Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
When Abraham Lincoln received the party nomination to run as President in 1860, more than a few eyebrows were raised. Who was this unheard of lawyer from the backwoods of Illinois? In her esteemed book, Doris Kearns Goodwin examines not just Lincoln and his meteoric rise to power, but also the lives of the people around him, and how he forged relationships with those who saw him as an adversary.
The five men that Goodwin examines in meticulous detail are Lincoln himself, Salmon P. Chase, Edwin M. Stanton, William H. Seward and Edward Bates. All of whom had either tried to replace or oust Lincoln, or who had real reasons to dislike the man – hence the name of the book, “Team of Rivals”.
The fact that Lincoln managed to form relationships with them, and enter them into his cabinet displayed his magnificent leadership, and stunning sense of self-confidence.
All of this has been well documented before. Do we really need another biography of Lincoln? Goodwin manages to make you say yes, we do.
The book itself is a triumph. Lincoln was renowned as a forthright and engaging speaker and conversationalist, and Goodwin has managed to emulate these skills herself in her writing. The book, although quite long, is fascinating, and some of the tales and regalia are riveting.
Especially the contrast between the 5 men, which really comes to the fore. The examination of the relationships between the “rivals” of the title plays out magnificently. If this were a work of fiction it would be lauded just as much as it is as a biography, and Goodwin’s story-telling skills are indicative of that.
The hook of the book is really how the five “rivals” constantly plotted and planned against Lincoln, from before his nomination continuing through his presidency. The most fascinating thing though, is how Lincoln handled these men, putting rivals into positions of power that proved such a masterstroke.
If you are looking for an expansive biography of Abraham Lincoln, then it’s probably best to look elsewhere. This is not what this book is about – it’s about how a man became a strong leader, the strategies he used, and how he handled conflict all around him.
