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Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Audiobook (abridged)9 hours

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

Written by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Narrated by Richard Thomas

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

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About this audiobook

One of the most influential books of the past fifty years, Team of Rivals is Pulitzer Prize–winning author and esteemed presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin’s modern classic about the political genius of Abraham Lincoln, his unlikely presidency, and his cabinet of former political foes.

Winner of the prestigious Lincoln Prize and the inspiration for the Oscar Award winning–film Lincoln, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, directed by Steven Spielberg, and written by Tony Kushner.

On May 18, 1860, William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Edward Bates, and Abraham Lincoln waited in their hometowns for the results from the Republican National Convention in Chicago. When Lincoln emerged as the victor, his rivals were dismayed and angry.

Throughout the turbulent 1850s, each had energetically sought the presidency as the conflict over slavery was leading inexorably to secession and civil war. That Lincoln succeeded, Goodwin demonstrates, was the result of a character that had been forged by experiences that raised him above his more privileged and accomplished rivals. He won because he possessed an extraordinary ability to put himself in the place of other men, to experience what they were feeling, to understand their motives and desires.

It was this capacity that enabled Lincoln as president to bring his disgruntled opponents together, create the most unusual cabinet in history, and marshal their talents to the task of preserving the Union and winning the war.

We view the long, horrifying struggle from the vantage of the White House as Lincoln copes with incompetent generals, hostile congressmen, and his raucous cabinet. He overcomes these obstacles by winning the respect of his former competitors, and in the case of Seward, finds a loyal and crucial friend to see him through.

This brilliant multiple biography is centered on Lincoln's mastery of men and how it shaped the most significant presidency in the nation's history.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateOct 25, 2005
ISBN9780743553704
Author

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Doris Kearns Goodwin’s work for President Johnson inspired her career as a presidential historian. Her first book was Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream. She followed up with the Pulitzer Prize–winning No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Homefront in World War II. She earned the Lincoln Prize for Team of Rivals, in part the basis for Steven Spielberg’s film Lincoln, and the Carnegie Medal for The Bully Pulpit, about the friendship between Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. Her last book, Leadership: In Turbulent Times was the inspiration for the History Channel docuseries on Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin Roosevelt, which she executive produced.

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Reviews for Team of Rivals

Rating: 4.746887966804979 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is, by far, one of the greatest history books I have ever read. Doris Kearns Goodwin attacks all angles of President Lincoln's cabinet, as well as his personal relationship with his wife (Mary Todd) and sons. Not only is Lincoln's point of view presented, but so is Sec. of State Seward's, Sec. of War Stanton's, Sec. of the Treasury Chase's, Sec. of the Navy Welles', and almost every other important political figure in the cabinet.Although this book is over 750 pages, it is well worth the time invested, and you will be surprised at how easily it flows. I highly recommend this book to all history lovers and Lincoln scholars. You will come away with a deeper appreciation and an even higher level of respect for the 16th President of the United States of America.

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    If you stacked all the printed works dealing with the life and Presidency of Abraham Lincoln end to end, they’d likely girdle the Earth. Nevertheless, noted historian Doris Kearns Goodwin has staked out her little piece of turf with this outstanding look at Lincoln through the prism of his diverse Cabinet.Team of Rivals is, as the name suggests, a historical record of Lincoln’s rise to power, primarily focused on the 1860 presidential campaign and the Republican politicians he surprisingly bested in that race. In a move quite unusual for its time, instead of concentrating his power and distributing patronage to his supporters, Lincoln co-opted his rivals by including them in his Civil War Cabinet.Even more so than today, political parties of the period were highly factionalized, especially on the issues of slavery, trade and secession. That Lincoln was not only able to construct such a cabinet, but to keep it together and use it effectively enough to win the American Civil War is perhaps his most impressive accomplishment. Virtually every member of his original cabinet underestimated Lincoln’s intelligence and political savvy. Some (most notably War Secretary Edwin Stanton) treated him with utter contempt. By the time of his death, with the exception of Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase, they all recognized him for his leadership and historical greatness.Even if you’ve read several Lincoln biographies in the past (as I had), I can still highly recommend this look at the war time Lincoln administration through a slightly different lens. I purchased this work in an abridged audio format, 10½ hours of audio in eight CDs and was well pleased with the result.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Like every other American, I learned about Lincoln in school. In reality, none of really learned about Lincoln in school. We learned basic bullet points: He was born in a log cabin; he freed the slaves; he was assassinated. And were maybe made to memorize the Gettysburg Address.As an adult, this baffles me. This Kentucky born, self-educated, rail splitter turned poetic President was not a simple man. I won't get into that, or else I'd be here all day.My true fascination ...more Like every other American, I learned about Lincoln in school. In reality, none of really learned about Lincoln in school. We learned basic bullet points: He was born in a log cabin; he freed the slaves; he was assassinated. And were maybe made to memorize the Gettysburg Address.As an adult, this baffles me. This Kentucky born, self-educated, rail splitter turned poetic President was not a simple man. I won't get into that, or else I'd be here all day.My true fascination with Lincoln's life really came about in the past few years. I don't know, maybe it was the many, many documentaries I watched. But it felt like while researching every kind of political figure, world leader, or any other person who made a mark, I always came back to Lincoln. Maybe because he wasn't some great genius and that he really was just a man.Lincoln only wanted to remembered for one great thing before he left this earth. I think the way we've remembered him and held him up on a pedestal - as almost a mythological figure - is surely humbling him, wherever he is.This book is the perfect starting point to anyone wanting to learn about the real Lincoln. Not the Lincoln we learned about in elementary school or about the mythological saint-like figure America has made him out to be, but the man.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    My first thought is "Man, that was a long book." My second thought is "Wow, that was good." It was long, but well worth the read. I learned a lot about Lincoln and his political genius and have come away with a great deal of respect for the man and his accomplishments. He was a man of great intelligence and political skill. Goodwin pulls heavily from the personal diaries, journals and letters of the men and women around Lincoln, as well as the man himself, to create a narrative reflective of the day to day lives of Mr. Lincoln and his cabinet members. It's a narrative that draws you in and keeps you reading. Not all the members of Lincoln's cabinet got along, but that was the genius of Lincoln. He chose people who had strengths where he was lacking and who would present opposing points of view, to which he would listen and incorporate into his way of thinking. But he also had a very strong mind of his own and had a particular nack for presenting an argument and bringing people around to his point of view. After reading this book, one wonders how the country would be different if Lincoln had not been the president during such a difficult time in our history and how the country might have been affected had he not been assassinated so soon into his second term as president. So much potential lost. This book is enthusiastically recommended to history and Civil War buffs and Lincoln fans especially.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    One of the most detailed and engrossing works on history I've read in a long time.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Doris Kearns Goodwin quotes Tolstoy saying: “Washington was a typical American. Napoleon was a typical Frenchman, but Lincoln was a humanitarian as broad as the world. He was bigger than his country - bigger than all the Presidents together. When conservatives aren't trying to co-opt Lincoln as a Republican in order to entice the votes of Democrats, they often decry him as a usurper of state's rights and seem to dislike him as much as they do Obama, and for good reason. Both men seemed weak at times because they strove so hard for political compromise putting the good of the country above the desires of even their most ardent supporters. Both seem without vengeance in dealing with those who oppose them. But what is hated about both is that they promoted human rights above economic rights. Goodwin's book explains the meaning of the Gettysburg address and Lincoln's 2nd inaugural address so that even those of us who had to memorize them in school finally understand the enormity of his words. And stupid John Wilkes Booth who so loved the South did it immeasurable damage by expressing his vengeance in killing the man who may have been able to bring the country together at the end of the Civil War: With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about US history and about the contributions one person can make to the world.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent book. I absolutely loved it :-) Will read it again sometime
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Abraham Lincoln, in most people’s minds, has passed out of history and into myth or legend. His deeds and his dying are known the world over. His words are still common currency in the USA. What is always missing for me is the man; what was he like, how did he manage his country, how did he cope what kind of jokes did he like?Doris Kearns Goodwin has written a masterly volume that reveals the man and makes him more glorious by doing so. Having beaten more famous and more accomplished politicians to the Republican nomination and then the Presidency itself, Lincoln proceeded to recruit all these opponents into his government. Talent and commitment were the driving traits that caused Lincoln to appoint a man to office.The shenanigans that Goodwin reveals! In any age and under any circumstances the political skills and, it has to be said, the nannying that Lincoln had to exercise would have made him a great politician. To have done so while enduring and leading a great nation through those troubled times is astonishing.Goodwin revels in the apposite quote and marshals a huge volume of source data to reveal the day-to-day exercise of power and management of people who, frankly, see them selves above being managed. This is a highly readable and absorbing history that eschews the event- and fact-based historical chronologies in favour of the every day lives and personal battles of great men.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I found this book to be a quick and easy read, despite its length. It's well written, well-organized, and easy to follow. The focus on the interaction between Lincoln's cabinet members is an interesting angle that totally justifies the time spent introducing the main characters. In fact, unlike many of the reviewers on this site, I found the pre-story (1860 and earlier) to be the most compelling and tightly written part of the book. After the war starts, the focus on the cabinet fades, which seems like a wasted opportunity after such a solid introduction.My other disappointment in the book was the lack of focus on the Cabinet's reaction to events on the battlefield. For example, in Kearns, the Battle of Shiloh gets less than one sentence: "After a ghastly battle at Shiloh two months later left twenty thousand casualties on both sides, the Union would go on to secure Memphis and the entire state of Tennessee." Twenty thousand casualties was a watershed at that time, but if we were to go by Kearns' book, the Cabinet never discussed it. In contrast, after a 30-page narrative of the Battle of Shiloh, here is how Shelby Foote concludes: Total casualties in all three of the nation's previous wars -- the Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Mexican War: 10623+6765+5885 -- were 23273. Shiloh's totaled 23741, and most of them were Grant's . . . [Grant] later said quite frankly that, from Shiloh on, "I gave up all idea of saving the Union except by complete conquest."Of course, Kearn's book is not the place for the narrative we find in Shelby Foote, but in a book about the workings of Lincoln's cabinet, I would have liked to learn what Lincoln, Seward, Stanton, and Welles thought and said about the battle. Instead we're treated to a three-page discussion of the wedding of a cabinet member's daughter, and other gossip about various ways Mary Lincoln insulted various cabinet members and their families.Nevertheless, I am grateful to this book for introducing me to some of the major characters in the cabinet, whom I hope to find the time to get to know better in other biographies. Also, its description of the months between the election of 1860 and Fort Sumter does a great job of highlighting just how taken aback the Republicans were by the South's desire to secede. This turning point in history has always puzzled me, and I appreciate how Kearns has contributed to my understanding of the clash of cultures that brought on the war.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Let me just start by saying that I highly recommend this book.Just as I was beginning it, a friend forwarded me a rather snarky analysis of Kearns Goodwin's thesis or, I should say, thesis as he imagined it. I'm still not clear on whether he actually read the book or was just reacting to the press about it but, thankfully, I stopped reading about two lines in when his condescension became clear. Suffice it say that he believes that there was nothing remarkable about Lincoln's cabinet since all presidents up to that time culled their governments from their rivals.Thankfully, Kearns Goodwin analysis of Lincoln is far more nuanced. While she clearly has a love affair going on with our 16th president, she persuasively shares Lincoln's qualities with her readers. As painted by Kearns Goodwin, Lincoln was a remarkable, ambitious but not egotistical, pragmatist. His ability to look past his rivals' personal slights and to see the strengths that they could bring to bear coupled with his innate diplomacy allowed him to cobble together a government during this country's most trying times.Would that Lincoln's abilities had been equally as successful in his choices of generals. The most frustrating part of reading this book was the repetitiousness of the struggles Lincoln experienced with his parade of incompetent generals. More than once I found myself exclaiming out loud in frustration as Kearns Goodwin related yet another ridiculous episode with this general or that one.Kearns Goodwin is obviously enamored of her subject and successfully persuades the reader that this admiration is well placed.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Sometimes a book so overwhelms me that I have a difficult time trying to describe the impact it has had on me. This is one of those books. In one of the Harry Potter books Harry goes back in time to witness actual events. Goodwin creates a similar experience for her readers as she vividly portrays events and reveals intimate details about the lives of the participants. Her descriptions give the reader the feeling of being present in these activities and her revealing of each person’s personality brings a life to historical events as I have never before experienced. This book has the power of great literature with masterful character development and a riveting plot.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Quite interesting but there were parts where I zoned out and couldn't keep up. Otherwise, I enjoyed the story. Just wish it didn't skip around where my mind couldn't stay on top of it. Definitely recommend!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I have always loved and admired Abraham Lincoln. I'm not sure exactly why, but he was certainly one of those people that we studied often in school. Later, the more I read of his words, the more I found to admire. But I have such a profound respect for him after reading this book.I think what I learned most from this book is that his very qualities that made him such a great man - his generosity, his good humor, his even temper, his kindness, his drive, his affection - were the qualities that made him a great leader. He was able to work with just about anyone. He tried to bring out the best in people, but if they were still unwilling to cooperate, he usually found ways to get around them. His best friend was a man who could have been his worst enemy.I admit that I cried when I read about Lincoln's death. It wasn't exactly a surprise ending, but it still made me cry as I read of his death, and even more when I read of how deeply he was mourned by all who knew him. Every man in his cabinet was deeply saddened by the loss of a man they each considered a friend.For a man who was very private about his own religious beliefs and could not accept the existence of an afterlife, I can't help but believe that Abraham Lincoln was preserved by God for the very task he accomplished. It's hard to imagine another man who could have saved the union and end slavery at the same time. It is a miracle that he was able to accomplish as much as he did, and although his convictions cost him his life, Lincoln himself would have thought that a very small price to pay for his country. 5 stars
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    As good as the hype.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The best book about Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War I have read. Doris Kearns Goodwin had the ability to make history come alive - similar to David McCullough.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Great insights into the life of a great man and into the challenges of our country at a crossroads. Living in Richmond makes it easy to visit many of the sights and battlefields within a days drive, including Fords Theater. Reading this book adds an additional layer of understanding to those meaningful visits.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a magnificent book. Anybody interested in reading about Lincoln or his cabinet should begin here. Kearns does a fabulous job of debunking the myth that Lincoln was a homespun bumpkins. Rather she shows him as firmly dedicated to his moderate anti-slavery principles, but willing to compromise enough to further his own political objectives. Lincoln comes across as caring and compassionate, governing his sometimes self-absorbed cabinet members.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Superb historical account and insight into one of the greatest leaders the world has ever seen. It informed me, enthralled me and moved me.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wow! Talk about a fantastic book. I decided I'd had enough mindless reading and picked up a juicy non-fiction. I definitely made the right choice with this one. Goodwin does a remarkable job introducing us to the men who served in Lincoln's cabinet and describing the American political climate in which these men had to function. I also loved that she didn't take sides (North good, South evil) and make biased assumptions. She presented both sides of the civil war very well and gave just enough detail about the action on the field of battle to remind readers just what Lincoln and his team were trying to work with. I definitely recommend this book to anyone, not just history buffs. It's so well-written, so easy to read, and so interesting that you'll find you have a hard time putting it down.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I admit that I skimmed through great sections of this but I couldn't abide reading more about the personal lives of Chase, Bates, et al. The actually workings of Lincoln's cabinet I found quite interesting, however, and the book overall gave me a renewed appreciation for our greatest president.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It is obvious why it won the Pulitzer Prize. This is a compulsively readable book, with an interesting thesis and an obvious mastery of the details of Lincoln's life and the times in which he lived. I highly recommend it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wonderfully written and beautifully read. This book captures the essence of Abraham Lincoln: his humanity; his kindness; his leadership. He lived what he wrote “With malice towards none and charity for all”
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book is simply amazing! Best book I have ever read. Highly recommended
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Team of Rivals was my introduction to the life of Abraham Lincoln. I admit to being an Englishman with a profound ignorance of American History and read this shortly after Battle Cry of Freedom. I believe the two complement each other without great overlap.I cannot comment on the accuracy of the author’s views being little read on the subject but from page 1 the author captured my interest in her subject with her bright, clear and seemingly authoritative knowledge of Lincoln’s life, times and equally importantly those around him. She managed to achieve an unusual feat in a non fiction work, she had me engaged with her characters, I had an emotional attachment to them, this I only realised myself, during the chapter on Lincoln’s death. I can now understand why American’s are justly proud of their 16th President, and I am thankful to The Team of Rivals for my introduction.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Doris Kearns Goodwin has written a history of Abraham Lincoln that is unique in its approach to the subject. With a focus on Lincoln's "political genius" in her book Team of Rivals she tells the story not only of his ascendancy to the Presidency and various trials of office, but also the story of his rivals for the Presidency and the strategy he used for dealing with them once he was elected President. After his surprising nomination as a "dark horse" candidate and somewhat less surprising election he shocked the political establishment by naming his former rivals to his cabinet. It is this story and the background stories of each of these politicians that make Team of Rivals an essential addition to the massive library of books about Abraham Lincoln.I found the narratives about the lives of William Seward, Salmon P. Chase, and Edward Bates fascinating and a rewarding read. While the story of Lincoln held my interest more due to the beautiful prose style of the author Goodwin than to any revelations about his well-documented life (for anyone who has not read a biography of Lincoln I would recommend that written by David Herbert Donald). With additional information about Edwin M. Stanton the quartet of major politicos was complete. Both the quotidian details of political life and the intrigue, including the nuance of the various shades of abolitionist behavior, were fascinating. The story of how they complemented each other, often helped along by Lincoln's astute decisions, combined with the background of secession and civil war turmoil makes this a great work of history.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I like all the books of Doris about great American presidents.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Don't blame Doris Kearns Goodwin for my mediocre 3.5-star assessment. She did an admirable job capturing the "essence" of Abe, including his brilliant strategy of including his rivals in the Washington power structure. I found the first part of the book (pre-presidency and the transition) utterly fascinating. Ditto for the final section. My problem is that I've just never been a student of the American Civil War. "Team of Rivals," for completely justifiable reasons, focuses many of its pages chronicling a variety of battles. Put simply, I lost interest in the middle of the book. Still, I learned quite a bit about Lincoln, his family and the era.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    So much has been written about the events recounted in this book; at this point in time, all the facts, as such, are known. So what else is to be done, what more can be said? One or more of three things, it seems to me. Re-interpretation, for instance; although it's getting hard to come up with something new to say, it's not completely impossible. Or, one could re-combine the facts in a way that might shine a special light on some aspect that, perhaps, has, I say again, perhaps, been underemphasized. Or, one could try to tell the same tale better than anyone else has before, either in terms of literary style or communicative skill, if there is any difference. Goodwin has focused on the second and third of these options, it seems to me. Her theme is Lincoln's skill, genius if you will, in manipulating people, whether friends or enemies. He was extraordinarily successful at this, particularly in the political realm. The consequences in terms of national policy or military accomplishment, however, are debatable, to say the least. The first part of the book is the best, as Goodwin contrasts the early lives of the four leading contenders for the Republican nomination in 1860: Lincoln, William Seward, Salmon Chase and Edward Bates. Then, Goodwin settles into a straightforward chronicle of the War, with a spotlight on doings in the cabinet. Finally, and disappointingly, she succumbs to Lincoln hagiography. Never having tried, I guess it's very hard to write anything about Lincoln without ending up on your knees, although at least Gore Vidal only descended to one knee. But, then, he was overtly writing fiction.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is an interesting approach to biography. It provides new insights to Lincoln's personality and leadership style.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Kearns Goodwin's "team" approach with this Lincoln biography reflects our great poet president's approach to people and politics. I was fascinated throughout, both by her rendering of Lincoln's personality, and also the bigger picture she paints in telling the story of the men Lincoln gathered to himself alongside his own story. I'm glad I chose this book to fill in the depth I missed out on in history class.