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The Lincolns  By  cover art

The Lincolns

By: Daniel Mark Epstein
Narrated by: Adam Grupper
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Publisher's summary

In 1974 the historian Fawn Brodie predicted that a "sensitive study of the Lincoln marriage will not always defy biographers". Until now, it has. The only book-length treatment of the marriage was published in 1953, when scholars lacked today's resources and were still struggling with deep-seated prejudices about Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln.

Now Daniel Mark Epstein has produced an incisive and balanced portrait of the Lincolns, from their mysterious and troubled courtship in 1840 to his assassination in Ford's Theatre in 1865. For the first time, we can feel the full force of the tragedy that was the slow crumbling of their marriage, knowing it intimately from the first act to the last.

©2008 Daniel Mark Epstein (P)2008 BBC Audiobooks America

Critic reviews

"Intent on eroding the stereotype that Mary was mad and Abraham was saintly, Epstein utilizes some new sources to create a portrait of the Lincolns' marriage. In coolly objective tones, Adam Grupper narrates Epstein's detailed account of the couple's early years.... His informative reading fits the text well." ( AudioFile)

What listeners say about The Lincolns

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating!

This was one of the most interesting books, full of historically accurate and intimate details, that I have ever "read." The lives of two individuals and their subsequent marriage, when the two people are as interesting in their own right as Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln, is immediately engaging. Toward the end, this book brought back vivid memories of a childhood trip to Washington D.C. and our visit to Ford's theater and the boarding house bedroom in which President Lincoln lay dying. The intensely personal view of Mary and Abraham and their relationship was so well written and narrated that when I finished listening, I could not wait to learn more. I went online and researched multiple topics about the Lincolns, Abraham Lincoln's assasination, burial in Springfield, and the available accounts of those involved in the assassination conspiracy. Of course, my next listen was another Audible offering, "Manhunt", the breathtaking account of the 12 day hunt for John Wilkes Booth. I highly recommend The Lincolns:Portrait of a Marriage for readers who enjoy American history or any biographical works. It will leave the reader anxious to know anything more that he or she can find out about this complex couple.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Very Well Written

As the previous reviewer notes you will learn a lot about the personalities of Mary and Abraham Lincoln. This is an extremely well written work with a ton of historical facts. I would highly recommend this, you will not be disappointed.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Enlightening and Fair

What comes through most in this lengthy and well-researched book, is that the author really doesn't like Mrs. Lincoln very much. Apparently, few did. I had no idea the trials and embarrassments that this kind man endured as he led his country into war.

Very, very interesting and compelling. Well worth your time.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Very Good!

I learned about the Lincolns' personalities that I did not know before. I thought it was well written and narrated.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Wonderful but stopped at assassination

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I wish the author had continued to follow Mrs Lincoln after the assassination. I was looking so forward to that and was greatly disappointed at the abrupt end. She was so flawed that I knew after the President's calming influence had ended she would have been even more of a hellcat as her detractors described her.

What does Adam Grupper bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I enjoyed his narration.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding

Could not stop listening to it-great history lesson.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The down and dirty on their Marriage.

Where does The Lincolns rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This ranks near the top. An in depth view on what made the Lincoln's tick. Lincoln was away so much of the marriage that Mary instead of becoming more independent, made her sons and neighbors take care of her.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mary was the belle of the ball, but once she made a choice on who to marry her life did not match her expectations. She continually acted out in order to get her husband's attention, either by purchasing huge amounts of clothes and furnishings, or making friends with ruthless men who took advantage of her weaknesses.
The death of her son Willie was the unmaking of Mary. I don't think she was ever able to get over the fact of his death.

What about Adam Grupper’s performance did you like?

He had just the right nuances to the characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Too long to listen all at once. I enjoy an hour or two at a time to listen to books.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Lincolns

I loved it.I thought it was very insightful and interesting. I've never been too high on biographies but I do like the Civil War era. I think, although probably a good president, they were both nuts.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting View

This is an interesting book. I have read much about the Lincoln and the Civil War but never from the viewpoint of his relationship with Mary Todd. Much has been made of Mary's state of mind after the asassination of Lincoln but this shows the basis of her state of mind and her devotion to her husband.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A sensitive review of the Lincoln marriage

I loved this book. I’ve read it in print and now audio. It’s particularly good at portraying Mary, and her problematic behavior at times. It covers the courtship through his death. The author is also a poet and the writing reflects this - a joy to listen to. The narrator is good. I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in Abraham or Mary Lincoln.

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