58__ Lincoln's Melancholy How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness. by Joshua Wolf Shenk (read 4 Mar 2023) This book, published in 2005, is a study of Lincoln's mental life and has some amazing information--and throws into question some biographer's statements as to Lincoln's mental behavior. ( )

Having just read "Lincoln: Biography of a Writer" by Fred Kaplan, I found that a lot of the information contained in this book was also contained in Kaplan's book. In fact they even used most of the same historical quotes throughout the books. And I sense I felt like I was reading the same book just with a different directive approach, this one being focused on Lincoln's depression instead of his reading and writing.
It's not a bad but by any means in fact it's very good book. I just kind of wish that I would have read them separately instead of back to back.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with interest in the subjects of Abraham Lincoln, mental illness, an American history. ( )

A fascinating book about Lincoln and about depression as well. The research and scholarship is excellent. He included many references from many disciplines and that added great value to the author's credibility and thoughtfulness of the topic. He was very realistic about how history can be so tainted by the teller and that was refreshing and enlightening. Mr. Lincoln was a complex human and this refreshing analysis of him added a great deal to Lincolnography, while still admitting some things cannot truly be "known". This book was a true page turner for me. I have read a bit about Lincoln and this added nicely to it. ( )

This is a solid read. The book's premise is that Mr. Lincoln suffered from melancholy. Today, many would consider his suffering as clinical chronic depression. I think the book does speculate a lot, as it is impossible to really know how severe it was. However, based on writings of Lincoln himself and his contemporaries, it is highly likely he did suffer from depression at times. At one point early in his career, Lincoln does contemplate suicide, and he may have published a poem anonymously about suicide. Moreover, it's undeniable that Lincoln had a natural gloomy, contemplative countenance and aura about him. Evidence for that is all over the place from numerous published accounts of his peers to portraits of the man.

The author attempts to weave the analysis of Lincoln's mental health with his life story. He uses this linear progression of Mr. Lincoln's life to show how Lincoln learned how to adapt to his illness, and he shows the ways Lincoln used his suffering to see the world in a different way, and strategies he used to deal with depression, like humor. There is a lot to like about this book, and it contains many little stories about Lincoln that I haven't heard elsewhere.

So, I would recommend this one with the understanding that there is a bit of speculation here, and we may never know the whole picture of Lincoln's mental health. Perhaps, that is best. Lincoln is a mysterious man in many ways and I kind of like it that way. ( )

This was a truly fabulous book. Well researched and it gave deep insight into how we, as a nation, view mental illness and how it has changed over the course of time. It also gave insight into a man I've long admired and felt a pull toward. This was excellent fuel for my moderate Lincoln obsession. ( )

A great, scholarly work on Lincoln's inner life which was, apparently, very bleak. "I am now the most miserable man living", he said in his early thirties, and I admit, he might have been a contender. Comprised of oral reports, letters and references to other biographies and Lincoln's own writing, this work paints a picture all the way from Lincoln's early years to his assassination as president. Shenk critically assesses the available evidence, and, fortunately is honest when this evidence is not sufficient for bold and sweeping statements about Abe's life. Not only a biography but a study of mental health, this book is both historically important and valuable for those who are as melancholy as Lincoln, and yearn for a meaningful way to combat it, or atleast manage their way through bravely.

Excellent read. I will be reading more on Lincoln in the future. ( )

I just don't know what to make of this book. It's interesting and filled with all sorts of delectable detail, but as far as the major premise goes, I remain skeptical. The author's assumption is that because melancholy and depression change your focus on how you see the world and because Lincoln suffered from what seems to be perpetual gloom, that this enabled him to become the great man he became, moving through stages of fear and on to insight and creativity. Well, maybe.I have to admit that my crap detector went into overdrive on several occasions while reading this book.

Frankly, given the multiple tragedies in Lincoln's life he had every reason to be gloomy. Death was an ever present reality. (More on the barbaric medical practices of the time later.) Secondly, the 19th century seems to wallow in gloom. Just read some of Hawthorne, Poe, and others of the early 19th and you'll feel gloomy by osmosis.

Now for some of the really juicier and fun parts of this book. I laughed out loud at the passages on studies on depression and the realization that "happiness" is really a mental disorder: "Abramson and Alloy termed the benefit that depressed people showed in the experiment the "Depressive Realism" or the "Sadder but Wiser" effect. . . For example, one standard definition of mental health is the ability to maintain close and accurate contact with reality. . .But research shows that by this definition, happiness itself should be considered a mental disorder." (Priceless) "In fact,'much research suggests that when they are not depressed, people are highly vulnerable to illusions, including unrealistic optimism, overestimation of themselves, and an exaggerated sense of their capacity to control events." The lesson? Get Gloomy, folks. Happiness psychologist Richard Bentall suggested (only half-facetiously) should be classified as a psychiatric disorder: "major affective disorder (pleasant type.)"

Lincoln's "hypochondriasis" as it was known was treated in his day according to Dr. Benjamin Rush's Medical Inquiries and Observations upon the Diseases of the Mind, the stand text. This included "drastic interferences" with the body. Starting by bleeding (usually 12.5 pints in two months - we are really talking about a total flush here), then "blistering" by applying "small heated cups at the temples, behind the ears, and at the nape of the neck." Of course, leeches could also be used. Next, drugs were given to induce vomiting and diarrhea, all the while, requiring that the patients fast, Rush noting that elephant tamers make their charges more docile by starving them. Following this regimen was a diet of stimulants including quinine and black pepper in large doses. Mercury was used to purge the stomach (also arsenic and strychnine. Of course, mercury also causes depression, anxiety and irritability.) Green stools were a positive sign, indicating the "black bile" cause of the illness was leaving. Apparently the more the patient suffered the better as it was evidence the body was being cleaned out. Whether Lincoln underwent all of these treatments is unclear, although we know that Dr. Henry, his physician was an advocate of Rush's treatments.

Shenck appears to approve of Nietzsche's (and probably Frankel would approve, too) remark "That which does not kill me makes me stronger." Well, maybe.

Occasionally, I felt that the author might have done better to write a long journal article to make his point. Long digressions on the Missouri Compromise and other historical niceties while fascinating (and they were, I really enjoyed his lucid presentations of all sorts of historical facts) seemed unnecessary to his thesis. BUT, I really did enjoy the read and would recommend it. ( )

I really enjoyed this book and was surprised at how much I could identify with how Lincoln felt about life. I also learned a few tidbits on the psychology of depression, and it helped me to validate my own recent experiences and feelings. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to see Lincoln brought to life as a real person and not just some superhuman historical figure or to those who have similar mental issues and want to see an account of someone who went through something similar and how he sometimes coped with it. ( )

I am starting this review with two caveats. First, this book is engagingly written, and Joshua Wolf Shenk has done his research. In spite of this, I don't think it's a good first book for anyone to read on Lincoln, because much of Shenk's focus is on revisionist history. Although he does a laudable job providing brief overviews of some of the historiography on Lincoln, many readers will get more from this if they have a more detailed understanding of major events in Lincoln's life.

Second, as a medieval historian who gravitates to social and cultural history, I have profound concerns about psychological interpretations of the past. As a graduate student, I was influenced by [a:Thomas S. Kuhn|4735497|Thomas S. Kuhn|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1341864336p2/4735497.jpg]'s study of the role of paradigms in science, and as someone who teaches history of sexuality I can point to many examples of how medical professionals, psychiatrists, psychologists, psychoanalysts, and scientists have constructed understandings of normality versus abnormality via frameworks that stem from the societies in which these scientists were trained and lived. I'm not suggesting that there is no physical or biological "truth" independent of culture; however, I am arguing that cultural norms play an influential role in how people construct paradigms to explain the world around them, and that these paradigms are not restricted to myths and legends, but extend to other areas of life, including not only religion but also science. I have particular concerns about applications of Freudian theory to other societies -- for example, Erik Erikson's [b:Young Man Luther: A Study in Psychoanalysis and History|307553|Young Man Luther A Study in Psychoanalysis and History|Erik H. Erikson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1361744502s/307553.jpg|298524], in which Erikson applies psychoanalytic theory to understanding Martin Luther's life, made me alternatively laugh and grind my teeth.

Because of these concerns, I was happy to read Shenk's very clear statements in Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled his Greatness that he was not interested in applying modern views of depression and mental health wholesale to his analysis of Lincoln's sadness. I agree with the importance of his project, to expand studies of Lincoln into a his ideas, thoughts, emotions, contextualizing all these elements in Lincoln's culture. The three stars I have given to this book show that, in my opinion, Shenk achieved this goal in part, but not completely.


Abraham Lincoln

Shenk divides the book into three sections. In the first, he explores Lincoln's childhood, family background, and young adulthood, while also providing a basic framework to understand how his life exemplifies certain aspects of depression. In this discussion, he moves back and forth between modern definitions, and contemporary understandings of melancholy and hypochondriasis, delving both into literature on the history of medicine and primary sources written by Lincoln and his friends and associates. Shenk also revisits historiographic controversy over Lincoln's relationship with Ann Rutledge, whose death occurred at the time of Lincoln's first major breakdown in 1835. Shenk carefully sifts through existing sources, and provides a cautious revisionist interpretation of what Rutledge may have meant to Lincoln. Shenk concludes this section with a lengthy discussion of events in Lincoln's life leading up to his second major breakdown in 1840-1841. Once again, Shenk questions some historians' assumption that a temporary parting with Mary Todd led to the breakdown, instead discussing the vague nature of evidence, recreating timelines, and expanding his consideration of stresses in Lincoln's life beyond the romantic to Lincoln's political career. He spends much time discussing Lincoln's close friendship with Joshua Speed, drawing some parallels between their experiences and using Speed as a source on Lincoln's life in this period. Throughout this section, Shenk argues that Lincoln's emotions fit patterns for melancholy in his time, and, to some extent, depression in our time. I found particularly interesting Shenk's discussion of treatments of hypochondriasis and melancholy in Lincoln's time, and wish he had continued to focus on this context through, rather than relying as much as he did on ore current thinking about depression.


Ann Rutledge and Abraham Lincoln -- truth or myth?

In the second section of the book, Shenk shifts his focus to Lincoln's determination in the face of his melancholy. He bore certain pressures as a self-made man, a new role that put Lincoln particularly at risk to be intensely self-critical and pessimistic, as he bore the responsibility for his achievements. Shenk also explores some of the intellectual currents of Lincoln's time that fueled his intense self-examination. Throughout this discussion, Shenk provides some context to understand Lincoln's fatalism and sense of destiny, not only through cultural context, but also through an analysis of Lincoln's writings.


Mary Todd Lincoln

Shenk's approach to understanding the persistence of Lincoln's melancholy after he was married shows a renewed reliance on modern understandings of depression:

"From the perspective of modern clinicians, the persistence and quality of Lincoln's symptoms call for a new diagnostic framework. Major depressive disorder, which applies to Lincoln's earlier years, best describes a series of discrete episodes, even if they go on for many months at a time. But when a condition lasts for more than two years, even with some breaks in symptoms, it is considered to be a chronic depression. Episodic and chronic depressions have much in common, but the distinction matters. Imagine a person who begins to travel abroad as a tourist. The first few trips are memorable—when they started, how long they lasted. But if the trips grow in frequency and duration, at some point the tourist would become known as an expatriate. The destination need not have changed, but the nature of the journey would call for a qualitative, not just a quantitative, distinction.

"As it turns out, the "land" of chronic depression is one for which few guidebooks have been written. The psychologist James P. McCullough, Jr., one authority on the condition, describes it as "grossly misdiagnosed, understudied, and undertreated." This poses both a challenge and an opportunity in the study of Lincoln. The existing literature can't definitively contextualize his experience. But his life, supplemented with the shards of knowledge on chronic depression, can offer a new and valuable context. In particular, it shows how depression, for good and for ill, can blend slowly, subtly, but surely with a person as he works to bring himself into balance."

I think that Shenk's approach, looking to Lincoln's life to lend perspective to depression, and looking to research on depression to understand Lincoln's life, leads him to rely too much on this modern perspective and research, especially in the second and third parts of the biography. He did not have to take this approach -- in places, he discusses the 19th-century view that melancholy led not only to suffering, but also to gifts for the sufferer. And this argument constitutes Shenk's main thesis, which he explores in detail throughout his third section -- that Lincoln responded to his melancholy and breakdowns by deciding, at a certain point, that he had to continue on to fulfill a destiny much greater than he was, one that grew over time to be tied to the realization of the Founders' view for this country as a place of freedom. Lincoln recognized the gaps between this ideal and the reality of the Founders' views as implemented, but he viewed American history as unfolding and leading towards progress. According to Shenk, over time Lincoln saw the abolition of slavery as a means to help achieve this goal. In addition, Lincoln's fatalism provided him with strengths during his Presidency, as he did not tend to be over optimistic in his assessment of the Union's progress in the Civil War.

As a whole, I did like this book. It's thoughtful, well-researched, and engaging. Shenk also provides some useful statements about the dangers of relying on modern definitions of depression to understand Lincoln. His analysis of Lincoln's breakdowns after Ann Rutledge died in 1835 and in 1840-1841 provide some excellent examples of historical analysis of vague primary sources. And many of Shenk's analysis of Lincoln are engaging, as in his chapter exploring Lincoln's coping strategies, including humor. In the end, though, I found Shenk to be overly-reliant on these models and research. I wish he had devoted some more time to expanding on some of the fascinating contextual information he provides, as I think he's at his best when focusing on Lincoln's time period. I also wish he had been more consistent in his analysis in differentiating between contemporary reflections on Lincoln (in letters and writings from the time), and retrospective reflections by Lincoln's associates and friends. As a whole, though, this is a biography that provides a different emphasis to undertand Lincoln, as well as some new topics and themes to explore in studying the emotional and intellectual world of Lincoln and his contemporaries. ( )

I just don't know what to make of this book. It's interesting and filled with all sorts of delectable detail, but as far as the major premise goes, I remain skeptical. The author's assumption is that because melancholy and depression change your focus on how you see the world and because Lincoln suffered from what seems to be perpetual gloom, that this enabled him to become the great man he became, moving through stages of fear and on to insight and creativity. Well, maybe.I have to admit that my crap detector went into overdrive on several occasions while reading this book.

Frankly, given the multiple tragedies in Lincoln's life he had every reason to be gloomy. Death was an ever present reality. (More on the barbaric medical practices of the time later.) Secondly, the 19th century seems to wallow in gloom. Just read some of Hawthorne, Poe, and others of the early 19th and you'll feel gloomy by osmosis.

Now for some of the really juicier and fun parts of this book. I laughed out loud at the passages on studies on depression and the realization that "happiness" is really a mental disorder: "Abramson and Alloy termed the benefit that depressed people showed in the experiment the "Depressive Realism" or the "Sadder but Wiser" effect. . . For example, one standard definition of mental health is the ability to maintain close and accurate contact with reality. . .But research shows that by this definition, happiness itself should be considered a mental disorder." (Priceless) "In fact,'much research suggests that when they are not depressed, people are highly vulnerable to illusions, including unrealistic optimism, overestimation of themselves, and an exaggerated sense of their capacity to control events." The lesson? Get Gloomy, folks. Happiness psychologist Richard Bentall suggested (only half-facetiously) should be classified as a psychiatric disorder: "major affective disorder (pleasant type.)"

Lincoln's "hypochondriasis" as it was known was treated in his day according to Dr. Benjamin Rush's Medical Inquiries and Observations upon the Diseases of the Mind, the stand text. This included "drastic interferences" with the body. Starting by bleeding (usually 12.5 pints in two months - we are really talking about a total flush here), then "blistering" by applying "small heated cups at the temples, behind the ears, and at the nape of the neck." Of course, leeches could also be used. Next, drugs were given to induce vomiting and diarrhea, all the while, requiring that the patients fast, Rush noting that elephant tamers make their charges more docile by starving them. Following this regimen was a diet of stimulants including quinine and black pepper in large doses. Mercury was used to purge the stomach (also arsenic and strychnine. Of course, mercury also causes depression, anxiety and irritability.) Green stools were a positive sign, indicating the "black bile" cause of the illness was leaving. Apparently the more the patient suffered the better as it was evidence the body was being cleaned out. Whether Lincoln underwent all of these treatments is unclear, although we know that Dr. Henry, his physician was an advocate of Rush's treatments.

Shenck appears to approve of Nietzsche's (and probably Frankel would approve, too) remark "That which does not kill me makes me stronger." Well, maybe.

Occasionally, I felt that the author might have done better to write a long journal article to make his point. Long digressions on the Missouri Compromise and other historical niceties while fascinating (and they were, I really enjoyed his lucid presentations of all sorts of historical facts) seemed unnecessary to his thesis. BUT, I really did enjoy the read and would recommend it. ( )

Definitely one of my memorable books of the year but Lincoln’s Melancholy is not a traditional biography of Abraham Lincoln. Shenk’s premise is that Lincoln’s struggles with melancholy/depression ultimately helped him to guide America through the turmoils of the Civil War and, with reference to Lincoln’s writings and other contemporary documents, this is what Shenk sets out to prove with this book. Shenk tries to answer the questions of whether Lincoln’s melancholy was indeed what we would term clinical depression today, how Lincoln responded to his melancholy and how Lincoln’s experience of melancholy contributed to his work as a public figure.

If you’re looking for a straight biography of Lincoln and his presidency then this may not be the book to choose. Whilst Shenk does cover most of the major events of Lincoln’s life, his focus is more on discussing Lincoln’s thoughts and feelings around each event rather than giving the clearest picture of the progression of the events themselves. I didn’t come away from this book feeling like I understood how Abraham Lincoln became president or the whys and wherefores behind the American Civil War but I did come away feeling like I understood Lincoln’s personality and his melancholy.

Having experienced and struggled with depression/clinical depression/melancholy (whatever you want to call it) myself and knowing other people who have also struggled with it, I found this book quite an emotional read at times but also a very helpful book to read. The parts I found most interesting concerned the differences between our late 20th century/early 21st century views of mental illness and depression and the 19th century view of Lincoln’s time. Although the treatments for depression/melancholy in the 19th century often seemed quite barbaric to my eyes, this seemed to be balanced by a society that accepted personalities that were not always bright, bubbly and cheerful. Lincoln was well known when he was alive for having a sad and melancholy disposition as well as a great ability for telling jokes and laughing, and this sadness or melancholy seemed to be respected by his contemporaries as a normal aspect of people’s personalities; it was recognised that there may be a positive side to this as well as a negative.

‘The big difference is that today we often hear that the disease of depression is entirely distinct from the ordinary experience of being sad or in the dumps. But in the nineteenth-century conception of melancholy they were part of the same overall picture. A person with a melancholy temperament had been fated with both an awful burden and what Byron called ‘a fearful gift’. The burden was sadness and despair that could tip into a state of disease. But the gift was a capacity for depth, wisdom – even genius.’

I understood Shenk to be saying that Lincoln had both a melancholy disposition and that he experienced periods of what we term clinical depression. The phrase melancholy disposition doesn’t mean the sort of Eeyore-like negativity that I think in the 21st century we tend to associate with such a phrase, but includes a sense of graveness and sensitivity. Shenk, of course, is not advocating that we don’t treat clinical depression but that we recognise that the sort of temperaments that may be more susceptible to clinical depression and other mental illnesses have their good points and bad points in the same way as other temperaments do, and that, most importantly, it is OK to have a more melancholy temperament in the same way that it is OK to have a more bright and bubbly one.
In fact, interestingly, Shenk references certain studies which have shown that depressed people may be more in touch with reality than those we think of as optimists and he argues that it was this depressive realism that helped Lincoln govern America successfully during one of its toughest periods; he saw the approaching storm more quickly than his more optimistic opponents.

‘In Lincoln’s time people understood…. {that} every cognitive style has assets and defects, which change according to circumstances. This seems surprising today because, by some quirk of culture, some cognitive styles are held to be superior and others inferior; one emotion (joy) is “positive” and all others (sadness, fear, anger and shame) are “negative”. If we value accurate perception, however, we must qualify our worship of joy and happiness. People actively seek to filter out painful stimuli, and while this may help them limit distress, it can also sharply distort their actual environment. “If most of us remain ignorant of ourselves,” wrote Aldous Huxley, “it is because self-knowledge is painful and we prefer the pleasures of illusion.”’

One of the points that I found particularly encouraging was Shenk’s claim that although Lincoln’s suffering bore fruit during the American Civil War, he was never completely cured of his melancholy.

‘No point exists after which the melancholy dissolved – not January 1841, not during his “reign of reason” in middle age, and not at his political resurgence beginning in 1854. Some scholars aver that Lincoln’s melancholy abated in the war years, as he was too busy with his work to give space to his own gloom. We’ll see evidence to the contrary. Whatever greatness Lincoln achieved cannot be explained as a triumph over personal suffering. Rather, it must be accounted for as an outgrowth of the same system that produced the suffering. This is not a story of transformation but one of integration. Lincoln didn’t do great work because he solved the problem of his melancholy. The problem of his melancholy was all the more fuel for the fire of his great work.’

It probably sounds strange to say that’s encouraging, but as someone who has struggled with mental illness in one form or another for almost half my life, it’s more encouraging to read about someone who managed to live with something similar than to read the more common type of biography where the suffering is completely overcome, never again to reappear (crisis and recovery narratives as Shenk calls them).

So, in summary, if you want to understand how Lincoln became president and led America during the American Civil War then this is not the book for you. If you have any interest in mental illness or suffering then I think this would be both a helpful and interesting book to read. ( )

Book #81:
Title: [35468::Lincoln's Melancholy]
Author: Joshua Wolf Shenk
Dates: started 11-10-10; finished 11-28-10
Genre: non-fiction
Length: 243 pages (+ over 100 pages of notes, sources, & index)
Source: inter-library loan
Challenges: 1010 Challenge ("Blue vs. gray" category) & 75 Challenge

Most people with an interest in history have heard about Mary Todd Lincoln's mental problems, as documented in [3906445::The Madness of Mary Lincoln] which I read earlier this year. Lesser known are Honest Abe's psychological issues. Strong historical evidence exists which indicates that, prior to his presidency, Abraham Lincoln suffered several emotional breakdowns resulting from clinical depression, and that he suffered from "melancholy," or chronic depression, for most of his life.

Most enlightening is Shenk's contention that it was precisely Lincoln's tendency to depression which helped to fuel his greatness as President. Shenk argues that the wisdom and perspective Lincoln gained in his struggles with depression were vital to how he managed the challenges and tensions of the Executive Office during the Civil War. Indeed, the link between depression and creativity -- and Lincoln demonstrated genuine creativity in dealing with the challenges of an embattled nation -- has been documented by numerous studies. One aspect of Lincoln's personality which may have served our nation particularly well was his "depressive realism." At a time when many predicted that the War would be over in a few months, he knew better and was not disillusioned when the going was much tougher than was widely expected.

The book also looks at the differences between how depression, particularly in public figures, was viewed very differently in Lincoln's day than today. People accepted Lincoln's melancholy nature, and were even attracted by it; far different than today, where the mere hint of a history of mental health treatment can derail a potential candidate.

I found this book both interesting and inspiring. It was refreshing to see how Lincoln learned to cope with his dark moods and to channel his energies to constructive use.

The book ends with an epilogue which examines the history of Lincoln scholarship, and how this facet of his life and personality has been obscured in most histories of the man. ( )

The title of this book is extremely adequate. Shenk does a thorough job of trying to describe the truth behind Lincoln and his depression. He describes how Lincoln battled depression throughout most of his life. But instead of allowing it to defeat him, Lincoln used his melancholy to fuel his great works that marked him as one of our nation's greatest. This is a wonderful testament to the millions who suffer from depression that all is not lost...that greatness can come out of the darkness. ( )

Having been a Lincoln fan for as long I can remember, this book caught my eye the first time I saw it. Rarely does a book catch my interest to where I will read it in one sitting, but _Lincoln's_Melancholy_ was hard to put down. Mr. Shenk, masterfully weaves together Lincoln's battle with "melancholy" (depression) and the ideals that defined his life to show what made him: the common man , the lawyer, the legislator, and the President. I finished the book with an even greater respect for a great human being. ( )

Lincoln’s Melancholy is subtitled: How Depression Challenged a President and Fuelled His Greatness. This book combines four of my favourite subjects: History, Psychology, Biography and Lincoln so I knew I would be fascinated and I wasn’t wrong.

“Based on seven years of research on Lincoln and the medical, intellectual, and political culture around him, Lincoln’s Melancholy also reflects Shenk’s longstanding interests in mental health, psychology, and spirituality in contemporary life.”

Shenk’s book is a remarkable achievement in that he has rescued Lincoln from the myths and false ideas about him in respect to the source of his depressive personality. Not only that but he reveals conclusively how Lincoln surmounted his depression and learned not only to cope with it but how it shaped his sensibilities and approach to his responsibilities as the Civil War leader.

This is a brilliant scholarly work that is both fascinating and sound. As a fellow sufferer my admiration for Lincoln, which was already high, has risen to new heights as a result of Shenk’s superb analysis.

I read the text straight through without referring to the notes but I intend a second reading with the notes. It is a book that deserves to be read again, marked and inwardly digested.

My Recommendation :

Cons:

This is not a quick read, but requires a measured, thoughtful, studious attitude.

Pros:

Scholarly, convincing, fascinating and a brilliant addition to Lincoln studies. ( )

Beautifully and compassionately written, the depiction of how Lincoln found meaning in his life not by overcoming his depression (pre Prozac, you know), but rather living through it, was truly inspiring. Highly recommended. ( )

I bought this book after seeing Joshua Shenk and Conan O'Brien (yes, the comedian) discuss Lincoln's humor at Ford's Theatre. Considering the subject of Shenk's book on Lincoln, I found that an odd discussion. But after reading the book, I understand better.

At almost 400 pages, I wondered if Shenk could sustain my interest in this subject to the end. He mostly succeeded, because while Lincoln's "melancholy," i.e., depression, is the central theme of the book, we are enlightened on many other aspects of his personality and character. This is where humor comes in; Lincoln had a wonderful sense of humor, sometimes dry and ironic. Shenk and others speculate that humor was a coping mechanism for the depression that always seemed present in Lincoln, sometimes completely overwhelming him.

Not all experts agree with Shenk's thesis that Lincoln suffered from clinical depression, which is mental illness, and there's plenty of room for debate on it. Shenk is pretty convincing, but I haven't studied the other side of the argument. So while this book did not absolutely convince me whether Lincoln suffered from this mental illness, I gained tremendous insight into his personality. Like nothing else I have read on Lincoln, I feel like I actually "know" him now. I also learned what drove him into politics and why he grappled with the institution of slavery. (He never owned slaves.)

You'll get to know some of Lincoln's closest friends, enemies, colleagues and rivals. And while you'll definitely gain more insight into the depressive side of Lincoln, you'll equally learn about his compassion, wit and formidable intellect. I said earlier that Shenk "mostly succeeded" in keeping my interest high throughout the book. There are times where he gets repetitive in supporting his thesis and sometimes makes a stretch. Overall, though, this is an excellent book. ( )

Interestingly, the author of this book essentially diagnoses Lincoln, posthumously of course, as depressed (though the argument is too circumspect to actually state this) and that this depression led to much self-examination which he drew upon for strength during other troubling times, including the Civil War. The argument is an interesting psychological angle on a personage already richly examined and scrutinized in biographies, Civil War histories, etc. Much is made out of Lincoln's personal and romantic relationships, and draws on primary documents including letters and diaries. Ultimately, this is basically a moot intellectual exercise, as Lincoln has been dead for a very long time, making the diagnosis difficult, and treatment impossible (and possibly history altering - what if Lincoln had access to Prozac?). That being said, it is a fascinating personal and psychological look at this American history icon, and I recommend the book. ( )

Excellent book. I started the book wondering how much psycho-babble I would encounter. To my happy surprise, not much. This is a very serious book that examines how (and why) Lincoln experienced depression, and what forms that took. He then examines how Lincoln overcame his persistent depression, and then used it to fight the Kansas-Nebraska act and during his presidency. Of particular interest is the Appendix, which describes different periods of Lincoln scholarship, with a particular focus on the Ann Rutledge story. Some day I hope someone writes a book on the history of Lincoln scholarship. It would make for a very interesting read.

I have to say that I am mystified by some of the low ratings some have given this book. It is, on the whole, quite interesting and I feel that I've learning a bit more about Abe. One reviewer found the book repetitious, but I don't think it was at all. I found that it dragged for a short time about 2/3 of the way in, but before that and at the end (especially the wonderful Appendix), this was a very fascinating book. I can't quite give it 5 stars, but crikey, this is still a wonderful book. ( )

This is an important book, really the first contribution to the much-needed heroes for depressives’ canon. Abraham Lincoln, consider by most to be the greatest American president, suffered to major depressive episodes as a young adult and chronic depression throughout his life. Shenk traces Lincoln’s mental history and defends his thesis that the challenges Lincoln faced from depression actually fueled his greatness. The author examines modern psychological understandings of depression as well as the view of melancholy from Lincoln’s time (generally more favorable than today). I can’t say enough about how great this book was for understanding Lincoln as well as my own struggles with depression.

The Perspectives of Psychiatry – Paul R. McHugh & Phillip R. Slavney

Born Losers: A History of Failure in America – Scott Sandage

“It is common sense that some situations call for pessimism, but as a culture Americans have strangely decided to endow optomism with unqualified favor. Politicians today compete to be the most optimistic, and accuse their opponent of pessimism, as if it were a defect. This trend is visible in psychology as well. Whereas ‘melancholy’ in Lincoln’s time was understood to be a multifaceted phenomenon that conferred potential advantages along with grave dangers, today we tend to discount its complexities. Psychiatrists see only a biological brain disease. Psychologists see only errors in thinking. That is, if you don’t like yourself, or you feel hopeless, or you see life as fundamentally dissatisfying, you’ve fallen victim to what researchers call ‘learned helplessness.’” – p. 134

“Whatever greatness Lincoln achieved cannot be explained as a triumph over personal suffering. Rather, it must be accounted for as an outgrowth of the same system that produced suffering. This is not a story of transformation but one of integration. Lincoln didn’t do great work because he solved the problem of his melancholy. The problem of his melancholy was all the more fuel for the fire of his great work.” – p. 156

“I am now the most miserable man living. If what I felt were distribute to the whole human family there would not be one happy face on the earth. I must die or be better it appears to me. I awfully forebode I shall not. The matter you speak of on my account you may attend to as you see fit, as I fear I shall be unable to attend to business. If I could be myself, I would rather stay here with Judge Logan. I can write no more.” – Letter from Abraham Lincoln, January 23, 1841, p. 212-13 ( )

A wonderful book but not a biography. A reader needs to already have some grounding in US history and the life of Abraham Lincoln as well as keep an open mind. Given the mountain of books written about Lincoln, this gem manages to unearth novel aspects about the man, his century and his country.

Shenk shows how Lincoln's struggle with depression made him a better man, how 19th century society was much more tolerant regarding depression - a marked contrast to today's fake smile and happiness society. Lincoln's sadness, a trait everybody noticed, would kill his political prospects today (with its paradox insistence on authenticity and positiveness). Lincoln, the personified American Dream, rising by his own hand from humble beginning to the command of the nation, would be very un-American, even European today - writing poetry, introverted, sad and quiet - only when cracking jokes would his spirits lift him, his face animate and a spark of joy transform his company. Given his awkward looks, he probably would be a comedy writer cheated by the corporations today.

Shenk's framing of Lincoln's life through his depressions as well as the numerous vignettes about Lincoln's life should enlighten and enchant most readers. I learned a lot about Lincoln and it changed the way I see him. Highly recommended. ( )

academic, long, repetitive, just not that interesting ( )

Typically a biography looks at the events from an overly dispassionate, objective point of view. There is an obvious attempt to portray the biography as completely unbiased. The biases are still there, just not admitted.

Shenk admits he believes Abraham Lincoln, an American icon, openly paraded his depression in front of everyone in his youth. Lincoln even used his depression to make others feel sorry for him to gain advantages. This book is really an argument for this belief. I'd have liked more dissuading evidence or acknowledging the weaknesses in the belief. Areas where Shenk or others can perhaps fill in with more evidence.

Shenk is an excellent writer. The book flows better than most biographies I have read. ( )

A dramatic reassessment of the life and era of Abraham Lincoln argues that America's sixteenth president suffered from depression and explains how Lincoln used the ailment and the coping strategies he had developed to deal with the crises of the Civil War and personal tragedy. ( )