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Team of Rivals
- The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
- Narrated by: Doris Kearns Goodwin (introduction), Richard Thomas
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
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Publisher's summary
On May 18, 1860, William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Edward Bates, and Abraham Lincoln waited in their hometowns for the results from the Republican National Convention in Chicago. When Lincoln emerged as the victor, his rivals were dismayed and angry.
Throughout the turbulent 1850s, each had energetically sought the presidency as the conflict over slavery was leading inexorably to secession and civil war. That Lincoln succeeded, Goodwin demonstrates, was the result of a character that had been forged by experiences that raised him above his more privileged and accomplished rivals. He won because he possessed an extraordinary ability to put himself in the place of other men, to experience what they were feeling, to understand their motives and desires.
It was this capacity that enabled Lincoln as president to bring his disgruntled opponents together, create the most unusual cabinet in history, and marshal their talents to the task of preserving the Union and winning the war.
We view the long, horrifying struggle from the vantage of the White House as Lincoln copes with incompetent generals, hostile congressmen, and his raucous cabinet. He overcomes these obstacles by winning the respect of his former competitors, and in the case of Seward, finds a loyal and crucial friend to see him through.
This brilliant multiple biography is centered on Lincoln's mastery of men and how it shaped the most significant presidency in the nation's history.
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Critic reviews
- 2006 Quill Award Nominee
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John Quincy Adams was the last of his kind - a Puritan from the age of the Founders who despised party and compromise yet dedicated himself to politics and government. The son of John Adams, he was a brilliant ambassador and secretary of state, a frustrated president at a historic turning point in American politics, and a dedicated congressman who literally died in office - at the age of 80, in the House of Representatives, in the midst of an impassioned political debate.
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Best narrator of all the audio books I've listened
- By grimm79 on 12-12-17
By: James Traub
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Washington's Circle
- The Creation of the President
- By: David S. Heidler, Jeanne T. Heidler
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 18 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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In Washington's Circle, David and Jeanne Heidler introduce not just the president but the group of extraordinary men who advised him. The familiar names are here, like the often irked and occasionally irksome John Adams, the scheming Alexander Hamilton, and the prodigiously talented James "Jemmy" Madison, but so are the lesser known Edmund Randolph, John Jay, and Gouverneur Morris. Washington's choices of whom to listen to, for better and sometimes worse, were as consequential as the advice his cabinet gave.
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Very Enlightening
- By Morgan on 06-04-18
By: David S. Heidler, and others
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Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power
- By: Jon Meacham
- Narrated by: Edward Herrmann, Jon Meacham
- Length: 18 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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In this magnificent biography, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of American Lion and Franklin and Winston brings vividly to life an extraordinary man and his remarkable times. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power gives us Jefferson the politician and president, a great and complex human being forever engaged in the wars of his era.
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A Man and Biography Relevant to Our Day
- By Darwin8u on 11-14-12
By: Jon Meacham
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Seward
- Lincoln's Indispensable Man
- By: Walter Stahr
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 22 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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From one of our most acclaimed new biographers - the first full life of the leader of Lincoln’s "team of rivals" to appear in more than 40 years. William Henry Seward was one of the most important Americans of the 19th century. Progressive governor of New York and outspoken U.S. senator, he was the odds-on favorite to win the 1860 Republican nomination for president. As secretary of state and Lincoln’s closest adviser during the Civil War, Seward not only managed foreign affairs but had a substantial role in military, political, and personnel matters.
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I Wish Doris Kearns Goodwin Had Written This
- By AR on 06-21-15
By: Walter Stahr
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Henry Clay
- The Essential American
- By: David S. Heidler, Jeanne T. Heidler
- Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
- Length: 30 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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He was the Great Compromiser, a canny and colorful legislator whose life mirrors the story of America from its founding until the eve of the Civil War. Speaker of the House, senator, secretary of state, five-time presidential candidate, and idol to the young Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay is captured in full at last in this rich and sweeping biography.
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"probably" "possibly" "maybe" "could have"
- By Thor Finn on 08-10-18
By: David S. Heidler, and others
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Washington
- A Life
- By: Ron Chernow
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 41 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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In Washington: A Life celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation. This crisply paced narrative carries the reader through his troubled boyhood, his precocious feats in the French and Indian War, his creation of Mount Vernon, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and his magnificent performance as America's first president.
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A sad day when my book was done!
- By ButterLegume on 12-13-10
By: Ron Chernow
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James Madison
- A Life Reconsidered
- By: Lynne Cheney
- Narrated by: Eliza Foss
- Length: 18 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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A major new biography of the fourth US president, from New York Times best-selling author Lynne Cheney. James Madison was a true genius of the early republic, the leader who did more than any other to create the nation we know today. This majestic new biography tells his story. Outwardly reserved, Madison was the intellectual driving force behind the Constitution. His visionary political philosophy was a crucial factor behind the Constitution’s ratification, and his political savvy was of major importance in getting the new government underway.
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Great man, great ideas, muddling book
- By NDFletch on 06-13-15
By: Lynne Cheney
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The Moralist
- By: Patricia O'Toole
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 23 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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By the author of acclaimed biographies of Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Adams, a penetrating biography of one of the most high-minded, consequential, and controversial US presidents, Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924). The Moralist is a cautionary tale about the perils of moral vanity and American overreach in foreign affairs.
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Reflections on a Changing Presidency
- By Keith on 05-02-18
By: Patricia O'Toole
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John Adams: A Life
- By: John Ferling
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 20 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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In John Adams: A Life, Ferling offers a compelling portrait of one of the giants of the Revolutionary era. Drawing on extensive research, Ferling depicts a reluctant revolutionary, a leader who was deeply troubled by the warfare that he helped to make, and a fiercely independent statesman. Bringing to life an exciting time, an age in which Adams played an important political and intellectual role. this book is a singular biography of the man who succeeded George Washington in the presidency and shepherded the fragile new nation through the most dangerous of times.
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Excellent story, the narration ruined it for me
- By Benjamin on 04-09-19
By: John Ferling
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Alexander Hamilton
- By: Ron Chernow
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 35 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Historians have long told the story of America’s birth as the triumph of Jefferson’s democratic ideals over the aristocratic intentions of Hamilton. Chernow presents an entirely different man, whose legendary ambitions were motivated not merely by self-interest but by passionate patriotism and a stubborn will to build the foundations of American prosperity and power.
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An Outstanding & Riveting Book!
- By Kevin on 03-04-05
By: Ron Chernow
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Capital Dames
- The Civil War and the Women of Washington, 1848-1868
- By: Cokie Roberts
- Narrated by: Cokie Roberts
- Length: 14 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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With the outbreak of the Civil War, the small, social, Southern town of Washington, DC, found itself caught between warring sides in a four-year battle that would determine the future of the United States. After the declaration of secession, many fascinating Southern women left the city, leaving their friends - such as Adele Cutts Douglas and Elizabeth Blair Lee - to grapple with questions of safety and sanitation as the capital was transformed into an immense Union army camp and later a hospital.
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Enlightening
- By Jean on 05-07-15
By: Cokie Roberts
What listeners say about Team of Rivals
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Brian Clarke
- 08-19-08
An extraordinary life cut short
This is the first autobiography that I've downloaded. I listened to "Good to Great" by Jim Collins and how he said Lincoln was a Level 5 leader. Then I recently listened to "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill and how Lincoln was part of his Master Mind Group. The universe was telling me to get to know Lincoln.
I did not want this book to end. It reads like a novel and is seamless in its history. This book gives you great insight into why Lincoln is one of the greatest men that have walked this planet. I felt sorry when the book ended and Lincoln could not reap the rewards for all of his hard work and sacrifice. Lincoln deserves every word of admiration that he's ever received.
The narrator was excellent. His tone fit every moment. I've listened to books where the narrator is a robot and detracts from the experience. Not once do you hear him licking his lips or hear the saliva in his mouth when he speaks (listen to Stephen Covey read "The 7 Habits..." and you'll know what I mean).
I'll probably wait a week or 2 and then listen to it again. Excellent!
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Jonathan
- 01-06-10
Wish they had unabridged version
I very much enjoyed this book, however, the abridged version left me wanting. Many of the details are left out to allow for a smooth storyline, and many of the historic events are glossed over quickly. Overall, i think i would have rather read the full version than listened to the abridged. I am bias however, mostly preferring full listens.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Becky
- 12-17-08
History comes alive in this excellent work
In this book, the characters of Lincoln and his cabinet are fully revealed through the writings and observations of those who knew them best. The characters almost jump off the page and the events are described in such detail as to have the listener wanting more. Richard Thomas does a great job of narrating. I am recommending this book to everyone.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Stuart
- 08-26-07
Rivoting on the Road
A great audio book. The narrator was excellent and kept my attention around every curve. Learned a great deal about Lincoln the influencer and mediator among his influential American brothers. The behind the scenes commentary and insight was great too.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Detail-oriented
- 12-23-06
Stimulating
Anyone who has been involved in office politics will immediately understand Lincoln's dilemma. Not only did he have a union that was dissolving but he also felt the need to keep his enemies (or at least competitors) close. Although his actions seem logical in hindsight, it was my sense that the author overstated the affection between the protagonists and understated the confusion that reigned during the tumultuous Civi War years. Despite the flawed premise of the book, it was a very interesting read (listen). The author imbued each of the main characters with a personality. I will listen to this again.
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- Filippo Andrade Prins Rodrigues
- 04-21-22
A biography written in multiple views
Loved it. Told me the importance of being humble, being surrounded by the right people and driven by a higher purpose.
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- Carroll
- 04-08-14
Intriguing new insights
A unique perspective, and well beyond the short blurbs on Lincoln given in school… well worth the listen.
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- Matthew Lusk
- 12-20-17
Worth Every Minute
The story is inspiring and the narration was excellent. This book should be required reading for any student of American history.
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- Christal E.
- 09-13-16
Sorry, John Boy.
Why is there no one in the recording studio with sufficient education to correct the distracting and inexcusable mispronunciations in the reading of this remarkable telling of such remarkable tale? Has the English speaking world no concern for such matters? Have we such little regard for the simplest standards of the language?
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Overall
- Gary
- 06-03-08
The BEST
This is one of the great "legacy" stories of all time, perfectly written, and perfectly narrated. It brings Lincoln and his gentle brillance and folksy common sense to life...we need another Lincoln today...and for tomorrow-perhaps the lessons captured here will resonate with today's and future leaders...and be helpful in our world of today and tommorrow.
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2 people found this helpful