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Lincoln on Leadership for Today: Abraham Lincoln’s Approach to Twenty-First-Century Issues
The author of the classic bestseller Lincoln on Leadership answers the question: How would President Lincoln handle the pressing crises of our modern world?
Abraham Lincoln is recognized as one of history's finest leaders, a great president when the United States was under tremendous strain. But suppose he were alive today? How would Lincoln deal with today’s high-pressure issues, from politics to business?
Based on a lifelong study of Lincoln’s life, writings, and speeches, best-selling author Donald T. Phillips offers compelling ideas on how Lincoln would employ his exemplary leadership and executive style.
How would Lincoln handle today's frayed race relations, terrorism at home and abroad, gun control, and the influence of special interest groups on Congress? What would have been Lincoln's reaction to the invasion of Iraq? How would he have handled the Great Recession? What would be his stance on science and climate change? How did Lincoln feel about government entitlement programs? Would he have them at all? How would he feel about the growing gap between the haves and the have-nots, a worker's right to strike, the minimum wage, and labor unions? Would Lincoln have a mobile phone and embrace the whirl of social media?
Phillips hews very closely to Lincoln’s extensive writings and records to offer a fascinating look at how we might solve some of our most challenging problems, Lincoln-style.
Abraham Lincoln is recognized as one of history's finest leaders, a great president when the United States was under tremendous strain. But suppose he were alive today? How would Lincoln deal with today’s high-pressure issues, from politics to business?
Based on a lifelong study of Lincoln’s life, writings, and speeches, best-selling author Donald T. Phillips offers compelling ideas on how Lincoln would employ his exemplary leadership and executive style.
How would Lincoln handle today's frayed race relations, terrorism at home and abroad, gun control, and the influence of special interest groups on Congress? What would have been Lincoln's reaction to the invasion of Iraq? How would he have handled the Great Recession? What would be his stance on science and climate change? How did Lincoln feel about government entitlement programs? Would he have them at all? How would he feel about the growing gap between the haves and the have-nots, a worker's right to strike, the minimum wage, and labor unions? Would Lincoln have a mobile phone and embrace the whirl of social media?
Phillips hews very closely to Lincoln’s extensive writings and records to offer a fascinating look at how we might solve some of our most challenging problems, Lincoln-style.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published February 7, 2017
137 people are currently reading
546 people want to read
About the author
Donald T. Phillips
43 books30 followersDonald T. Phillips is a nonfiction writer. He has written or coauthored 20 books, including a trilogy on American leadership (Lincoln on Leadership, The Founding Fathers on Leadership, and Martin Luther King Jr. on Leadership).
Phillips has also collaborated on books with several celebrities, including: Norman Brinker, Mike Krzyzewski, Phil Mickelson, Rudy Ruettiger, Greg Norman, Cal Ripken Jr., and Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez.
Phillips has also collaborated on books with several celebrities, including: Norman Brinker, Mike Krzyzewski, Phil Mickelson, Rudy Ruettiger, Greg Norman, Cal Ripken Jr., and Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 14, 2021
WWLD? That's the attempt of this book, take what Lincoln said and did, and conclude his stance on today's political issues. I'll be honest it was a struggle to finish this one. I just don't understand the point. Even if the author's spot on in his assessments, why does it matter? Is Lincoln the standard bearer for what is right?
The problem is, some of author's extrapolating of Lincoln then and now is just plain guessing... examples:
-2nd Amendment: Lincoln would have been for the people to have handguns and rifles for hunting but would have banned "assault rifles" that have mass effect.
-Climate Change: Lincoln was educated in science, and therefore would have had a robust plan to fight climate change.
-Foreign Wars: Lincoln was against the Mexican-American war so therefore would have been against the US intervention in Iraq/Afghanistan.
The only purpose of this book seem to be to help people to use Lincoln as a cudgel to advance contemporary political issues.
The only reason this didn't get one star from me is because I really did like learning aspects of Lincoln I didn't know before. It's clear Phillips is a very educated scholar of his life and plan to read his other works... this one was just a swing-and-a-miss.
The problem is, some of author's extrapolating of Lincoln then and now is just plain guessing... examples:
-2nd Amendment: Lincoln would have been for the people to have handguns and rifles for hunting but would have banned "assault rifles" that have mass effect.
-Climate Change: Lincoln was educated in science, and therefore would have had a robust plan to fight climate change.
-Foreign Wars: Lincoln was against the Mexican-American war so therefore would have been against the US intervention in Iraq/Afghanistan.
The only purpose of this book seem to be to help people to use Lincoln as a cudgel to advance contemporary political issues.
The only reason this didn't get one star from me is because I really did like learning aspects of Lincoln I didn't know before. It's clear Phillips is a very educated scholar of his life and plan to read his other works... this one was just a swing-and-a-miss.
February 14, 2018
Loved the Lincoln part; not sold on the interpretive part...
June 18, 2017
The book was written by Donald T. Phillips in 2017 and comes in at 280 pages…excluding notes.
This is an updated version from the 1993 version. I read a few chapters of it but not the whole thing.
I saw it at the library and thought, “Well, that’s kind of silly but interesting at the same time. I wonder what this guy has to say.”
So I picked it up, skimmed through it, read a bit, and decided to check it out.
One of the chapters I really liked was Chapter 10: No Less Than National.
It talks about cabinet picks and leadership and the war effort.
Yeah, I particularly liked the things that Ol’ Abe did in the Civil War.
For instance, we had the Veterans Pension Act come through in July 1862.
The War Department would now take care of those it sent to war, and that wound up costing the federal government half its federal budget for a time during the war.
An interesting note is that the War Department stopped overseeing veterans in 1921 when the Veterans Bureau was created, and they stopped in 1930 when the VA was created. The VA in turn became a cabinet-level agency in 1989.
Another chapter I liked was Chapter 12: The Thunderbolt, and particularly the last section that looks at what Lincoln would do today.
“Recall that it was more than a decade from the time Abraham Lincoln started fighting slavery in 1854 to the time he actually ended it (with the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865).
If Lincoln were here today, he would advise our leaders to set out a long-range plan to achieve their major goals; focus on achieving each individual step along the way; wait for the timing to be right – and then seize the moment when it is.” (p 190-1)
If you like history and current events this book might appeal to you.
This is an updated version from the 1993 version. I read a few chapters of it but not the whole thing.
I saw it at the library and thought, “Well, that’s kind of silly but interesting at the same time. I wonder what this guy has to say.”
So I picked it up, skimmed through it, read a bit, and decided to check it out.
One of the chapters I really liked was Chapter 10: No Less Than National.
It talks about cabinet picks and leadership and the war effort.
Yeah, I particularly liked the things that Ol’ Abe did in the Civil War.
For instance, we had the Veterans Pension Act come through in July 1862.
The War Department would now take care of those it sent to war, and that wound up costing the federal government half its federal budget for a time during the war.
An interesting note is that the War Department stopped overseeing veterans in 1921 when the Veterans Bureau was created, and they stopped in 1930 when the VA was created. The VA in turn became a cabinet-level agency in 1989.
Another chapter I liked was Chapter 12: The Thunderbolt, and particularly the last section that looks at what Lincoln would do today.
“Recall that it was more than a decade from the time Abraham Lincoln started fighting slavery in 1854 to the time he actually ended it (with the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865).
If Lincoln were here today, he would advise our leaders to set out a long-range plan to achieve their major goals; focus on achieving each individual step along the way; wait for the timing to be right – and then seize the moment when it is.” (p 190-1)
If you like history and current events this book might appeal to you.
December 17, 2021
While the author based this book on a lifelong study of President Lincoln’s life, writings, and speeches, it comes across as very subjective and opinion riddled at certain parts it was still an enjoyable read. The more I read and learn about our 16th president the more I tend to admire the man. Worth the time investment to read.
June 25, 2023
I found the format and writing style of this book to be similar to a high school essay. Each chapter was split into two sections, the first reviewed a subject or period of time from Lincoln's life, then at the end of each chapter the author devoted several pages to describing "lessons" on how Lincoln would handle modern political issues based on these anecdotes.
I really enjoyed the main content of each chapter - the stories from Lincoln's life were humorous and educational. Unfortunately the summaries at the end of each chapter detracted heavily from the rest of the content. They were not only unnecessary but came across as almost condescending, as if the reader wouldn't be smart enough to figure out on their own how Lincoln's character and leadership might apply to the modern world.
Overall I'm still glad I read this but I definitely won't a second time, and I'd recommend looking elsewhere to anyone wanting to learn more about Lincoln.
I really enjoyed the main content of each chapter - the stories from Lincoln's life were humorous and educational. Unfortunately the summaries at the end of each chapter detracted heavily from the rest of the content. They were not only unnecessary but came across as almost condescending, as if the reader wouldn't be smart enough to figure out on their own how Lincoln's character and leadership might apply to the modern world.
Overall I'm still glad I read this but I definitely won't a second time, and I'd recommend looking elsewhere to anyone wanting to learn more about Lincoln.
March 1, 2024
high-level over view of a high level leader!
Easy to read, accurate and compelling account of Lincoln. The parallels of effective leadership were well communicated. Ample illustrations and end of chapter summaries. Good buy and a good book.
Easy to read, accurate and compelling account of Lincoln. The parallels of effective leadership were well communicated. Ample illustrations and end of chapter summaries. Good buy and a good book.
January 3, 2020
What a remarkable journey it was to read this crafty masterpiece ! The author narrated the significant events in the history of Lincoln with emphasis on his important thoughts that are so aptly applicable to modern world. The writing was easy to follow but full of vigorous spirit on the theme of Moral Responsibility of a Leader. It’s such an unbelievable story of a man who had to make difficult decisions at difficult times with difficult people, often contradicting his own principles such as the need for Civil War to suppress a greater damage that would affect even the world at large. Philips has very succinctly enumerated, sufficiently explained his own thoughts about Lincoln with adequate examples and the graciousness that those are his own humble opinions. The book beams with strong ethical fervor and influences and inspires the readers to have a purpose in life, a just one that is, and move with a enormous might to benefit the World and always, always shimmer with humbleness, kindness, selflessness and love. A must read to stay alive.
January 29, 2017
A very interesting read. It kept me turning the pages, which says a lot for any book these days.
Phillips brought Lincoln alive as he tackled the problems of the 1850's until his assassination, and then compared them to nearly identical political, econo-sociological issues of today.
Lincoln faced many of the same issues that we are facing today. A country in dissent, a failing economy, and poor foreign relations. And yet, he somehow managed to get this country through a civil war, with a mind frame that we would be reunited and act as a united front against all enemies.
By looking at Lincoln, and how he handled many issues of his day, we can readily see how this country can get back on it's feet, and be abundant once more.
I will hope our new President of the United States will take the time to read this very fascinating book, and perhaps learn from the lessons that Abraham Lincoln taught us.
I rate this book Five Stars
and a Big Thumbs up!
As well as my Highly Recommended Award.
You can find the book available on Amazon.com for pre-publishing purchase. It will be available in both Kindle and hardcover form.
DISCLAIMER: This book was provided by Amazon Vine in exchange for affair and impartial review. All ideas review written above is the opinion of the author of this blog and was not influenced by any other manner.
Phillips brought Lincoln alive as he tackled the problems of the 1850's until his assassination, and then compared them to nearly identical political, econo-sociological issues of today.
Lincoln faced many of the same issues that we are facing today. A country in dissent, a failing economy, and poor foreign relations. And yet, he somehow managed to get this country through a civil war, with a mind frame that we would be reunited and act as a united front against all enemies.
By looking at Lincoln, and how he handled many issues of his day, we can readily see how this country can get back on it's feet, and be abundant once more.
I will hope our new President of the United States will take the time to read this very fascinating book, and perhaps learn from the lessons that Abraham Lincoln taught us.
I rate this book Five Stars
and a Big Thumbs up!
As well as my Highly Recommended Award.
You can find the book available on Amazon.com for pre-publishing purchase. It will be available in both Kindle and hardcover form.
DISCLAIMER: This book was provided by Amazon Vine in exchange for affair and impartial review. All ideas review written above is the opinion of the author of this blog and was not influenced by any other manner.
April 9, 2018
Some good personal stories from speeches & letters written by Abraham Lincoln. Author really stretched to connect decisions made by Lincoln in 1800's to imply how Lincoln would react to political decisions of today.
June 1, 2017
In 1992 Donald T. Phillips wrote a book called "Lincoln on Leadership." It became an instant best-seller and spawned both a career and new genre in historical leadership books. Now in 2017, Phillips has written a new book highlighting what the author believes are leadership lessons relevant to issues of today. The author succeeds in writing an eminently readable book for both Lincoln scholars and non-scholars.
The book consists of 17 chapters, each of which is split into two parts. The first part summarizes Lincoln's history, beliefs, and actions on a variety of issues of the day - slavery, fairness, technology, interactions with other countries, economic theory, human nature, slavery, and civil war. The text is replete with quotations by and about Lincoln highlighting his views, attributes, and decision making. I found these portions of each chapter to be exceptionally well done, with key aspects parsed from Lincoln's life and discussed in ways relevant to the general topic of the chapter. These portions will give non-scholars an excellent flavor of Lincoln's thinking and management style.
The second portion of each chapter repeats the book's main title and attempts to relate the material presented to current day issues ranging from "unpopular Supreme Court decisions" to "the 24-hour newscycle" to "big versus small government" to "abortion" to "voting rights." These sections are generally only a few pages at the end of 10-20 page main chapters. Phillips clearly notes where he is offering his opinions. I found most of these to be insightful and, while by necessity speculative, supported by examples from Lincoln's life and words.
I do have a few quibbles. Occasionally I found what seemed to be historical errors, those these are rare. In one chapter he quotes Lincoln's blind memorandum at the beginning of the chapter, along with an explanation of its circumstances and meaning, but then repeats the entire paragraph long quote again at the end of the chapter along with a highly repetitive re-explanation. In later chapters he also occasionally repeats shorter quotes used in earlier chapters, which though seem relevant in both places is noticeably repetitive. It is hard to know how much personal author bias versus insight went into the speculation in the "today" sections, and (dare I say it) one wonders if some of these sections are simply irrelevant.
These quibbles aside, the book offers a unique view of Abraham Lincoln's well-told tale, and extrapolates from his life and leadership example to today's issues. Given the profound ignorance of many of today's political leaders of our own history, and the parallels often derived between Lincoln's life and challenges versus today's, this book should be required reading for all politically motivated adults.
The book consists of 17 chapters, each of which is split into two parts. The first part summarizes Lincoln's history, beliefs, and actions on a variety of issues of the day - slavery, fairness, technology, interactions with other countries, economic theory, human nature, slavery, and civil war. The text is replete with quotations by and about Lincoln highlighting his views, attributes, and decision making. I found these portions of each chapter to be exceptionally well done, with key aspects parsed from Lincoln's life and discussed in ways relevant to the general topic of the chapter. These portions will give non-scholars an excellent flavor of Lincoln's thinking and management style.
The second portion of each chapter repeats the book's main title and attempts to relate the material presented to current day issues ranging from "unpopular Supreme Court decisions" to "the 24-hour newscycle" to "big versus small government" to "abortion" to "voting rights." These sections are generally only a few pages at the end of 10-20 page main chapters. Phillips clearly notes where he is offering his opinions. I found most of these to be insightful and, while by necessity speculative, supported by examples from Lincoln's life and words.
I do have a few quibbles. Occasionally I found what seemed to be historical errors, those these are rare. In one chapter he quotes Lincoln's blind memorandum at the beginning of the chapter, along with an explanation of its circumstances and meaning, but then repeats the entire paragraph long quote again at the end of the chapter along with a highly repetitive re-explanation. In later chapters he also occasionally repeats shorter quotes used in earlier chapters, which though seem relevant in both places is noticeably repetitive. It is hard to know how much personal author bias versus insight went into the speculation in the "today" sections, and (dare I say it) one wonders if some of these sections are simply irrelevant.
These quibbles aside, the book offers a unique view of Abraham Lincoln's well-told tale, and extrapolates from his life and leadership example to today's issues. Given the profound ignorance of many of today's political leaders of our own history, and the parallels often derived between Lincoln's life and challenges versus today's, this book should be required reading for all politically motivated adults.
November 20, 2024
I just finished reading "Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times" by Donald T. Phillips, and I was thoroughly impressed by the author's ability to draw timeless leadership lessons from the life and legacy of President Abraham Lincoln.
One of the things that struck me most about this book was its relatively non-partisan tone. Phillips does an excellent job of separating the man from the myth, and presents a nuanced and balanced portrayal of Lincoln's strengths and weaknesses as a leader. While it's impossible to completely escape the politics of the time, Phillips does a commendable job of focusing on the leadership principles and strategies that made Lincoln so effective, rather than getting bogged down in ideology.
The writing is engaging and accessible, making the book easy to follow and enjoyable to read. I particularly appreciated the way Phillips uses anecdotes and historical examples to illustrate Lincoln's leadership approach, and the way he draws parallels between the challenges Lincoln faced and the challenges leaders face today.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book is Phillips' occasional forays into speculation, where he imagines how Lincoln might respond to modern-day challenges or issues. While these sections are necessarily subjective, they add a creative and thought-provoking element to the book, and help to make the lessons feel more relevant and applicable to contemporary leaders.
If I have any criticisms, it's that the book sometimes feels a bit too focused on Lincoln's personal qualities and character traits, rather than the structural and systemic factors that contributed to his success. Additionally, some of the historical examples and anecdotes feel a bit over-relied upon, and could be trimmed or condensed for greater impact.
Overall, however, I would highly recommend "Lincoln on Leadership" to anyone interested in history, leadership, or simply learning from one of the greatest leaders in American history. Phillips' book is a testament to the enduring power of Lincoln's legacy, and offers valuable insights and lessons that are just as relevant today as they were during Lincoln's time.
One of the things that struck me most about this book was its relatively non-partisan tone. Phillips does an excellent job of separating the man from the myth, and presents a nuanced and balanced portrayal of Lincoln's strengths and weaknesses as a leader. While it's impossible to completely escape the politics of the time, Phillips does a commendable job of focusing on the leadership principles and strategies that made Lincoln so effective, rather than getting bogged down in ideology.
The writing is engaging and accessible, making the book easy to follow and enjoyable to read. I particularly appreciated the way Phillips uses anecdotes and historical examples to illustrate Lincoln's leadership approach, and the way he draws parallels between the challenges Lincoln faced and the challenges leaders face today.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book is Phillips' occasional forays into speculation, where he imagines how Lincoln might respond to modern-day challenges or issues. While these sections are necessarily subjective, they add a creative and thought-provoking element to the book, and help to make the lessons feel more relevant and applicable to contemporary leaders.
If I have any criticisms, it's that the book sometimes feels a bit too focused on Lincoln's personal qualities and character traits, rather than the structural and systemic factors that contributed to his success. Additionally, some of the historical examples and anecdotes feel a bit over-relied upon, and could be trimmed or condensed for greater impact.
Overall, however, I would highly recommend "Lincoln on Leadership" to anyone interested in history, leadership, or simply learning from one of the greatest leaders in American history. Phillips' book is a testament to the enduring power of Lincoln's legacy, and offers valuable insights and lessons that are just as relevant today as they were during Lincoln's time.
August 9, 2020
Lincoln on Leadership for Today is an interesting read; much for the historic view on Lincoln than anything else. Donald T. Phillips attempts to focus on elements that drove Lincoln’s action through his life and of course the Civil war. Phillips attempts to demonstrate the fundamental traits through demonstration of historic events, behaviors and conversations. He makes an attempt to overlay Lincoln’s views on how they would likely fall on current political drivers - perhaps likely mostly correctly, but his arguments are not robust enough to to stand up to the adamant nay-sayers in today’s political climate (as read in some reviews of this book already. Phillips himself breaks his own observation of Lincoln’s political behaviors to be centrist is likely to capture their larges portion of the populations bell curve. Had Phillips simply stated his observations they might be more widely received across a larger audience......that being said, I do believe that Phillips is justified in most of his observations. In fact, most of the historic recall align pretty neatly against current political topics anyhow.
This edition is a revision edited for more current political climates; the revision is welcomed, but it is also very apparent that the original text was just added to rather than reworked to incorporate modern needs; as such, there are parts of the text that are repetitive as the author restates details told just a few pages earlier. The idea of the revision is welcomed, however it could have been executed better in my opinion.
What I think Phillips did really well was put a true human element to the Lincoln and the Civil War. The arc of the book drives home the compassion and humanity (and Struggles) that Lincoln managed with a very real opposition; here the author makes a strong case (demonstrated, then stated) that his inevitable connection to people, not ideas is what made him such a great leader and man. This was an enjoyable read, despite the flaws I do recommend it.
This edition is a revision edited for more current political climates; the revision is welcomed, but it is also very apparent that the original text was just added to rather than reworked to incorporate modern needs; as such, there are parts of the text that are repetitive as the author restates details told just a few pages earlier. The idea of the revision is welcomed, however it could have been executed better in my opinion.
What I think Phillips did really well was put a true human element to the Lincoln and the Civil War. The arc of the book drives home the compassion and humanity (and Struggles) that Lincoln managed with a very real opposition; here the author makes a strong case (demonstrated, then stated) that his inevitable connection to people, not ideas is what made him such a great leader and man. This was an enjoyable read, despite the flaws I do recommend it.
November 12, 2024
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Lincoln on Leadership for Today by Donald T. Phillips is a well-organized and thoughtfully written book that combines historical biography with modern leadership insights. Phillips does a commendable job of not only recounting Lincoln’s life but also attempting to bridge the gap between his leadership style and the hot-button issues of today. This added perspective makes the book relevant and gives readers a chance to imagine how Lincoln’s principles might apply to our current world.
The style of the book reminds me of George Washington on Leadership by Richard Brookhiser, but Phillips brings a bit more personality to the narrative, making it less dry and more engaging. I particularly enjoyed the stories of Lincoln’s life—they add depth and context that make Lincoln’s leadership decisions feel more relatable. While the interpretation of his actions in the context of leadership is interesting, it’s the historical anecdotes that really bring the book to life.
For readers looking to learn more about Lincoln’s journey and decision-making process, this book serves as a very approachable biography of sorts. It blends historical context with thoughtful reflections, which adds value for those interested in both history and leadership.
Overall, Lincoln on Leadership for Today offers both insight and historical knowledge, making it a worthwhile read. It may not break new ground in leadership theory, but it succeeds in drawing meaningful connections between Lincoln’s character and leadership in a way that feels both educational and relevant.
Lincoln on Leadership for Today by Donald T. Phillips is a well-organized and thoughtfully written book that combines historical biography with modern leadership insights. Phillips does a commendable job of not only recounting Lincoln’s life but also attempting to bridge the gap between his leadership style and the hot-button issues of today. This added perspective makes the book relevant and gives readers a chance to imagine how Lincoln’s principles might apply to our current world.
The style of the book reminds me of George Washington on Leadership by Richard Brookhiser, but Phillips brings a bit more personality to the narrative, making it less dry and more engaging. I particularly enjoyed the stories of Lincoln’s life—they add depth and context that make Lincoln’s leadership decisions feel more relatable. While the interpretation of his actions in the context of leadership is interesting, it’s the historical anecdotes that really bring the book to life.
For readers looking to learn more about Lincoln’s journey and decision-making process, this book serves as a very approachable biography of sorts. It blends historical context with thoughtful reflections, which adds value for those interested in both history and leadership.
Overall, Lincoln on Leadership for Today offers both insight and historical knowledge, making it a worthwhile read. It may not break new ground in leadership theory, but it succeeds in drawing meaningful connections between Lincoln’s character and leadership in a way that feels both educational and relevant.
September 24, 2024
I read perhaps 1/3 of the book before giving it up. It was interesting & a bit thought provoking, but after re-checking it out about 3 or 4 times fur three weeks each, I decided to let it go.
The author makes some interesting premises about how Lincoln might approach modern day challenges, & yet its something we'll never truly know.
It seemed like he comes to his conclusions from a rather "progressive" mindset. He doesn't state which political party he supports, if any, so I can't say for sure, however I did find some disagreement with some of his conclusions. That's not to say they may not be good conclusions; just that we come from a different perspective. I am a strong Constitutional Conservative in the original intent of the Framers, yet I am not a die-hard beluever of any political party. To me, they are two deeply scared sides of the same coin.
The reason I gave it up was because my reading time is limited, & I found myself putting this one on the back burner of an ancient stove forgotten in the back of an old, used, barn.
Others will find it fascinating; I found it moderately interesting, but not enough to finish it.
The author makes some interesting premises about how Lincoln might approach modern day challenges, & yet its something we'll never truly know.
It seemed like he comes to his conclusions from a rather "progressive" mindset. He doesn't state which political party he supports, if any, so I can't say for sure, however I did find some disagreement with some of his conclusions. That's not to say they may not be good conclusions; just that we come from a different perspective. I am a strong Constitutional Conservative in the original intent of the Framers, yet I am not a die-hard beluever of any political party. To me, they are two deeply scared sides of the same coin.
The reason I gave it up was because my reading time is limited, & I found myself putting this one on the back burner of an ancient stove forgotten in the back of an old, used, barn.
Others will find it fascinating; I found it moderately interesting, but not enough to finish it.
December 27, 2019
"I thought this book was a 'self-help' book, but actually it's not. "
Don T. Phillips correlated the action, issues, and tribulations that Abraham Lincoln faced to modern day issues. From the start of the book, I was legit bored in reading the book. At first, I didn't like the format of "The Event", then modern day issue. I felt first, that it could have be done better by having it Contemporary Issue, then "The Event". However, I learn't to love the format especially when it reaches in between Chapter 10-13. Additionally, I felt the book was too wordy and filled with too much run-on sentences that made me confuse what is what, and which is which. Definitely a recommend for the history buffs there and people who love Lincoln - but for a casual reader, I think it's a no.
Don T. Phillips correlated the action, issues, and tribulations that Abraham Lincoln faced to modern day issues. From the start of the book, I was legit bored in reading the book. At first, I didn't like the format of "The Event", then modern day issue. I felt first, that it could have be done better by having it Contemporary Issue, then "The Event". However, I learn't to love the format especially when it reaches in between Chapter 10-13. Additionally, I felt the book was too wordy and filled with too much run-on sentences that made me confuse what is what, and which is which. Definitely a recommend for the history buffs there and people who love Lincoln - but for a casual reader, I think it's a no.
March 13, 2023
Did not finish. I thought this was an updated version of the original Lincoln on Leadership and instead it was guessing what Lincoln might have thought about current events and political issues. Not what I was looking for, but I was still interested in learning more about Lincoln and gave it a chance. After slowly making it through a few chapters and finding myself constantly looking for something else to do, I put a library hold on the original book and put this one down.
Republicans like Lincoln were the liberals back then, so any close-minded Republicans will want to skip this one and liberals might enjoy reading about the idea that the greatest US president would mostly be on their side.
Republicans like Lincoln were the liberals back then, so any close-minded Republicans will want to skip this one and liberals might enjoy reading about the idea that the greatest US president would mostly be on their side.
January 22, 2023
This book is an outstanding history on Lincoln, highlighting many of his great qualities with applications for today.
The major annoyance was the insertion of the author’s personal interpretations on how Lincoln would handle issues today. He uses controversial issues like abortion, religion, gun rights, and immigration to show what Lincoln would support today, which is mostly his own bias. It feels like he has a liberal agenda and some of his interpretations don’t make sense since the issues are completely different. Overall it’s a good book for the historical knowledge. Just skip the author’s side comments.
The major annoyance was the insertion of the author’s personal interpretations on how Lincoln would handle issues today. He uses controversial issues like abortion, religion, gun rights, and immigration to show what Lincoln would support today, which is mostly his own bias. It feels like he has a liberal agenda and some of his interpretations don’t make sense since the issues are completely different. Overall it’s a good book for the historical knowledge. Just skip the author’s side comments.
March 23, 2020
A comprehensively written book that gives us timeless insights about Lincoln's leadership. I highly recommend this book to students who are writing their essays or researches about politics, economy, warfare, women's rights, and slavery.
The author has carefully discussed each issue that Lincoln faced without taking away the true characteristics of Lincoln. The author is able to show that Lincoln is a human who has his own faults and how he is able to make up for the abilities he lack.
The author has carefully discussed each issue that Lincoln faced without taking away the true characteristics of Lincoln. The author is able to show that Lincoln is a human who has his own faults and how he is able to make up for the abilities he lack.
May 5, 2024
This was an excellent review of Lincoln’s presidency...the good, the bad, and the lessons we can learn from his style of leadership. Loved the “What Would Lincoln Do? part of each chapter which allowed readers to imagine how Lincoln may have handled our current political and cultural issues.
We sure could use more leaders like old Honest Abe today...sigh.
We sure could use more leaders like old Honest Abe today...sigh.
April 17, 2022
An Update of Lincoln on Leadership
I read the original Lincoln on Leadership back in college. I don’t remember most (all?) of it. This is an updated version that appears to just apply the original lessons to today’s political issues. Overall it was a good read.
I read the original Lincoln on Leadership back in college. I don’t remember most (all?) of it. This is an updated version that appears to just apply the original lessons to today’s political issues. Overall it was a good read.
August 7, 2019
Tedious
January 3, 2021
Great lessons from the greatest leader.
March 28, 2023
Wonderful insights
Thoroughly enjoyed the personal & historical accounts of Lincoln's life and persona. It feels like you actually get to "meet" the man.
Thoroughly enjoyed the personal & historical accounts of Lincoln's life and persona. It feels like you actually get to "meet" the man.
April 1, 2025
Fantastic read. Lincoln was quite a man. The way the author connected Lincoln’s leadership style to decisions made and current events where his leadership would excel was really inspiring.
October 27, 2025
I learned a few things, but this was pretty saccharine.
October 30, 2025
Great read, but the author is obviously liberal. Hed goes out of his way to frame Lincoln's would be opinions the same way.
March 13, 2017
I enjoyed most of this book. The author gave an opinion on what he thought Lincoln would do or say. Some of it I agreed with. This author is highly intelligent and I would read more from him.
May 25, 2018
The book consists of 17 chapters, each of which is split into two parts. The first part summarizes Lincoln's history, beliefs, and actions on a variety of issues of the day, many of which I am glad I do not need to face in the same way - technology, interactions with other countries, economic theory, human nature, slavery, and civil war to name a few. The book is filled with great quotations by and about Lincoln highlighting his views, attributes, and decision making. I found great joy from these portions of each chapter, as they were exceptionally well done, and discussed in ways that felt to be relevant to the general topic of the chapter. These portions will give non-scholars like me an excellent flavor of Lincoln's thinking and management style.
I recommend this book.
I recommend this book.
January 12, 2019
Well, I really liked this book, even if I might have miscopied its ISBN for a different edition. 978-0-544-81464-6? This book is regarding all that fun stuff such as people are still not property even though it's 151 years after Abraham Lincoln left the presidency. He was "the very impersonation of good humor and fellowship."
So this book describes how this person exhibits how he is a "born leader." I may want to follow up this book with this author's Founding Fathers on Leadership and Martin Luther King Jr. on Leadership, as I did my stint with leadership in middle, high school and in undergrad, umm, with the ladies in science and the law stuff and helping coordinate whatever with the Off-campus/commuter association. IDK how to better put it...
So this book describes how this person exhibits how he is a "born leader." I may want to follow up this book with this author's Founding Fathers on Leadership and Martin Luther King Jr. on Leadership, as I did my stint with leadership in middle, high school and in undergrad, umm, with the ladies in science and the law stuff and helping coordinate whatever with the Off-campus/commuter association. IDK how to better put it...
February 23, 2019
Phillips presents Abraham Lincoln's life, his speeches and public appearances, draws inferences from them and then pronounces what Abraham Lincoln would likely do with today's issues of nationalism, poverty, etc.
Why I started this book: Reading books about love this month, I'm classifying this under love of justice and love of country.
Why I finished it: This book is due at the library in less than 24 hours... someone else has a hold, I needed to finish it. This book is a pondering book and so it took me lots longer to read it than the number of pages would indicate. Each chapter presents a story or decision from Lincoln's life and then projects that onto modern issues. Fascinating but completely interpretive history.
Why I started this book: Reading books about love this month, I'm classifying this under love of justice and love of country.
Why I finished it: This book is due at the library in less than 24 hours... someone else has a hold, I needed to finish it. This book is a pondering book and so it took me lots longer to read it than the number of pages would indicate. Each chapter presents a story or decision from Lincoln's life and then projects that onto modern issues. Fascinating but completely interpretive history.
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