, has their own good and bad traits; most everyone understands the complexity of this dual nature. It is as true today as it was when Lincoln became the nation's leader. This book admirably illustrates the greatness to which a president can rise. It is a lesson for this fall's election. Perhaps there is something valid for a president to be, like Lincoln, "Ever the gradualist . . . . " Lincoln never wanted to be "a war president" and did as much as he could to avoid war.

On the other hand, Lincoln believed in the "Doctrine of Necessity" -- which means people act rationally because of enlightened self interest. It is why he failed to understand the Confederacy would be so stupid as to secede. Perhaps, had Lincoln been less the Gradualist, less a believer in Necessity, the Civil War might have been averted.

Possible? It's a couple of issues that Kenneally doesn't examine, but he provides enough background to raise these questions. It's what makes his book so interesting. He doesn't try to resolve either issue, he leaves such thinking to every astute reader.

It makes this a most interesting book.

Rating:
Summary: Lincoln -- a man of 'compromise' in a time of ideologues
Review: All in all, this is a reasonable but uninspired biography suitable for anyone not otherwise familiar with the heritage and life of America's greatest, or at least second-greatest, president.

History, even biography, is an examination of the past to understand the present and offer a guide for the future. On this basis, the contrast between Lincoln and modern politicians is abundantly relevant; Kenneally makes abundantly clear that Lincoln was a compromiser, a man concerned with temporary expediency of policy, a man of stubborn persistence and long-held values. Unlike today's politicians, who like bold decisive actions, he was not a man of unilateral impulsive decisions and hasty judgments.

As Kenneally makes clear, it was the Confederate leaders who recklessly and unilaterally plunged into the Civil War. Had they accepted Lincoln's compromise efforts, the Old South might still be a cotton-picking slave society; at the very least, slavery would have lasted for decades past the Emancipation Declaration of Jan. 1, 1863.

Sound familiar? Lincoln had his own "radical right" critics; instead of being ruled by their evangelical values, he remained in charge and favored gradualism. This gradualism may have been beneficial, or it may have been disastrous. Kenneally writes, "But even Lincoln began to believe, as McClellan delayed, that some Democratic generals didn't really want anything drastic to happen to the Confederacy, fearing that a great victory would encourage the administration to emancipate slaves."

Perhaps Lincoln's compromise and gradualism meant he selected "cautious" generals rather than plunge an unprepared army into disaster as happened at Bull Run on July 21, 1861. Except for U.S. Grant, Union generals have always been criticized for caution. But, Kenneally makes me wonder if Lincoln's conscious or even unconscious "cautious" nature prompted him to select cautious generals.

It's a basic question that comes to mind from this book: Were Lincoln's generals incompetent? Or did his generals merely reflect the innate nature of Lincoln, preferring caution and thoroughness to impulsive and unilateral action?

Lincoln is the worldwide symbol of American greatness, just as Southern slavery typifies the worst of America. Every nation, every person, has their own good and bad traits; most everyone understands the complexity of this dual nature. It is as true today as it was when Lincoln became the nation's leader. This book admirably illustrates the greatness to which a president can rise. It is a lesson for this fall's election. Perhaps there is something valid for a president to be, like Lincoln, "Ever the gradualist . . . . " Lincoln never wanted to be "a war president" and did as much as he could to avoid war.

On the other hand, Lincoln believed in the "Doctrine of Necessity" -- which means people act rationally because of enlightened self interest. It is why he failed to understand the Confederacy would be so stupid as to secede. Perhaps, had Lincoln been less the Gradualist, less a believer in Necessity, the Civil War might have been averted.

Possible? It's a couple of issues that Kenneally doesn't examine, but he provides enough background to raise these questions. It's what makes his book so interesting. He doesn't try to resolve either issue, he leaves such thinking to every astute reader.

It makes this a most interesting book.

Rating:
Summary: Introductory Lincoln
Review: Having not been educated in the US where veneration of Lincoln is widespread, Thomas Keneally's biography of the famed president is a breath of fresh air.

There seems little doubt that Lincoln was a man of enormous vision and courage. He took on the vested interests of slavery and ultimately prevented the dissolution of the Union. Furthermore, his untimely death lifted his status to that of a martyr. In this case, however, his martyrdom is well warranted.

Keneally's work is an excellent starting point for any reader seeking an introduction to Lincoln. This book is part of a larger series covering a host of international luminaries. Lincoln's place in this pantheon is well deserved. The book itself is wonderful read for those wishing to understand Lincoln's place in history.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent brief overview
Review: I think Thomas Keneally could make a shopping list an interesting read; he is that good a writer. Certainly there are many biographies out there about Lincoln and many studies of various aspects of his life, but for a brief introduction that could entice further investigation you could not do better than this. Keneally has the ability to make historical figures come alive which is evident in this book. His depiction of Lincoln first arriving at Springfield is wonderful. If he sometimes chooses the colorful detail over the most probable detail, there is at least some historical evidence to support what he chooses to present. I recommend this highly.

Rating:
Summary: Really Good Overview
Review: I'm only a casual reader of history and biographies. I didn't want to read a thousand-page work about Lincoln's extraordinary life. I only wanted an overview, some sort of work to give me a sense of the man. For my purposes, this little biography by Thomas Keneally was a success. It's brief, but it hits all of the most important points of the presidents life. It captures the contradictions and conflicts that marked Lincoln's life, and it does so with, at times, soem true lyricism. Keneally is a good writer (though his fiction such as Schindler's List is much better) and particularly over the first part of this biography, that is evident. The biography only suffers during the last half when Lincoln seems to disappear behind Keneally's depiction of the war. I don't think Lincoln's great role and conflicts during the war were aptly shown. Also, the biography ended too abruptly with no attempt at summation. I know that the Penguin Lives reach for brevity, but this is one of the shorter books in that series. Keneally could have given Lincoln another twenty pages and still been under 200 pages. Nevertheless, this biography is good, certainly serving its purpose as an overview that will answer essential questions and incite further inquiry into life of one of America's greatest presidents.

Rating:
Summary: A concise summary of a great man in American history.
Review: Keneally may not be as exalted a writer as others who have written about our greatest President, but he does a good job summarizing Abraham Lincoln. At approximately 150 pages, the reader learns about Lincoln's early heritage and the political and military battles of his Presidency. This is basic stuff, so if a reader needs more details, consult some of the other fine books on Lincoln.
I find some of the info about Lincoln somewhat in doubt. First Keneally states Lincoln may have had a sexual disease. I have read some on Lincoln, but I never found that in other references. Perhaps I missed that somewhere. Also in doubt is Lincoln's paternity where Tom Lincoln was not the father of Abraham. Keneally dismisses that but should we include that in a short biography of this famous man.
Overall a good concise read on our most famous President. Readers who desire the basics on this man will do well to read this book.

Rating:
Summary: A concise summary of a great man in American history.
Review: Keneally may not be as exalted a writer as others who have written about our greatest President, but he does a good job summarizing Abraham Lincoln. At approximately 150 pages, the reader learns about Lincoln's early heritage and the political and military battles of his Presidency. This is basic stuff, so if a reader needs more details, consult some of the other fine books on Lincoln.
I find some of the info about Lincoln somewhat in doubt. First Keneally states Lincoln may have had a sexual disease. I have read some on Lincoln, but I never found that in other references. Perhaps I missed that somewhere. Also in doubt is Lincoln's paternity where Tom Lincoln was not the father of Abraham. Keneally dismisses that but should we include that in a short biography of this famous man.
Overall a good concise read on our most famous President. Readers who desire the basics on this man will do well to read this book.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite "Brief Life" so far
Review: This can serve as a primer in Lincoln and Civil War history. In a concise, easy to read and suspenseful tale one learns how Lincoln, coming from the most common of backgrounds, lifted himself up in the best of entrepreneurial spirit, and by a fluke of events was catapulted from country lawyer and orator, a one-term Congressman who just a year earlier had lost an attempt to become Senator from Illinois, to become President of the United States of America. His inauguration took place as the Southern States had already formed a Confederacy, the Union was falling apart, and Washington,D.C. was at threat to be overrun by Rebel forces.

The course of the great Civil War is retold with Lincoln's input to his field generals well documented and retold. One learns of the great turning point battles of this bloody and painful contest. Lincoln's relationships to his family and colleagues are insightful to the character and make-up of this both humble and brave leader. The modern economy of greenbacks and taxes was born, too, and documented herein. In such a small book the scope of its tale is quite surprising.

Of course the end is abrupt. On the heels of his winning a 2nd term and of Lee's surrender of the Army of Virginia, Lincoln is gunned down at the Ford Theater. The book aptly ends with a quote from his Cabinet member Stanton: "Now he belongs to the ages". And the author Keneally adds:" he had become the bloodied nation incarnate".