I am writing this review of George McGovern's new short biography of Abraham Lincoln on the eve of the upcoming presidential inauguration. At this time of transition and difficulty, it is fitting to consider our greatest president and the qualities he displayed in uniting and shaping our nation and in bringing about a "new birth of freedom."
McGovern's book is part of the American Presidents series of short biographies of each of our nation's presidents. The late Arthur Schlesinger Jr. was the original editor of the series, which has been carried forward by Sean Willentz. The series offers a way to consider each president, whether famous or little-known, and to reflect upon his accomplishments and on the nature of leadership. Each of the volumes in the series is written by a different scholar in the hope that the writer will bring a unique perspective to bear upon his or her subject. McGovern brings both an extensive political and academic background to his study of Lincoln. McGovern served in the Senate for eighteen years and was the unsuccessful presidential candidate against Richard Nixon in 1972. He also holds a PhD in American history and government from Northwestern University. McGovern acknowledges receiving both research and writing assistance in this book from Larry Mansch of Montana.
McGovern offers a good overview of Lincoln's life and accomplishments. Although he is critical of Lincoln for the suspension of habeas corpus during the Civil War and for other infringements of individual liberty, the tone of the book is otherwise highly laudatory. McGovern describes Lincoln as not only our greatest president but also as "certainly more than that." For McGovern, Lincoln is "an unparallelled national treasure, a legend that best represents the democratic ideal". He continues: "Every generation looks to Lincoln for strength, inspiration, and wisdom. We want to know everything about him, and we wish we could be more like him. Why do we admire him so?" (p.2)In his book, McGovern tries to answer this question.
McGovern proceeds to tell the story of Lincoln's birth in humble circumstances and of his determination to overcome obstacles, including severe instances of depression, and to make his life matter. Throughout his life, Lincoln was a highly ambitious, motivated individual with a drive to succeed. He struggled through a variety of failures, recognized the value of education and personal integrity, and never gave up. More importantly, Lincoln asked difficult searching questions about morality, freedom, slavery, and government and came towards the end of his life to see a spiritual, providential element in human affairs. He acted with courage and resolve and displayed the highest leadership qualities in surmounting the military and political crises that he faced. Lincoln was also a shrewd judge of human nature, a masterful politician, and a lawyer adept at the skills of negotiation and compromise. His was a rare mixture of idealism and pragmatism that is the source, in part, of the many difficulties in interpreting his presidency. He preserved the Union, ended slavery, and put the United States on the long road towards a society in which people of different races enjoyed equality.
For a short book, McGovern gives substantial attention to Lincoln's early years up to his return to politics in 1854 following Congressional enactment of Stephen Douglas's Kansas-Nebraska Act. McGovern also describes succinctly the outbreak of the Civil War following Lincoln's election, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the change in character of the Civil War from a restrained conflict with limited goals to a near "total war". McGovern properly spends a great deal of space on Lincoln's sometimes overlooked role in securing the enactment of the 13th Amendment which banned slavery in the United States. He stresses the mixture of idealism and political cunning in Lincoln's efforts. There is an extensive discussion of the reelection campaign of 1864, in which both Lincoln's renomination by his party and his reelection were substantially in doubt. McGovern properly credits Lincoln and the country for holding a presidential election in the midst of the civil war and its turmoil.
On military matters, McGovern focuses on the seige of Petersburg at the end of the Civil War and of Lincoln's presence during its final days, culminationg with his walk through an abandoned and burned Richmond. McGovern offers a cursory discussion of Lincoln and his generals, with emphasis on the relationship that developed between Lincoln and Grant. The descriptions of the military progress of the war tend to be muddled as McGovern shifts back and forth between the eastern and western theaters and frequently offers a confusing chronology.
With the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth, 2009 will see an unusually large number of books about Lincoln, both popular and scholarly. In short studies of Lincoln, McGovern's book will be compared to a new biography "Abraham Lincoln" (2009) by James McPherson. McPherson, unlike McGovern, is a lifelong scholar of the Civil War and of Lincoln. His eloquent biography consists of 70 pages of text, less than one-half the length of McGovern's book. Compared to McPherson's book, McGovern seems diffuse in places. And McGovern gets some trifling details wrong. (For example, McGovern says that Lincoln was nominated for president on the second ballot at the Republican convention of 1860. It was the third ballot.) For all that, it is a difficult choice between these two books. I wind up leaning towards McGovern because of its personal touches, greater detail, and fuller consideration of Lincoln's character and appeal.
With our nation in the midst of economic and political difficulties, it is inspiring to return to our history and to consider anew Lincoln, leadership, and American ideals. McGovern's book is a good place to start.
Robin Friedman
