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Still seems a bit superficial for a cradle-to-grave biography (which it is, despite the author's insistence otherwise at the end), but it does make a better case for its existence than the Jackson book and works pretty well as a basic intro piece.

Critiques calling this a hagiography are off-base without a doubt, but this is undoubtedly sympathetic with an eye towards helping the reader appreciate Jackson's effectiveness as a president. I think it does pretty well despite an ultimately narrow focus and a seeming need to balance the negative with the positive completely throughout. Yes, he could be kind to his family and he was a more calculated leader than his detractors give him credit for - he was also responsible for some of the country's worst atrocities. Don't sugarcoat the obvious.

Compared to Five Weeks in a Balloon, the sense of stakes in this novel is significantly raised - while it takes a while to get to the point, once it gets there, it's non-stop fascination and excitement. Perhaps not my favorite of his, but well worth a read and extremely accessible.

Not a typical cradle-to-grave bio - chronologically consistent but with lots of detours that are important for contextualizing Lincoln's life in the era. It rarely feels peripheral and almost always feels essential, and from my standpoint I think I learned more from this book then perhaps any other Lincoln bio in this project.

"Like all people with timid personalities, his arrogance is unlimited. Anybody who speaks quietly and shrivels up in company is unbelievably arrogant. He acts shy, but he's not. He's scared. He hates himself, and he loves himself, a very tense situation."

- Orson Welles, on Woody Allen

Recommended as long as you're willing to buy into this sort of travelogue framework the author uses, and also understanding that the stakes here are not explained as well as they could be. But it does make a point about Lincoln's homespun, genuine connection to the country and its people that is worth holding onto and not diminishing.

February 1861 to April 1865, covered with all the same strengths that volume 1 had and without focusing so much on military strategy that it loses focus. Lincoln is the centerpiece, as he should be, and those wanting a truly convincing look at the man's life without any concessions or condensing need to pick this up.

From birth to February 1861 - the most in-depth Lincoln bio to date and the best usage of primary sources to construct a massive, yet still readable and engaging narrative. Loved it.

Compelling TMI