Richard N Current

[DannyW]

What can anyone tell me about Dr Current. At one time he was called “The
Dean of Lincoln Scholare.” His book The Lincoln Nobody Knows I have a copy. But for the life of me I’m trying to remember why. Maybe it was for a book review in college way back in the early 80s. I’m going to have to
reread it because I didn’t know what I was reading in order to comprehend the information.

Also, what do you think of David Herbert Donald’s biography of Lincoln. Donald is from my home state of Mississippi but went to college in Illinois I’m ashamed to say I have not read it. But, from what reviews I’ve read it seems to be a very good overview of Lincoln.

One other book I looked at was what someone said on Twitter(that great source of information.)This person that the book Lincoln’s Melancholy got them hooked on studying Lincoln. I know Lincoln lost children but just wondering what other things might have depressed him?

[AussieMick]

David Herbert Donald’s biography of Lincoln is 'the' one as far as I'm concerned. Great reading even if you're not an academic. And if you are, there's plenty of sources identified.

I didnt like Lincoln's Melancholy. It seemed to be making guesses and assumptions. I also found it boring, veering off subject at times into areas which seemed on the periphery of relevance.

[Gene C]

Haven't read Current's book, so I look forward to your sharing with us about it when you finish reading it.

We have talked about the other two, both are good and worth owning.
Donald's is a big book, so I would suggest getting a hardcover, it will hold up better over time.
I only read it for the first time, two years ago.

An equally good biography, a little shorter and less detailed is one by Benjamin Thomas

[davg2000]

Donald's life of Lincoln is the most readable, I think, of the "modern" biographies I've read. For me it was like a novel. I think Burlingame's exhaustive 2-volume work is good, too, but what a commitment to time! I have Ron White's book, but I haven't got to it yet.

[Rob Wick]

Richard Current is one of the canonical Lincoln scholars. Not only did he produce scholarship on his own, he finished James G. Randall's four volume Lincoln the President after Randall died of leukemia in 1953.

Speaking of Randall, David Donald was his most conspicuous student when Donald was at the University of Illinois. It was Randall that suggested Donald write about Herndon for his doctoral dissertation.

As for the quality of Donald's biography, it certainly has earned the praise it has received, but I still think Benjamin Thomas's biography is the best single volume out there. Ronald White's came out after Donald's and honestly it is far better than Donald, in my opinion. As for Burlingame's two-volume biography, what makes it a must for me is the online version that Knox College hosts. It has all the sources that Johns Hopkins wouldn't put in due to space, plus one isn't burdened with the lousy job of binding that Johns Hopkins did.

Allow me to make a pitch also for the single-volume condensation of Carl Sandburg's six-volume biography. It is still in print and even though it isn't as well-written as Sandburg's multiple volumes, it still entices the reader.

Best
Rob