(07-18-2015 08:43 PM)Gene C Wrote:  I agree that a new biography of Herndon would be nice due to new info available, but some of the criticism of the book, which was written over 65 years ago, seems petty and unnecessary.

(07-19-2015 06:51 AM)Gene C Wrote:  Thank you Eva, and I made the same mistake I felt Burlingame made. My tone was a bit too negative. I judged his reason and writing style for the article without being more objective. (If Burlingame had not mentioned his falling out with Donald, I never would have known, but it was better to hear about it from him) He made some excellent points, I was not ready to read his views which differed from mine while I was still full of the enthusiasm from reading a good book by an author I enjoyed. In a week or two, I'll need to go back and re-read his article.

There is a lot to learn from both men who have spent so much time in study and research on Lincoln and his times.

(07-31-2012 02:11 PM)Joe Di Cola Wrote:  Benjamin Thomas I feel has written the best-to-date one-volume biography. David Donald's and Carl Sandburg's I would pick for 2nd place in the one-volume bio category--Sandburg for the sheer joy of reading his prose. I think the 6-volume Sandburg is one I would also rank high. In spite of the shoddy bindings, the Burlingame 2-volume will set the standard for years to come. Since I am most interested in Lincoln's earlier life and the people, events, and forces that shaped him (especially the New Salem Years), Thomas' New Salem, Wilson's Honor's Voice, and Wilson and Davis Herndon's Informants are two of my favories. Finally, a must for Lincoln libraries are Lincoln Day by Day and the Collected Works.

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One more...If one wishes to get a cross-section of biographers on Lincoln's Life, Paul Angle's THE LINCOLN READER is an old but sure source.

(07-20-2015 04:50 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  Anita, this is from a post Joe DiCola made about three years ago (Joe really knows his Lincoln books!):

(07-31-2012 02:11 PM)Joe Di Cola Wrote:  Benjamin Thomas I feel has written the best-to-date one-volume biography. David Donald's and Carl Sandburg's I would pick for 2nd place in the one-volume bio category--Sandburg for the sheer joy of reading his prose. I think the 6-volume Sandburg is one I would also rank high. In spite of the shoddy bindings, the Burlingame 2-volume will set the standard for years to come. Since I am most interested in Lincoln's earlier life and the people, events, and forces that shaped him (especially the New Salem Years), Thomas' New Salem, Wilson's Honor's Voice, and Wilson and Davis Herndon's Informants are two of my favories. Finally, a must for Lincoln libraries are Lincoln Day by Day and the Collected Works.

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One more...If one wishes to get a cross-section of biographers on Lincoln's Life, Paul Angle's THE LINCOLN READER is an old but sure source.

Also, I'll quote from Mike Burkhimer's 100 Essential Lincoln Books:

Abraham Lincoln: A Biography is Thomas's greatest book and an essential addition to a Lincoln bookshelf. Nobody has summed up Lincoln and his career as well as Thomas does in this single volume."

Personally I don't have a strong opinion on the absolute best single volume Lincoln biography, but I consistently see Thomas' book either ranked at the top or near the top.

(07-18-2015 08:43 PM)Gene C Wrote:  Thanks for posting that interesting article. Burlingame makes some interesting points, but his falling out with Donald, in my opinion, seems to be an underlying reason for some of the negative comments and tone in the article. I agree that a new biography of Herndon would be nice due to new info available, but some of the criticism of They are both men with a vast knowledge, who have different viewpoints.

Now to read "William H Herndon and Mary Todd Lincoln", by Doug the book, which was written over 65 years ago, seems petty and unnecessary. It is apparent they have a different view of Mary Lincoln among other things.

Wilson that Mr. Burlingame mentioned in his article
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/j/jala/2629860.0022.203/--william-h-herndon-and-mary-todd-lincoln?rgn=main;view=fulltext