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heidihaverkamp's review
3.0
I felt like I learned a lot about the Lincolns as a couple - from a book that didn't totally trash Mary. She's a hard one, but reading about their early life together, especially, was illuminating. The book doesn't try to stretch the story - although it definitely tries to take Mary in the best light, but doesn't shirk from the fact that she was a pretty hard person to be around. And made a lot of bad choices. I had no idea about the end of her life - she spent years living in Europe, after she got out of the asylum. Lots of great detail, but not too much. More photos would've been interesting.
pocketvolcano's review against another edition
5.0
I was glad to finally read a fair, balanced view of Mary Lincoln. This poor lady has had so much thrown at her during her life and after her death. As it says, only Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton have had more abuse thrown. Mrs. Lincoln had a hard life with only a few high points. She deserves more sympathy than scorn. Hopefully more balanced scholarship will show her as a woman and not a monster. And hopefully she found peace in death that she never truly found in life.
bluebirdiebop's review
I am not much of a non-fic person. The book could not keep me in.
cwu's review
3.0
Not bad, but seems like it had the possibility to be more interesting. Several times the author alluded to or mentioned scandals or falling outs between people without explaining it. Sometimes this was discussed later on in the book and sometimes it was in the endnotes, although there were no markers to indicate the presence of endnotes. Sometimes these mentions were not really discussed at all. Some more quotes from primary sources might have been nice to see what people were saying about Mary Lincoln in their own words rather than through just the author's interpretation. Overall, not bad but not really exciting either.
davidshq's review against another edition
4.0
Solid book with lots of insights into the 19th century generally - as well as Abe and Mary Lincoln particularly. My full review is here: http://www.daveenjoys.com/2012/10/17/book-review-mrs-lincoln-author-catherine-clinton/.
khoerner7's review against another edition
2.0
While this is the newest bio on Mary Lincoln, it did not add any new info to what I have read in others.
asr2b's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting perspective, with any doubt in the historical record breaking in favor of Mary Todd Lincoln, instead of against her (as has been more common).
julia_dale's review against another edition
2.0
The writing was not compelling. Maybe it's because I haven't read a lot of historical biographies, but I felt like the narrative was really choppy. Mrs. Lincoln seemed to be an unhappy character.
rlbasley's review against another edition
3.0
I have read a few other books on the the life of Mrs. Lincoln. Reading about her upbringing makes her later life choices and her thought to be "odd" decisions very understandable. I think for the most part she was misunderstood.