“Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin – The Master of Men

There have been countless biographies in regards to Abraham Lincoln over many years, with countless authors having tried to dissect his life as best they could. It would seem that at this point, we pretty much have all the information about Abraham that we could ever need, and there is simply no room left for any more biographies.

Well, at least it seemed so until Doris Kearns Goodwin went ahead and proved everybody wrong when she published her book titled Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.

What precisely sets this autobiography apart from the others? Well, to start things off, I have to say that she does tread in familiar territory in some cases, and the information kind of seems boring and re-hashed for those who have read other Lincoln biographies.

However, that doesn't last for very long as Doris turns most of her attention to three men and how Lincoln related to them. What was so special about those men? Well, all three of them held much disdain for Lincoln as he beat them for the Republican nomination in 1860. However, Lincoln put each and every one of them to use, hiring William H. Seward as secretary of the state, Salmon P. Chase as secretary of the treasury, and Edward Bates as attorney general.

What gives, you ask? Well, that’s pretty much what Doris looks into: how and why Lincoln managed to turn the hate these men had for him and make them into true allies, because by the end of it, all three men had a great deal of respect and admiration for Lincoln.

Doris looks into how Lincoln, above being a political sensation, was also a true connoisseur of the human spirit, someone who knew how to use everyone to his advantage without causing them harm. He knew what cards to play in order for everyone to benefit.

Apart from the parts that have common information about Lincoln, I found this book to be a very interesting read as it offers a perspective on the former president which has seldom been seen anywhere.

He isn't examined for his political achievements or even his personal accomplishments… only for his interpersonal skills. This actually makes him look like a very manipulative person who was more than capable of weaving webs of lies and deceit for his purposes.

All in all, any fan of Lincoln should have a look at this biography, because it really does stand out, at least in my eyes, amongst all the other ones out there. In order to place an order for the book, simply go over to the following link below.

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Doris Kearns Goodwin Doris Kearns Goodwin (born as Doris Helen Kearns) is an American author, having written biographies, historical works as well as political commentaries. Most notable, she did the biographies of several American presidents and was even awarded the Pulitzer Prize. Some of her better-known works include The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys and The Home Front in World War II.