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House of Abraham: Lincoln and the Todds, a Family Divided by War Audiobook
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(3.09) - 164 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
For all the talk of the Civil War "pitting brother against brother," until now there has never been a single book that traces the story of one family ravaged by that conflict. And no family could better illustrate the personal toll the war took than Lincoln's own. Mary Todd Lincoln was one of fourteen siblings who were split between the Confederacy and the Union. Three of her brothers fought, and two died, for the South. Several Todds—including Mary herself—bedeviled Lincoln's administration with their scandalous behavior. Award-winning historian Stephen Berry tells their family saga with the narrative intricacy and emotional intensity of a novelist. The Todds' struggles haunted the president and moved him to avoid tactics or rhetoric that would dehumanize or scapegoat the Confederates. Drawing on his own familial experience, Lincoln was inspired to articulate a humanistic, even charitable view of the enemy that seems surpassingly wise in our time, let alone his.
With brio and rigor, Berry fills a gap in Civil War history, showing how the war changed one family and how that family changed the course of the war. As they debate each other about the issues of the day and comfort each other in the wake of shared tragedy, the Todds become a singular microcosm and a metaphor for the country as a whole.
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"The American Civil War divided families and nearly crippled our nation. One family divided was the 14 children of Richard and Margaret Todd, Abraham Lincoln's in-laws. This is a fascinating study of a family raised in a slave society, some of whom moved west to Illinois and sided with the Union. "
— Emjay (5 out of 5 stars)
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Compelling.... Brings to vibrant life Lexington aristocrats never before studied in depth by Lincoln biographers...remarkable.... A riveting account.
— Kirkus -
“A fast-paced, sobering story, never better told.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“The well-regarded Prichard reads Berry’s tale of the Todds with long, significant pauses and a stentorian rigor…. By stretching time out like taffy, Prichard manages to make it flow faster than it otherwise would.”
— Publishers Weekly (audio review) -
“This biography takes full advantage of Michael Prichard’s narrative skills…Prichard’s fans will hear him at his best.”
— AudioFile -
“Compelling…. Brings to vibrant life Lexington aristocrats never before studied in depth by Lincoln biographers…remarkable…. A riveting account.”
— Kirkus Reviews
House of Abraham Listener Reviews
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" Doing this on book tape. Mary Todd Lincoln was one of 14 kids...unbelievable! "
— Patricia, 1/19/2014 -
" Lots of information on the Todd family and their roles during the Civil War. Goes into detail about how Lincoln's marriage to a Todd put lots of strain on their relationship and his presidency. "
— Allysmom, 1/12/2014 -
" I thought it was a very interesting perspective. I had never thought about the Todds and how Lincoln related to them during his life and this time period. It was very interesting. Not very nice folks overall..... "
— Schawn, 1/8/2014 -
" Interesting perspective of Lincoln within the context of Mary Todd Lincoln's very large family which was itself divided by the Civil War. "
— Ivah, 12/16/2013 -
" great insight into the Lincoln/Todd families. "
— Pam, 11/21/2013 -
" Although somewhat dry reading, this book is intriguing, but I would recommend reading Doris Kearns Goodwin's book, Team of Rivals, first because House of Abraham truly gives new meaning to "team of rivals". "
— Amy, 10/6/2013 -
" The tragic history of Mary Todd Lincoln's family torn apart by the Civil War. This study of the Todd family gives insight into Mary Lincoln's background and personality. Kentucky was a state torn apart by the war and this family was one of the many that suffered this sorrow. "
— Frances, 12/20/2012 -
" The American Civil War divided families and nearly crippled our nation. One family divided was the 14 children of Richard and Margaret Todd, Abraham Lincoln's in-laws. This is a fascinating study of a family raised in a slave society, some of whom moved west to Illinois and sided with the Union. "
— Emjay, 11/12/2012 -
" The Todds turned out to be not a good thing for old Abe. Why did he ever marry her? Finished the book because I had started it. Didn't think it was that well written. "
— Marion1961hs, 4/30/2012 -
" Enjoyed reading about Lincoln's other half, polor opposite from him, LOL "
— Thea, 1/26/2012 -
" A quick and interesting read that shows the Lincoln/ Todd divide was a metaphor for the whole Civil War. "
— Jenny, 10/17/2011 -
" This book tells the story of Mary Todd and her extended family. I learned so much from their struggles as a family and felt for them as they tried to deal with the Civil War and it's effects on their family ties. I also gained a greater respect and appreciation for Abraham Lincoln. "
— Sherri, 9/21/2011 -
" I found this to be a great overview of Lincoln's in-laws, and it gave some interesting insight into Abe and Mary's relationship. She was quite a character, and their dynamic is oddly intriguing. It was well-written, and actually a real page-turner. "
— Elsa, 6/30/2011 -
" <br/>Enjoyed reading about Lincoln's other half, polor opposite from him, LOL "
— Thea, 1/14/2011 -
" Interesting overall, although the author has an annoying habit of stating opinion as fact. Also throws some tantalizing tidbits- Mary was in the habit of hitting Abraham with a piece of wood- without <br/>elaborating in the least. "
— Suzanne, 8/22/2010 -
" I found this to be a great overview of Lincoln's in-laws, and it gave some interesting insight into Abe and Mary's relationship. She was quite a character, and their dynamic is oddly intriguing. It was well-written, and actually a real page-turner. "
— Elsa, 12/2/2009 -
" Interesting perspective of Lincoln within the context of Mary Todd Lincoln's very large family which was itself divided by the Civil War. "
— Ivah, 8/16/2009 -
" great insight into the Lincoln/Todd families. "
— Pam, 6/9/2009 -
" Lots of information on the Todd family and their roles during the Civil War. Goes into detail about how Lincoln's marriage to a Todd put lots of strain on their relationship and his presidency. "
— Allysmom, 5/13/2009 -
" This book tells the story of Mary Todd and her extended family. I learned so much from their struggles as a family and felt for them as they tried to deal with the Civil War and it's effects on their family ties. I also gained a greater respect and appreciation for Abraham Lincoln. "
— Sherri, 3/16/2009 -
" The Todds turned out to be not a good thing for old Abe. Why did he ever marry her? Finished the book because I had started it. Didn't think it was that well written. "
— Marion1961hs, 2/22/2009 -
" The tragic history of Mary Todd Lincoln's family torn apart by the Civil War. This study of the Todd family gives insight into Mary Lincoln's background and personality. Kentucky was a state torn apart by the war and this family was one of the many that suffered this sorrow. "
— Frances, 12/17/2008 -
" A quick and interesting read that shows the Lincoln/ Todd divide was a metaphor for the whole Civil War. "
— Jenny, 6/16/2008
About Stephen Berry
Stephen Berry is an assistant professor of history at the University of Georgia and the author of All That Makes a Man: Love and Ambition in the Civil War South. He has been awarded fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, among other honors.
About Michael Prichard
Michael Prichard is a Los Angeles-based actor who has played several thousand characters during his career, over one hundred of them in theater and film. He is primarily heard as an audiobook narrator, having recorded well over five hundred full-length books. His numerous awards and accolades include an Audie Award for Tears in the Darkness by Michael Norman and Elizabeth M. Norman and six AudioFile Earphones Awards. He was named a Top Ten Golden Voice by SmartMoney magazine. He holds an MFA in theater from the University of Southern California.