Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

From the Publisher

An analysis of Abraham Lincoln's political talents identifies the character strengths and abilities that enabled his successful election above three accomplished candidates, in an account that also describes how he used the same abilities to rally former opponents in forming his cabinet and winning the Civil War. By the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of No Ordinary Time.

Review

David Bromwich - New York Review of Books
"...Goodwin is a popular historian with a fine eye for the illustrative detail, and she has collected and put in order a tremendous fund of anecdotes and data."

Review

David W. Blight - Newsday (Long Island, N.Y.)
"Goodwin makes no apologies for a great man approach to history; this tome will reward lovers of biography, while it may annoy those readers who comprehend historical change through more than the acts of powerful individuals. But all will have a good read. Goodwin has a marvelous narrative gift....[W]hen it comes to political complexity and intrigue, Goodwin excels."

Review

Michiko Kakutani - New York Times
"...Ms. Goodwin's narrative abilities, demonstrated in her earlier books, are on full display here...."

Review

Thomas Mallon - Atlantic Monthly
"[A]n enormous book possessed of a friendly grandeur and, against all odds, a considerable freshness."

More about the book

In 1860, in Chicago, Illinois, the Republican Party made a historic choice when it selected Abraham Lincoln to be its candidate for the presidency. The choice stunned each of Lincoln's three rival candidates--William Henry Seward of New York; Salmon P. Chase of Ohio; and Edward Bates of Missouri--all of whom were better known nationally and better connected politically--and each of whom thought he himself would win. Even more surprising, but indicative of his character, is that Lincoln asked these three rivals to join his cabinet, which they did--and they made it work. In a rich historical narrative, Doris Kearns Goodwin brings to life each of these figures, showing their significant individual contributions as well as how they challenged the president and sometimes stung him. What come across is a deep psychological portrait of Lincoln as a great conciliator and man of vision, always putting the greater good before expediency. And while much has been made of Lincoln's melancholy, it is also true that he was good in company, a born storyteller and jokester. Lincoln is perhaps the most written-about president in history, but in this group biography, Goodwin manages to find some new perspectives on Lincoln and his times. A New York Times Notable Book for the year 2005.