Team of Rivals

The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

By: Doris Kearns Goodwin

Narrated by: Suzanne Toren

Length: 41 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

On May 18, 1860, William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Edward Bates, and Abraham Lincoln waited in their hometowns for the results from the Republican National Convention in Chicago. When Lincoln emerged as the victor, his rivals were dismayed and angry.

Throughout the turbulent 1850s, each had energetically sought the presidency as the conflict over slavery was leading inexorably to secession and civil war. That Lincoln succeeded was the result of a character that had been forged by life experiences that raised him above his more privileged and accomplished rivals. He won because hepossessed an extraordinary ability to put himself in the place of other men, to experience what they were feeling, to understand their motives and desires.

This capacity enabled President Lincoln to bring his disgruntled opponents together, create the most unusual cabinet in history, and marshal their talents to preserve the Union and win the war.

©2006 Doris Kearns Goodwin (P)2011 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"An elegant, incisive study....Goodwin has brilliantly described how Lincoln forged a team that preserved a nation and freed America from the curse of slavery." (James M. McPherson, The New York Times Book Review)

"Goodwin's narrative abilities...are on full display here, and she does an enthralling job of dramatizing...crucial moments in Lincoln's life....A portrait of Lincoln as a virtuosic politician and managerial genius." (Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times)

"Splendid, beautifully written....Goodwin has brilliantly woven scores of contemporary accounts...into a fluid narrative....This is the most richly detailed account of the Civil War presidency to appear in many years." (John Rhodehamel, Los Angeles Times)

Epic work intimately capturing a crucial juncture and the remarkable historical legacy of Lincoln.

Stellar read. Allows a palpable sense of the greatness and uniqueness of Lincoln as well as Stanton, Bates, Chase, Seward and the crucible they were thrust into and how they delivered emancipation and an intact union. My appreciation of how much different Reconstruction would have proceeded in the absence of the assassination is greatly enhanced.

A personal vision

This is a moving and unusual perspective on the Lincoln presidency. The focus on the personalities and families of Lincoln's cabinet members shed a warm light on Lincoln's character and management skills. Brief narratives of the main military and political events keep the story moving but the focus throughout is on the human angle.

Thank you for a great book

Very detailed and intellectually absorbing. Narrator had good diction and pleasant voice, but pronunciation of individual words was strange at times. Overall, well-worth the time invested.

Lincoln

A beautiful book that every American should read. Well written and well read. If only we had Lincoln now.

Excellent book

The history, the characters of the figures in the book, and the way it was written that makes reading/ listening easy.

Malice towards none, charity towards all, still holds up to this day...and could be of good use today as well

A story of an incredible President, unsurpassed in his compassion as a leader and his ability to bring together brilliant people despite their differences.

Beautifully written, narration inadequate

This is a great book, beautifully researched and written. I wish, however, that I had bought the hard copy. The narrator's style was cold and uninvolving, although at the beginning I was hoping to get used to it. After 40 hours, unfortunately, I did not; she lacked all passion for her subject. Doris Kearns Goodwin would have been a much better choice as reader. It didn't matter to me that Toren was a woman, and she has a beautiful speaking voice. This brilliant book deserved better.

America's greatest American, for sure.

What made the experience of listening to Team of Rivals the most enjoyable?

What a marvelous endeavor by Doris Kearns Goodwin. The research, the dialogue and history make it seem like it is happening in the present time. Makes you wish that we had individuals like Lincoln in these days of challenge.

Who was your favorite character and why?

of course, Abraham Lincoln. It is all about him.

What about Suzanne Toren’s performance did you like?

at first I thought she sounded like a grammar school principal. But her rich delivery and strong commitment to the story over the more than 41 hours made me a believer in her dedication and excellence.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

too many to choose one.

Very good history

Great read, this book is very good non-fiction. The narrator does a pretty good job, but the regular mispronunciations of words like "schism," "consummate," and others I found to be annoying, especially in a scholarly work. Otherwise the narrator does a good job, and the detailed biographies of Lincon's cabinet and the political context and history detailed leading up to the Civil War make the book very interesting and exciting.

Deserving of its prize

This book was so well researched, the topic so thoroughly covered, and the style so engaging that I couldn't imagine reading a book about Lincoln and his tenure being more vivid and it's helpful for me to understand who he was in the world he lived in.