Just finished "Team of Rivals" Lincoln's Political Genius by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Outstanding....one of my all-time favorite biographies. Highly recommend it....as I recall JO'Co suggested Vidal's Lincoln as one of his favorites. JO'Co if you have not picked it up, it's a very worthwhile read. Great insights on Lincoln and the inner workings of his extraordinary Cabinet in extraordinary times.....Seward, Stanton, Chase, et al. Great characters all.
Just finished the book "Manhunters." It's the story of Lincoln's assination and the hunt for Booth. Very interesting story. Good follow up on the Lincoln book you just read.
I bought Team of Rivals back in the summer and I've finally worked my way down my reading list (next to my bed) so that its next up! I've often thought that Lincoln's Cabinet, made up of all the guys who ran against him for president, and Washington's Cabinet, with both Hamilton and Jefferson in it, were the most remarkable of all-time. I'm looking forward to reading it... re: Manhunters I saw the guy who wrote that on the book channel or whatever it is they call that channel that reviews books. It looked great. BTW- the best book on the assassination that I read in the last year was American Brutus by Michael Kauffman. It was the best book about Booth that I ever read. It made understanding his motives and those of other Southerners at that time a lot easier...
Thanks for the tip Gip....I'll pick it up. JO'Co, I agree re: the Cabinets. Lincoln had to have political cajones the size of bowling balls to put that group together but managed them brilliantly as detailed in the book. Re; Washington - Whenever we're taking a family road trip in the car and the kids - 2 one of each - start squabbling and scrapping in the back seat, for some reason I always think of him and his loyal cabinet! :lol:
re: Washington's Cabinet We would all be hard pressed to name two more brilliant Americans than Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Even on a list with Madison, Edison and Einstein they might still be at or near the top. Poor Washington! The arguments between those two led directly to the two party system that we have today and inspired our first president to warn against the formation of political parties and factions in his Farewell Address to the nation...but it was already too late! BTW- how Hamilton lived as long as he did (49) without someone shooting him sooner is a mystery to me. His personal arrogance and lack of tact is still astounding to read even after more than 200 years...
Just finished reading Team of Rivals. It was very enjoyable. Of note was the New York Times calling Lincoln a poorly educated country rube. I also note that so many cowards in the North opposed the war as casualties mounted. As usual, their type were willing to surrender at the first sight of bleeding. In the end Lincoln was acknowledged as one of our greates presidents and despite the never-ending anti-war jellyfish, he and the country prevailed.
No doubt he was a piece of work, but brilliant and invaluable to Washington, both as General and President. The beloved Jefferson must have had a better PR guy because he was also an SOB, bordering on treasonous. Many of the fundamental infrastructure components Hamilton developed while at Treasury remain in place....speaking of good books, for those interested in Hamilton, Chernow's biography Alexander Hamilton is excellent.... Chernow's other historical biographies that I have read Titan , John D. Rockefeller and The House of Morgan , JP Morgan were also good reads.
I'm a Chernow fan and I thought that Titan was one of the best books I've ever read... How was House of Morgan? Did he find a way to make JP Morgan seem human? As I recall, that guy was a little ferocious...
I agree re: Chernow. He does an outstanding job. I would highly recommend both Alexander Hamilton and The House of Morgan. Both fascinating reads....the Morgan book I thought was a complimentary, but fair and not gushingly over the top, portrayal of both the man and the institution bearig his name with great insights into the inner workings of Wall Street back in "the day". One of my favorites.