
Abraham Lincoln: A Life, Volume One
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Narrated by:
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Sean Pratt
About this listen
In the first multivolume biography of Abraham Lincoln to be published in decades, Lincoln scholar Michael Burlingame offers a fresh look at the life of one of America's greatest presidents. Incorporating the field notes of earlier biographers along with decades of research in multiple manuscript archives and long-neglected newspapers, this remarkable work will both alter and reinforce our current understanding of America's 16th president.
Volume 1 covers Lincoln's early childhood, his experiences as a farm boy in Indiana and Illinois, his legal training, and the political ambition that led to a term in Congress in the 1840s. In Volume 2, Burlingame examines Lincoln's life during his presidency and the Civil War, narrating in fascinating detail the crisis over Fort Sumter and Lincoln's own battles with relentless office seekers, hostile newspaper editors, and incompetent field commanders. Burlingame also offers new interpretations of Lincoln's private life, discussing his marriage to Mary Todd and the untimely deaths of two sons to disease. But through it all - his difficult childhood, his contentious political career, a fratricidal war, and tragic personal losses - Lincoln preserved a keen sense of humor and acquired a psychological maturity that proved to be the North's most valuable asset in winning the Civil War.
This landmark audiobook establishes Burlingame as the most assiduous Lincoln biographer of recent memory and brings Lincoln alive as never before.
©2016 Michael Burligame (P)2016 Gildan Media LLCListeners also enjoyed...
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In Chapter 1, we are introduced to Lincoln's lineage and the history of his grandparents, his parents and the various locations in which they settled. But this chapter is mainly devoted to Lincoln's father Thomas, recounting many of his ventures, personality traits and the intricacies of his relationship with his son. We also learn of his son's childhood experiences, mainly those in his first seven years, which helped shape Lincoln into the man he becomes.
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Better understanding of Lincoln
- By Benedict on 04-17-13
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Britain's War
- Volume 1, Into Battle, 1937-1941
- By: Daniel Todman
- Narrated by: Ric Jerrom
- Length: 35 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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The most terrible emergency in Britain's history, the Second World War, required an unprecedented national effort. An exhausted country had to fight an unexpectedly long war and found itself much diminished amongst the victors. The outcome of the war was nonetheless a triumph, not least for a political system that proved well adapted to the demands of a total conflict and for a population who had to make many sacrifices but who were spared most of the horrors experienced in the rest of Europe.
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Great Performance, Biased with out a warning!
- By dell992 on 06-21-16
By: Daniel Todman
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Grant
- By: Jean Edward Smith
- Narrated by: Keith Sellon-Wright
- Length: 29 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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In this comprehensive biography, Jean Edward Smith reconciles conflicting assessments of Grant's life, arguing that Grant is greatly underrated as a president. Following the turmoil of Andrew Johnson's administration, Grant guided the nation through the post-Civil War era, overseeing Reconstruction of the South and enforcing the freedoms of new African-American citizens. His presidential accomplishments were as considerable as his military victories, for the same strength of character that made him successful on the battlefield also characterized his years in the White House.
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Splendid Biography Inspires New Respect for Grant
- By John David on 10-07-19
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Abraham Lincoln
- The Prairie Years and The War Years
- By: Carl Sandburg
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 44 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Originally published in six volumes, which sold more than one million copies, Carl Sandburg’s Abraham Lincoln was praised as the most noteworthy historical biography of Sandburg’s generation. He later distilled this monumental work into one volume that critics and readers alike consider his greatest work of nonfiction, as well as the most distinguished, authoritative biography of Lincoln ever published.
Growing up in an Illinois prairie town, Sandburg listened to stories of old-timers who had known Lincoln. By the time this single-volume edition was competed, he had spent a lifetime studying, researching, and writing about our 16th president.
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A moving tale of a very human man
- By Sohachi on 06-25-16
By: Carl Sandburg
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A History of the Muslim World
- From Its Origins to the Dawn of Modernity
- By: Michael A. Cook
- Narrated by: Ric Jerrom
- Length: 52 hrs
- Unabridged
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This book describes and explains the major events, personalities, conflicts, and convergences that have shaped the history of the Muslim world. The body of the work takes listeners from the origins of Islam to the eve of the nineteenth century, and an epilogue continues the story to the present day. Michael Cook thus provides a broad history of a civilization remarkable for both its unity and diversity.
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Sweeping yet detailed
- By Dr. Krishnendu Ray on 05-22-24
By: Michael A. Cook
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The American Civil War
- By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
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Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.
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Excellent Series
- By Rodney on 07-09-13
By: Gary W. Gallagher, and others
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Theodore Roosevelt
- A Strenuous Life
- By: Kathleen Dalton
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 27 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Esteemed Harvard University historian and Associate Fellow Kathleen Dalton has been studying Theodore Roosevelt since 1975. This authoritative work, incorporating the latest scholarship, paints a compelling portrait of the president in all his robust glory.
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Excellent Biography
- By viennacoup on 10-18-05
By: Kathleen Dalton
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James Madison
- A Biography
- By: Ralph Ketcham
- Narrated by: Bill Burrows
- Length: 38 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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The best one-volume biography of Madison’s life, Ketcham’s biography not only traces Madison’s career, it gives listeners a sense of the man. As Madison said of his early years in Virginia under the study of Donald Robertson, who introduced him to thinkers like Montaigne and Montesquieu, "all that I have been in life I owe largely to that man." It also captures a side of Madison that is less rarely on display.
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Narrator Too Robotic
- By Anonymous User on 09-20-21
By: Ralph Ketcham
I found the psychoanalyzing incredibly annoying at times ("Lincoln may have mistrusted women because of his abandonment issues following his mother's death" and such) but the author's use of direct quotations and citing of first and secondhand sources throughout the book really makes it stand out among other well-regarded biographies.
Fantastically in-depth
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Exceptionally entertaining and moving
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Fantastic content
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his humility
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Quite thorough, a little dry
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This one ends with him boarding the train for Washington, DC in Springfield. The narrator is especially talented in delivering the various voices and comments from the various people in his life with accents north and south male and female accurately rendered.
History at its most detailed Best
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1) Given it's so long and detailed, it would have been helpful if there was a little more reference here and there to who individuals were. Ex: Senator Bob (who he lived with after we bought that blue unicorn) more important people may even include something like this (discussed in chapter 5 page 200 / minute 36), but maybe there is something like that in the written version?
2) He frequently makes reference to things like "probably written by Lincoln" without giving reason for why he / history believes that Lincoln was the author. The assumptions feel lazy, and out of place in a book that clearly includes a lot of research.
3) He makes a lot of statements giving his assumptions about Lincoln's thoughts and feelings on various matters. Most without any real backing, and therefore come across more like the authors opinions than Lincoln's. He did this on other matters as well (most notably in the beginning when talking about Lincoln's mother / depression / her reputation) but most frequently surrounding Lincoln's thoughts. It felt sloppy and inappropriate.
4) There are many old time sayings or stories that a modern day explanation would have been helpful to include, as they didn't always make sense to me.
Going into it, you have to decide how much backstory you want on his life and circumstances surrounding events, because this gives a lot. If you're looking for less backstory and are more interested in covering important people and events, you'll likely find this a bit dry and slow. If you want details, this gives an impressive amount. I have suggested it to others who I felt would also appreciate it.
Very detailed
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Exceptional volume of research and detail
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R Piepenbrink
Stunning..
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Important Work
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