Copyright: 2006

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

ISBN: 0743270754

For some history reading over the summer I listened to the audio book "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.  The book is a massive (something like 36 CDs) and present an incredibly in-depth view into the political atmosphere surrounding Lincoln's rise to the Presidency.

Kearns starts by looking at the background of each of the men who ran against Lincoln in the primary.  These men all had deep political backgrounds and high ambition.  Even though each of them intensely disliked Lincoln as a rival, each of them grew to respect him as they later served with him in his Cabinet.  Kearns does an excellent job of maintaining an entertaining narrative while at the same time piecing together and intricate puzzle of political maneuvering amidst the rise of war.

Quotes

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing." ~ Abraham Lincoln

Conclusion

If you love politics and like the intertwining, ever complex world of political ambition, this book is a great read.  It explores the political climate as well as the political prowess of a number of men of the era.  If you are looking for heart-warming stories of Lincoln in a log cabin, this book isn't for you.