Written by Doris Kearns Goodwin
“I fear you do not fully comprehend the danger of abridging the liberties of the people. Nothing but the sternest necessity can ever justify it. A government had better go to the extreme of toleration than to do aught that could be construed into an interference with, or to jeopardize in any degree, the common rights of its citizens.”
—Abraham Lincoln
The Old Testament of the Bible tells us that, long ago, giants walked the Earth.
There are no more giants left in the world. Team of Rivals makes that fact abundantly, definitively clear.
This is one of the most magnificent works of scholarship that I have ever had to privilege to read. The Civil War is merely a backdrop for this book: the real meat lies in the origin stories of the men named Lincoln, Seward, Chase & Bates…rivals for the Presidency of the United States, only to be subsequently assembled in order to save a nation. Petty battles, epic arguments, aching sadness, and glorious triumphs…all under the watchful eye of a single man, with a single vision.
If you have any remaining doubts thatr Abraham Lincoln was the greatest President of the United States of America…if not the greatest leader of the modern age…then this book will sweep them aside. In its simple yet lyrical fashion, Doris Kearns Goodwin manages to make the case for his legend without any overt hyperbole or sycophant agenda. Lincoln simply IS the embodiment of all we want our leaders to be…even his faults are simply those of a man who tries his best to be the very best man he can be. There’s a reason free slaves knelt before this man…only to be told, with all humility, not to kneel before him. He is the embodiment of the benevolent power and greatness of the United States of America…the inspiration for its very existence. Nothing is made more clear in this book than his ability to simply LEAD: by example, by thought & deed, and by words so beautiful they will make you weep.
But Goodwin goes further, by telling us the story of the men of his government: rivals who became friends, admirers and dreamers, sharing the same dream. They were all lit with the same fire that drove Lincoln. Each one had flaws, and suffered through trials and tribulations.. Yet each one - for better or for worse - managed to prosper. Men who may never receive the same in-depth analysis as Lincoln in other works…ALL of them manage to share the limelight in this glorious work. Reflected & enhanced by the light of Lincoln’s personality, they become more important, more fascinating, and more satisfying than in any other work that may even mention them. In fact, their stories come to light in the same manner that Lincoln brought out their talents and abilities…with warmth & respect.
It’s the storytelling method that makes the writing sing like an aria. Much like Margaret MacMillan, Doris Goodwin seeks to frame her history in a simple, straightforward manner - letting the characters lead us to the great events, and sharing an intimacy with their thoughts and feelings that is unparalleled in other works. This should be required reading for all sorts of students, never mind the general public.
Scholarship aside, the key success of the book is that it leaves a giant ACHE in the heart of the reader. To know that such men existed…such leadership, courage and hard work once underlay the very fabric of a great nation…of ANY nation…only to sing to us now from the mists of the past. President-Elect Obama is often compared to Lincoln, and seeks inspiration from Lincoln. But as this book so devastatingly reveals, there are no more Lincolns to turn to…perhaps there never will be again. We live in an age when Lincolns, Churchills, Trudeaus, and Gorbachevs are nothing but myth, legend and fantasy…whispering to us from ages past, and mocking the visionless, atrophied, unimaginative plodders who seek to lead the world in the present day.
Read Team of Rivals, and contemplate a time of great men, great achievements, and great aspirations. Read Team of Rivals…and weep.
