In the 142 years since his assassination, there have been many books, many millions of pages written about Abraham Lincoln. Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals is just the latest, and while it appears she covers the same ground as the ones that came before -and, perhaps, that is good - she decided to make it a multi biographical look at the three men he selected for his cabinet. William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, and Edward Bates where all his opponents for the Republican nomination of 1860, and Goodwin takes a look at all these men -well known ones at that - and how they disdained Lincoln.
Of course, Lincoln was the nowhere kid, a lawyer from Illinois who had a backwood upbringing and no experience. But, Lincoln had a great ability to work with the best people, and the sixteenth president had the wisdom and the confidence to choose these men to aide the country in its most darkest days.
Today, Lincoln’s life is one of magic and time, and while the South’s POV will remain that history is written by the winners, Goodwin offers a chance to reflect on why the Civil War happened. It was never about emancipation of the blacks, but it was. It was never about succession, yet it was. Here she pieces this all together, along with Lincoln’s political genius at soothing egos, his leadership style, his understanding of human behavior and how they were all sewed together to save a nation at the crossroads of history.
Of course, Lincoln was the nowhere kid, a lawyer from Illinois who had a backwood upbringing and no experience. But, Lincoln had a great ability to work with the best people, and the sixteenth president had the wisdom and the confidence to choose these men to aide the country in its most darkest days.
Today, Lincoln’s life is one of magic and time, and while the South’s POV will remain that history is written by the winners, Goodwin offers a chance to reflect on why the Civil War happened. It was never about emancipation of the blacks, but it was. It was never about succession, yet it was. Here she pieces this all together, along with Lincoln’s political genius at soothing egos, his leadership style, his understanding of human behavior and how they were all sewed together to save a nation at the crossroads of history.
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