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Team of Rivals

The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

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Team of Rivals

By: Doris Kearns Goodwin
Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

The bestselling and prize-winning study of one of the most legendary American Presidents in history, Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin is the book that inspired Barack Obama in his presidency.

When Barack Obama was asked which book he could not live without in the White House, his answer was instant: Team of Rivals. This monumental and brilliant work has given Obama the model for his presidency, showing how Abraham Lincoln saved America by appointing his fiercest rival to key cabinet positions. 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 wonderful book . . . a remarkable study in leadership' Barack Obama

'A portrait of Lincoln as a virtuosic politician and managerial genius' The New York Times

'I have not enjoyed a history book as much for years' Robert Harris


Doris Kearns Goodwin is the doyenne of US presidential historians, and one of the most acclaimed non-fiction authors in the world. Her works include Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream, The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys: An American Saga, and No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, for which she won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1995.

© Doris Kearns Goodwin 2009 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

 Politics & Activism Presidents & Heads of State Abraham Lincoln War Civil War Biography Suffrage

Critic Reviews

A wonderful book ... a remarkable study in leadership (Barack Obama)
The most uplifting book that I have read in the last two decades. Sensational (Jon Snow)
I have not enjoyed a history book as much for years (Robert Harris)
A fabulously engrossing, exciting narrative in the grand old style ... overflowing with colour and character (Dominic Sandbrook)
A brilliant book ... I couldn't get enough of it (Alex Ferguson)
Goodwin's narrative abilities are on full display here. A portrait of Lincoln as a virtuosic politician and managerial genius (Michiko Kakutani)
All stars
Most relevant
great biography on the man. focusing on his ability to bring people together. lincoln utilised prople, regardless of how they felt about him and directed their talents towards acheiving great things. a great story ending so abruptly in tragedy

does justice for a great man

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I’ve been meaning to read this for years and finally decided to read the audiobook. This is a superb production. The historian’s work is engaging and insightful and the narrator does an excellent job telling the story. Fantastic.

Superb Work

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As an Australian this gave me a truly excellent perspective of not just one great man but the many personalities that went into making his enduring greatness.

I had never appreciated just how hard a presidency Lincoln endured and overcame. His election was the catalyst to the civil war and ultimately lead to the abolition of slavery through bloodshed.

The fact that the Emancipation Proclamation started as a pragmatic step to enlisting slaves doesn't lessen the meaningfulness of the period. One should be careful of "Presentism"

Funny to think that the silence he heard following his Gettyburgh address made him think that the "speech would not ware". A sign of someone doing there best and not assuming greatness.

The quotes from Fredrick Douglass regarding Lincoln and his ability to convey the impression of being colour blind are reassuring of a man who was always present and available... alas, he was to present when John Wilkes Booth stepped into the President's booth and the rest is history.

So much depth to this book.

Loved it!

Intriguing perspective of greatness

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A long read but good context and as a non-American, it was an interesting historical story alongside leadership lessons for the modern day. I listened on 1.5x speed and was still a worthy listen.

A good mix of history and lessons

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