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anniecal's review against another edition
5.0
A must read for anyone interested in American history or politics! Nearly a thousand pages of interpersonal and political drama that reads like a novel. I loved the inclusion of so many petty letters, the focus on each man's ego, weaknesses, and family, and, above all, the incisive view into the most high stakes period US history.
dale_kooyenga's review against another edition
4.0
It is dificult to have an average or poor book about Abraham Lincoln. Authors appear to reinvent the angle they approach Linoln, since it has been done so many times and many authors have succeeded in telling the remarkable story of arguably are finest American. The mark of a great book is when one closes the book and then reflects on their own character. Lincoln did not only reconcile our nation, but he also reconciled personal poitcal relationships time and time again. The only concluson is that Lincoln was a sound Christian, a student of the new testament. Forgiveness was what he believed in and at the end of the day his high road paid political dividends.
karinlib's review against another edition
4.0
4 1/2 stars. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln is an amazing book, featuring not only Lincoln, but the cabinet that supported him.
mildibobildi's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
slichto3's review against another edition
5.0
Team of Rivals really grew on me as I read it. The story is a non-fiction telling of Abraham Lincoln's rise and occupancy of power, while also following many who ended up in Lincoln's presidential Cabinet. When it started, I actually found the book a bit frustrating. Most of the book is linear, but it begins somewhere past the middle: at the Republican convention for president in 1860. During this section, there was a lot of talk about stuff I found incredibly boring, like what the houses of the different nominees looked like.
After that, I had a little bit of difficulty keeping track of the different people. That got easier over time, especially for the core group, but there were a lot of people to keep track of, and it was really something that was a bit confusing at times throughout the book.
Still, those are really the only flaws I can find, because when I got into it, Team of Rivals was pretty amazing. It was a beautifully detailed look at real and compelling historical figures. You get to see so much about them, and it becomes abundantly clear how human they really are. Even though Lincoln was an amazing person, he was still a person, so he had many of the flaws that the rest of us do. He was able to transcend those flaws, but I loved how relatable he and his peers were. When I reached the end of Team of Rivals, I felt more connected to Lincoln, Bates, Chase, Seward, and Stanton than I have to the main characters in most fiction books that I've read. Team of Rivals is really just stunning. It's a long book, and that can make it a tough read requiring perseverance, but it is very worth it. It's extremely educational while also being extremely entertaining.
After that, I had a little bit of difficulty keeping track of the different people. That got easier over time, especially for the core group, but there were a lot of people to keep track of, and it was really something that was a bit confusing at times throughout the book.
Still, those are really the only flaws I can find, because when I got into it, Team of Rivals was pretty amazing. It was a beautifully detailed look at real and compelling historical figures. You get to see so much about them, and it becomes abundantly clear how human they really are. Even though Lincoln was an amazing person, he was still a person, so he had many of the flaws that the rest of us do. He was able to transcend those flaws, but I loved how relatable he and his peers were. When I reached the end of Team of Rivals, I felt more connected to Lincoln, Bates, Chase, Seward, and Stanton than I have to the main characters in most fiction books that I've read. Team of Rivals is really just stunning. It's a long book, and that can make it a tough read requiring perseverance, but it is very worth it. It's extremely educational while also being extremely entertaining.