political genius abraham_lincoln book winning american historian published book biographical portrait president abraham_lincoln men served cabinet cabinet members previously run lincoln election attorney general secretary treasury secretary state book focuses lincoln successful attempts reconcile conflicting personalities political factions path abolition victory american civil war sixth book received critics won lincoln prize inaugural book prize american history president barack_obama cited favorite books said model constructing cabinet steven_spielberg film based book released critical acclaim background sixth book american historian awarded pulitzer prize history book ordinary time franklin home world war similar study personalities roosevelt white house spent years research writing stated inspired tell stories men chase lincoln realizing cabinet members written extensive diaries letters provide new angle lincoln studies work scandal erupted unmarked quotations book stated dealing scandal apologize court settlement author found lincoln particularly philosophy waste precious energies past interview cited early 20th century pleasures writing lincoln somebody asked people write lincoln said think true contents chapter portrays major contenders republican presidential nomination awaiting results national convention telegraph new_york senator governor widely considered ohio governor favorite party radical wing missouri attorney general preferred conservative elements party abraham_lincoln representative illinois describes candidate rose national political prominence long alliance new_york political boss chase early advocacy abolition slavery speech opposing president river harbor convention lincoln series debates democratic rival illinois senate election lincoln ultimately victor convention superior political operation making second choice republican factions proceeds win presidency determined hold party recruit men cabinet lincoln persuaded rivals join cabinet assumed post secretary state chase secretary treasury united_states attorney general south following lincoln election country falls american_civil_war describes detail cabinet decisions debate south_carolina state december issuing emancipation proclamation freed slaves states traces home life book main figures including marriage chase daughter close companion kate lady role washington society death lincoln son war comes respect collaborate lincoln chase hand schemes lincoln cabinet hoping replace republican nominee presidential election lincoln nonetheless keeps chase cabinet skill financing war effort efforts undermine president ultimately unsuccessful lincoln recruits chase ally replace pennsylvania political boss secretary war like comes respect support lincoln managing disparate personalities cabinet lincoln struggles manage series generals including president finally finds success promoting commander union armies lincoln oversees passage thirteenth amendment united_states_constitution slavery sees war successful conclusion chase chief justice supreme_court believing best man secure rights newly freed black citizens closes assassination abraham_lincoln april attacked knife wielding survives epilogue traces later lives deaths chase response generally received critics civil war historian called elegant study lincoln leading members cabinet appeal experts knowledge lincoln high school history popular mythology stated addressed lincoln gift coalition building better writer wrote washington_post immense finely book dull administrative bureaucratic history story personalities drama lincoln increase decrease praised book ambitious multi strand structure concluding monumental effort gift work preserves lincoln legacy rare skill called immense immensely work san_francisco_chronicle wrote engaging chronicler lincoln civil war presidency time time stated intention keeping lens focused lincoln rivals turn feuding lincoln cabinet book awarded lincoln prize awarded annually finest scholarly work english abraham_lincoln american_civil_war soldier subject relating era march announced winner book prize american history finalist president barack_obama named book want desert island senator met washington discuss book election obama reached previous rivals including secretary state drawing comparisons lincoln approach film adaptation consulting project director steven_spielberg told planning write immediately told wanted film rights finalized deal sent book chapter chapter composed agreed play abraham_lincoln original lead withdrew project screenplay written nominated number critics noted final film focused entirely passage thirteenth amendment congress based pages book substantial independent research composing screenplay filming began october ended december consulted drafts screenplay took day lewis tour lincoln home law office springfield illinois film released nationwide november commercial success wide critical acclaim won academy award best actor performance
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