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Lincoln  By  cover art

Lincoln

By: David Herbert Donald
Narrated by: Dick Estell
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Publisher's summary

In the best-selling tradition of Truman, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer David Herbert Donald offers a new classic in American history and biography - a masterly account of how one man's extraordinary political acumen steered the Union to victory in the Civil War, and of how his soaring rhetoric gave meaning to that agonizing struggle for nationhood and equality.

Donald spent 50 years studying Lincoln, tracing his rise from humble origins to the pinnacle of the presidency. He reveals the development of the future president's character and shows how Lincoln's enormous capacity for growth enabled one of the least experienced men ever elected to high office to become a giant in the annals of American politics. And he depicts a man who was basically passive by nature, yet ambitious enough to take enormous risks and overcome repeated defeats.

Much more than a political biography, Lincoln seats us behind the desk of a president who was both a master of ambiguity and expediency and a great moral leader, as he makes the decisions that preserved the Union and shaped modern America.

©2011 David Herbert Donald (P)2012 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"A grand work - the Lincoln biography for this generation." (Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.)
" Lincoln immediately takes its place among the best of the genre, and it is unlikely that it will be surpassed in elegance, incisiveness and originality in this century.... A book of investigative tenacity, interpretive boldness and almost acrobatic balance." ( Chicago Tribune)
"Eagerly awaited, Lincoln fulfills expectations. Donald writes with lucidity and elegance." ( The Atlantic)

What listeners say about Lincoln

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Dry and Technical but Excellent

This is, at times, a dry and technical read and at other times becomes touching or funny. Overall I was very satisfied. This biography of Lincoln seems to be quite unbiased and follows the facts wherever they lead. The author tries to present a history based upon what Lincoln actually knew at the time, leaving out facts that we now know, but Lincoln had no way of knowing. This book has a lot of peripheral information that places other historical facts in context (for example how big Lincoln’s house was compared with the average in the area). This history presents Lincoln as a hero, but as an imperfect, ambiguous, and human hero. Although this was a bit of a less fun read then Team of Rivals, overall I found this the more satisfying history.

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29 people found this helpful

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Lincoln not honest when it comes to his faith?

The author David Herbert Donald, while intending to rely solely on primary sources, takes every opportunity to editorialize that Lincoln was not a man of sincere faith but that Lincoln used his knowledge of faith to be accepted and to manipulate others. One example of this is the letter Lincoln wrote to his dying father about the after life when. The author interjects that Lincoln didn't believe this but was just mouthing the Baptist thinking of the day to bring comfort to his father and to appear in a good light to his neighbors. The irony is that the author points out Lincoln was known as a man who was honest to the smallest details of his life and yet implies Lincoln was dishonest in these words he wrote to a father about the beauty of the afterlife. This author is not objective when it comes to Lincoln's very private but sincere faith. Either that or Lincoln was not honest....in matters of biblical faith at least.

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24 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars

The narration almost stopped me.

I have to say that the bland narration from the beginning left me wanting to stop. The only reason why I continued was because of the content of the book.
Not only was the narrator bland but at times there were cut ins and these short clips were worse than the original narrator. Although I did get used to the narrator maybe it was because of the book.
The book itself was good. This book left me wanting to know more about the civil war. Also, this book didn't make Lincoln in to a larger than life figure but human with errors.

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22 people found this helpful

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Excellent listen!

I really liked that they devoted several chs to Lincoln’s childhood & how he was a self taught lawyer. It also tells of how he dealt with a divided country. Good coverage of Gettysburg & second inaugural address. Two favorites of mine. Disregard the other reviews of the reader. DE was fine. Several issues with the speed of the text but even that didnt ruin my enjoyment of the book/listen. If you want to know about AL, this is the one that will do. (I’ve read a few.)

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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One of the best biographies you will ever read.

There is so much to learn from Lincoln. and this is the best bio to do so.

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5 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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interesting but so detailed

i sure learned a lot, found the history interesting, and pertinent to today's situations. but every conversation, every word... i wanted things to move along already.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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It's like you're there.

May never be topped. Loved the narrator and all the details. I actually cried 4 times throughout the book.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazingly detailed coverage

Personally, I like the narrator's classic 1950s radio voice. The detailed speeches and letters are highly relevant today on contemporary subjects not only on the subject of equal rights between races but also immigration, protective tariffs, and public education, to name a few. No movie could capture all the details described. I highly recommend this audiobook.

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3 people found this helpful

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

Great book with outstanding details of background

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a more indepth presentation of the history of Lincoln's time and the context of that time. I finished "Team of Rivals" prior to this book and found the greater extent of "Lincoln" to round out my understanding of the historical context for what caused the actions to play out as they did.

What other book might you compare Lincoln to and why?

I think it is very complementary to "Team of Rivals" and the book I am reading now "Battle Cry of Freedom". I think "Team of Rivals" was more of "story" whereas "Lincoln" offers a more comprehensive insight beyond the personalities of the Administration.

What aspect of Dick Estell’s performance would you have changed?

There were times where the quality of the recording demonstrated post editing.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I don't think you could make this much of a detailed presentation into a film...it would require a historic documentary and might miss the strength of the work.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed the book very much and appreciated the way in which the book was developed to provide the details it offered.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Lincoln's Presence Seems Even Greater Today

As many times as I have read (and listened to) books about our greatest president, I am still moved to wonder. While there are hitches in the recording and storytelling, this biography is balanced and well thought out. I recommend the work any form; it will be time well spent.

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2 people found this helpful