About this book
Team of Rivals is a study of Abraham Lincoln and the men who competed with him for the Republican nomination in 1860: William Seward, Salmon Chase and Edward Bates. After winning the presidency, Lincoln brought all three into his cabinet, and the book follows how he managed their ambitions and egos through the Civil War.
Doris Kearns Goodwin builds the book as a group biography, tracing each man's background before showing how their paths converged. Her focus is on Lincoln's political skill: his patience, his humour, his capacity to forgive and his ability to hold together people who often disliked one another. Family life, letters and personal friendships give the book an intimate texture.
It is a political and character-driven story rather than a battle history, which makes it a good complement to Battle Cry of Freedom. Readers interested in leadership will also find much to enjoy in Grant, on the general Lincoln came to rely on.
Who it’s for
Great for readers interested in leadership and political history; long but warm and readable.
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