'Team of Rivals' by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Teresa Cook

Doris Kearns Goodwin tells the story of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and the Civil War through the prism of his cabinet, a group of men Lincoln chose to administer the country with him.

Lincoln was wise in choosing his political rivals, some of whom were also rivals with each other, to make up his cabinet. There was contention among cabinet members, but Lincoln knew he needed their political strengths and their expertise in the administration of the war and running of the Treasury.

Goodwin starts with brief biographies of all the key players in the story, and then follows them as their lives and politics intersect, finally bringing them all together when Lincoln begins his first term in 1861.

It is a testament to Goodwin’s talent that 754 pages of detailed history of the Civil War era (not something I normally care about) would keep me interested enough to spend weeks reading it.

The book is well known for having won a Pulitzer Prize and much well-deserved praise from critics, in addition to being a starting point for “Lincoln,” the movie.

Goodwin's narrative style is a breeze to read and she made history easy to understand. She skillfully shows how Lincoln’s thinking developed along with the issues of the day and how he brought his cabinet and the country around to finally abolish slavery and pass the 13th Amendment.

I found myself crying along with Lincoln’s cabinet members when he was assassinated.

This is a must read for anyone interested in history and the Civil War, but even if you are not a history buff, this book tells a very readable and compelling American story.