Team of Rivals：The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

AcclaimedhistorianDorisKearnsGoodwinilluminatesLincoln'spoliticalgeniusinthishighlyoriginalwork,astheone-termcongressmanandprairielawyerrisesfromobscuritytoprevailoverthreegiftedrivalsofnationalreputationtobecomepresident.OnMay18,1860,WilliamH.Seward,SalmonP.Chase,EdwardBates,andAbrahamLincolnwaitedintheirhometownsfortheresultsfromtheRepublicanNationalConventioninChicago.WhenLincolnemergedasthevictor,hisrivalsweredismayedandangry.Throughouttheturbulent1850s,eachhadenergeticallysoughtthepresidencyastheconflictoverslaverywasleadinginexorablytosecessionandcivilwar.ThatLincolnsucceeded,Goodwindemonstrates,wastheresultofacharacterthathadbeenforgedbyexperiencesthatraisedhimabovehismoreprivilegedandaccomplishedrivals.Hewonbecausehepossessedanextraordinaryabilitytoputhimselfintheplaceofothermen,toexperiencewhattheywerefeeling,tounderstandtheirmotivesanddesires.ItwasthiscapacitythatenabledLincolnaspresidenttobringhisdisgruntledopponentstogether,createthemostunusualcabinetinhistory,andmarshaltheirtalentstothetaskofpreservingtheUnionandwinningthewar.Weviewthelong,horrifyingstrugglefromthevantageoftheWhiteHouseasLincolncopeswithincompetentgenerals,hostilecongressmen,andhisraucouscabinet.Heovercomestheseobstaclesbywinningtherespectofhisformercompetitors,andinthecaseofSeward,findsaloyalandcrucialfriendtoseehimthrough.ThisbrilliantmultiplebiographyiscenteredonLincoln'smasteryofmenandhowitshapedthemostsignificantpresidencyinthenation'shistory.