Team of Rivals Book Summary

In "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Lincoln," Doris Kearns Goodwin unveils how Abraham Lincoln transformed his fiercest political adversaries into key allies during one of America’s most tumultuous eras. Through deft storytelling, she reveals Lincoln's remarkable ability to empathize with opposing viewpoints, fostering unity in a fractured nation. As tensions mount during the Civil War, his unconventional leadership style challenges traditional power dynamics and redefines collaboration. Readers are drawn into the complexities of Lincoln's cabinet, where personal rivalries and ambitious aspirations collide. This compelling portrait of resilience and ingenuity invites us to reconsider the nature of true leadership in times of crisis.

By Doris Kearns Goodwin

Published: 2009

"It is not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

Book Review of Team of Rivals

In this monumental multiple biography, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin studies Abraham Lincoln's mastery of men. She shows how he saved Civil War-torn America by appointing his fiercest rivals to key cabinet positions, making them help achieve his vision for peace. As well as a thrilling piece of narrative history, it's an inspiring study of one of the greatest leaders the world has ever seen. A book to bury yourself in.

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It is not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Team of Rivals

By Doris Kearns Goodwin