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Eva Elisabeth · (This post was last modified: 07-19-2015 08:46 AM by Eva Elisabeth.)

(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.

Mr. Burlingame should attempt that endeavor...I wonder why none of Donald's critics has yet.

(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.

Same here. But Gene, I wish I had your skills to word criticism that kindly and politely. IMO Mr. Burlingame could learn from you in this regard.

Anita · (This post was last modified: 07-20-2015 04:35 PM by Anita.)

I thought Donald was deserving of the Pulitzer Prize for his Lincoln biography and now want to read "Lincoln's Herndon".

In Michael Burlingame's forward to the 2008 paperback release of Benjamin Thomas's "Abraham Lincoln: A Biography", he states "it remains the best single-volume of the life of the sixteenth President." https://books.google.com/books?id=Epsf5z...io&f=false

I haven't read Thomas's book. How does it compare to Donald's "Lincoln" which is also a single volume. Should I add it to my list?

RJNorton · 07-20-2015, 04:50 PM

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.

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.

Anita · 07-20-2015, 05:06 PM

(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.

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.

Thanks Roger and Joe!

Eva Elisabeth · (This post was last modified: 07-20-2015 06:21 PM by Eva Elisabeth.)

IMO Thomas' and Donald's both are must-haves for someone with an interest in Lincoln. In both the books you will find some information the other doesn't carry. I personally would choose Donald's if I had to decide on one, also because his bio is footnoted. But Anita, I am sure you won't regret adding Thomas' to your shelf.

LincolnToddFan · (This post was last modified: 07-25-2015 03:49 PM by LincolnToddFan.)

(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...w=fulltext

Sometimes I get the feeling that Prof. Burlingame judges the success or reliability of a Lincoln author solely by whether or not he/she falls in line with the(extremely negative) Burlingame view of MTL. Benjamin Thomas does, so he of course receives the Burlingame imprimatur. Ditto Douglas Wilson.

More moderate Lincoln scholars like Doris Kearns Goodwin and David Donald don't, and of course in cases where the Burlingame view is completely rejected(Jean Baker, Stephen Oates) the response is visceral and personal.

Since I completely reject MB's opinions on Lincoln's wife and his marriage, I also tend to avoid any Lincoln scholars who win the Burlingame seal of approval. The man seems borderline irrational(for reasons known only to him) on the subject and it has destroyed my ability to take him as seriously as I should as a Lincoln scholar.

Gene C · 07-25-2015, 04:19 PM

Please try not to completely reject everything the good professor has to say, there is a lot to learn from people you don't always agree with. It just takes more effort. When I read what Herndon, Burlingame and others write about Abraham's and Mary's relationship and how she treated him, it reminds me of this song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS9U75YC-jA

LincolnToddFan · 07-25-2015, 04:29 PM

I don't reject everything the "good professor" has to say...of course not. I am in 100% accord with his views on every aspect of AL's professional life, politics, conduct of the Civil War.

I sharply part ways with him on Lincoln's wife and his marriage. I frankly think MB is hopelessly biased against MTL and that he does precisely what he has accused her champions of doing.

He cherry picks the evidence Sad

.