Book Review: Lincoln by David Herbert Donald

Lincoln by David Herbert Donald is worthy of all the praise and awards it has received. As the cover exclaims, Lincoln was a New York Times Bestseller, the book won the Lincoln Prize, and Donald had previously won the Pulitzer Prize twice. Published in 1995, it was called the best single-volume biography of Lincoln to date and can arguably still claim that distinction. Donald’s book title indicates that he had nothing less in mind. Merely, Lincoln, with no subtitle.

All of this acclaim does not mean the book is flawless. I read a trade paperback edition that was 600 pages long, with another 114 pages of back matter. I hadn’t seen paper so thin since the Bible. I constantly checked page numbers to ensure I hadn’t flipped two pages by mistake. Yes, the book is comprehensive, thorough, and encyclopedic. Yet never boring. Donald’s writing is clean and unadorned. He does not intrude on Lincoln’s story, and it is such a good story that the reader is pulled to the end.

Lincoln by David Herbert Donald is my favorite Lincoln biography. It is a fair and honest portrayal of the man, his compatriots, and the events surrounding his life. In the publishing vernacular, it is also an easy read. It is an academic book, free of purple prose.

Donald ended Lincoln with Secretary of War Stanton’s famous words, “Now, he belongs to the ages.” And, indeed, he does.

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