A review by amycrea
Mary Todd Lincoln: A Biography by Jean H. Baker

4.0

Really interesting book about a fascinating woman. I didn't know much about her, other than rumors of her being troubled. My only bone to pick with the book is the tirade the author goes on about Mary's son Robert having her institutionalized. Granted, by today's standards Mary would seem eccentric, not mentally ill, but in those days, it might have seemed quite logical. Plus he had issues of his own to deal with--father being assassinated, siblings dying young of terrible diseases, mother spending all her free time in seances, wife an alcoholic, etc. I don't know Robert's story--maybe he was a vengeful, horrible person. Might be interesting to know the other side of that story.