Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin (2005, Hardcover)

Synopsis
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.

Key Details
Author:	Doris Kearns Goodwin
Language:	English
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster
Format:	Hardcover
ISBN-10:	0684824906
ISBN-13:	9780684824901

Size
Length:	916 pages
Thickness:	2 in
Weight:	50.4 oz

Publisher's Note
Acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin illuminates Lincoln's political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman and prairie lawyer rises from obscurity to prevail over three gifted rivals of national reputation to become president.

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.

Acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin illuminates Lincoln's political genius in this original work, as the one-term congressman and prairie lawyer rises from obscurity to prevail over three gifted rivals of national reputation to become president.
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.
This multiple biography is centered on Lincoln's mastery of men and how it shaped the most significant presidency in the nation's history.

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. 350,000 first printing.

An analysis of Abraham Lincoln's political talents identifies the character strengths and abilities that enabled his successful election, in an account that also describes how he used the same abilities to rally former opponents in winning the Civil War.

Industry Reviews
"...Doris Kearns Goodwin has written an elegant, incisive study of Lincoln and leading members of his cabinet that will appeal to experts as well as to those whose knowledge of Lincoln is an amalgam of high school history and popular mythology."
New York Times Book Review - James M. McPherson (11/06/2005)