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Lincoln's Men: The President and His Private Secretaries
“An intimate portrait of Lincoln, so well-drawn that he seems to come alive on the page.”
—Charleston Post & Courier
Lincoln’s Men by Daniel Mark Epstein offers a fascinating close-up view of the Abraham Lincoln White House through the eyes of Lincoln’s three personal secretaries: John Nicolay, William Stoddard, and John Hay. Like Doris Kearns Goodwin’s monumental New York Times bestseller, Team of Rivals, Epstein’s Lincoln’s Men sheds a new light on the 16th U.S. president—his brilliance and vision in a time of national turmoil and Civil War—by focusing on his relationships with the men who worked closely by his side. USA Today writes, “This is not your typical work of history. Epstein, a poet, employs a dreamy, novelistic tone in describing these young men and their tormented boss.”
—Charleston Post & Courier
Lincoln’s Men by Daniel Mark Epstein offers a fascinating close-up view of the Abraham Lincoln White House through the eyes of Lincoln’s three personal secretaries: John Nicolay, William Stoddard, and John Hay. Like Doris Kearns Goodwin’s monumental New York Times bestseller, Team of Rivals, Epstein’s Lincoln’s Men sheds a new light on the 16th U.S. president—his brilliance and vision in a time of national turmoil and Civil War—by focusing on his relationships with the men who worked closely by his side. USA Today writes, “This is not your typical work of history. Epstein, a poet, employs a dreamy, novelistic tone in describing these young men and their tormented boss.”
272 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 26, 2014
It took me a bit to read this but once I got past the first few chapters, which were purely background, it became fascinating. After all John Hay and John Nicolay, as secretaries to President Lincoln, witnessed the precursors to the Civil War and were ultimately responsible for the 10 volume over 1 million word biography that created the persona of the 16th President that we revere even today.
The reader is introduced to the internecine workings of the White House and the cast of characters that surrounded President Lincoln. Of note, this is neither a book about the Civil War, nor a book about the decisions of President Lincoln. It is a biography of the biographers of Abraham Lincoln and the readers follow the political assignments of John Hay and John Nicolay and are tangentially exposed to the day to day workings of the White House during the 1860s.
The descriptive language used by the author is wonderful and what resulted in my awarding this book 4 stars. An example is the description of the town of Gettysburg in November of 1863. "The great military battle that temporarily swelled the city's population from 2,400 to over 150,000 left a terrible scar on the sleepy college town. The poisonous stench from the corpses of several thousand dead men and thousands more horses and mules left lying in roads and cornfields under a burning midsummer sun. The flies and gnats. The tons of human and animal excrement left unburied. The bloodstained walls of private homes and businesses. The massive applications of lime, meant to ward of disease and pestilence, which dusted the streets in fine white powder. It was 'a scene of horror and desolation which humanity in all the centuries of its history has seldom witnessed,' claimed the U.S. Christian Commission. In the aftermath of the battle, farmers emerged from their homes to find their livestock stolen or destroyed, their orchards picked clean by fleeing rebels, their crops in tatters, and their trees shot full with bullets. Gettysburg stood as a stark testament to the physical ruin of modern war." And in speaking of Abraham Lincoln, "Politics is a thing a laisser ou a prendre, but by no means to be despised, either in nobler or baser relations to the times we live in."
Well worth reading especially if you have an interest in how these two biographers transformed the image of the 16th President of the United States.
The reader is introduced to the internecine workings of the White House and the cast of characters that surrounded President Lincoln. Of note, this is neither a book about the Civil War, nor a book about the decisions of President Lincoln. It is a biography of the biographers of Abraham Lincoln and the readers follow the political assignments of John Hay and John Nicolay and are tangentially exposed to the day to day workings of the White House during the 1860s.
The descriptive language used by the author is wonderful and what resulted in my awarding this book 4 stars. An example is the description of the town of Gettysburg in November of 1863. "The great military battle that temporarily swelled the city's population from 2,400 to over 150,000 left a terrible scar on the sleepy college town. The poisonous stench from the corpses of several thousand dead men and thousands more horses and mules left lying in roads and cornfields under a burning midsummer sun. The flies and gnats. The tons of human and animal excrement left unburied. The bloodstained walls of private homes and businesses. The massive applications of lime, meant to ward of disease and pestilence, which dusted the streets in fine white powder. It was 'a scene of horror and desolation which humanity in all the centuries of its history has seldom witnessed,' claimed the U.S. Christian Commission. In the aftermath of the battle, farmers emerged from their homes to find their livestock stolen or destroyed, their orchards picked clean by fleeing rebels, their crops in tatters, and their trees shot full with bullets. Gettysburg stood as a stark testament to the physical ruin of modern war." And in speaking of Abraham Lincoln, "Politics is a thing a laisser ou a prendre, but by no means to be despised, either in nobler or baser relations to the times we live in."
Well worth reading especially if you have an interest in how these two biographers transformed the image of the 16th President of the United States.
June 2, 2024
For some reason every once in a while I need to read another book about Abraham Lincoln. He was so brilliant, courageous, wise, and kind. His situation was so complex, much like our own times. This book is an intimate portrayal of his relationship with his young secretaries that helped keep his administration running. In turn he was the best mentor and friend they could ever hope for.
April 27, 2009
It took me a while to finish this book, I kept putting it down, largely due to time constraints and the concentration needed to read it. I usually don't read non-fiction, but have started to enjoy the category lately. This book was a glimpse into Lincoln's presidency as seen through the eyes of his secretaries. Between the Civil War and the slavery question, dealing with a child's death (and wife's subsequent odd behavior), through his assassination, this book describes the relationship Lincoln had with his trusted friends and employees. It combines the private lives of the secretaries along with their official duties to tell a historical account of what life was like during the late 1800's. The descriptions and commentary brought that time period to life: considering my recent trip to DC, I could envision where some of the events took place. For the hisory buff, this book is highly recommended..but even if one is not, there is a lot to learn about one very interesting presidential era.
I must thank Harper Collins and their First Look program for a copy of this book...
I must thank Harper Collins and their First Look program for a copy of this book...
July 5, 2014
I have had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Epstein when he spoke to our book group at Emmanuel Church in Baltimore, a very entertaining speaker to be sure. This book was a real page turner just as his previous one on the Lincoln's marriage was. I felt at times like I was in the room with these men sharing the trials and tribulations of a war-torn country. I cannot recommend it enough!
July 27, 2012
Very interesting look at Lincoln through the words of his secretaries. His relationship with young John Hay (who went on to have a distinguished career, ending it as Secretary of State) was particularly touching - they enjoyed the same literature, the same humor, and each other tremendously.
May 7, 2018
This was an excellent look at “behind the scenes” of the Lincoln presidency. It not only provides an excellent history of the individual secretaries but also an intimate look at the President himself worn down by a war he did not want but was incapable of stopping.
As he tells them late one night in one of their frequent conversations, “I am accused of being in control of events when the truth is events are in control of me.”
Each of the secretaries brought with them their own unique ability. Stoddard was the only one who had Mary Lincoln’s favor and the only one who could get her to do something or more importantly not do something.
Hay was a consummate diplomat and could be counted on to negotiate between warring political entities or cajole editorialists into seeing the war from the President’s view.
Nicolay knew how to write the views of the President and get it into the press at the right time and right place. He also was an accomplished investigator who could track down sources of deceit and ineptitude.
They all followed the lead of the President but they also had his ear and they were never hesitant to argue against a decision he was making.
The most touching scenes come late in his presidency, early in the morning when one would feel a weight on his bed as he slept. The President who seldom slept at this juncture of the presidency would come to the room of one of his secretaries, his hair disheveled, short night shirt and clod in house slippers and sit on the edge of the bed. When Hay or Nicolay would wake, he would say, “Don’t get up. I just want to read you something.” He would then read from Shakespeare or an ancient philosopher or poet. Words that kept him up at night.
The reason I gave the book only four stars is because of what he left out, the passing of the 13th amendment. I would have loved to know what part they played in the intricate process of getting that passed. In the movie, “Lincoln,” they are depicted as passive players which I am confident was not the case. Passive is a word you would never use to describe Lincoln’s men. But maybe that’s for another book.
As he tells them late one night in one of their frequent conversations, “I am accused of being in control of events when the truth is events are in control of me.”
Each of the secretaries brought with them their own unique ability. Stoddard was the only one who had Mary Lincoln’s favor and the only one who could get her to do something or more importantly not do something.
Hay was a consummate diplomat and could be counted on to negotiate between warring political entities or cajole editorialists into seeing the war from the President’s view.
Nicolay knew how to write the views of the President and get it into the press at the right time and right place. He also was an accomplished investigator who could track down sources of deceit and ineptitude.
They all followed the lead of the President but they also had his ear and they were never hesitant to argue against a decision he was making.
The most touching scenes come late in his presidency, early in the morning when one would feel a weight on his bed as he slept. The President who seldom slept at this juncture of the presidency would come to the room of one of his secretaries, his hair disheveled, short night shirt and clod in house slippers and sit on the edge of the bed. When Hay or Nicolay would wake, he would say, “Don’t get up. I just want to read you something.” He would then read from Shakespeare or an ancient philosopher or poet. Words that kept him up at night.
The reason I gave the book only four stars is because of what he left out, the passing of the 13th amendment. I would have loved to know what part they played in the intricate process of getting that passed. In the movie, “Lincoln,” they are depicted as passive players which I am confident was not the case. Passive is a word you would never use to describe Lincoln’s men. But maybe that’s for another book.
December 13, 2017
I'm a long-time Lincolnian, and I enjoyed this book very much. I didn't quite realize how suited Nicolay and Hay were for the president: like "The Tycoon", each was a good writer and had been trained as a lawyer. I also didn't realize how much Stoddard was involved as assistant-assistant secretary, and how often and how much Nicolay and Hay were away from the White House on business or for R and R.
July 9, 2020
Hard to find a better book to read
Good book, better read.
You really got the impression that you were there with the secretaries during the laughter, anguish and grief that was the Lincoln Presidency. I would have liked to read a little more about John Hay's work after 1964.
Good book, better read.
You really got the impression that you were there with the secretaries during the laughter, anguish and grief that was the Lincoln Presidency. I would have liked to read a little more about John Hay's work after 1964.
November 3, 2021
Educational and interesting read on three of Lincoln's secretaries. It was engaging and read like a good story.
September 12, 2024
I found this book to be a completely fascinating way of learning a different perspective about Abraham Lincoln.
December 28, 2017
Having read many books available in recent years about the Civil War, my benchmark for excellence is Bruce Catton. Not only is Catton's prose clear and yet vivid, his understanding of all the myriad pieces that make up the Civil War mosaic helps him to place each subject in the broader context of its effect on the Civil War. Most books fail to measure up. Daniel Mark Epstein's Lincoln's Men pass with flying colors.
I often think that we fail to understand the true implications of that story about infinite time - you know, put a 1000 monkeys in a room typing away and sooner or later, Shakespeare pops up. In the case of pop music, sooner or later the Beatles emerges from the crowd when the poor and middle class are given the opportunity to play and write music. In politics, when that middle class is given a path to power, Lincoln emerges, and with him, the men of his time and place, the middle class of mid-western America.
John Nicolay, John Hay and William O. Stoddard were all from fairly humble backgrounds, yet each had their own unique qualities. All of them worked with Lincoln in a very intimate way, sharing his public triumphs (the Emancipation Proclamation) and his private tragedies (the death of his young son. Epstein gives us a detailed biography of each man - perhaps too detailed. His prose is interesting if not always concise.
Any reader interested in the Civil War or Lincoln will enjoy this excellent book.
I often think that we fail to understand the true implications of that story about infinite time - you know, put a 1000 monkeys in a room typing away and sooner or later, Shakespeare pops up. In the case of pop music, sooner or later the Beatles emerges from the crowd when the poor and middle class are given the opportunity to play and write music. In politics, when that middle class is given a path to power, Lincoln emerges, and with him, the men of his time and place, the middle class of mid-western America.
John Nicolay, John Hay and William O. Stoddard were all from fairly humble backgrounds, yet each had their own unique qualities. All of them worked with Lincoln in a very intimate way, sharing his public triumphs (the Emancipation Proclamation) and his private tragedies (the death of his young son. Epstein gives us a detailed biography of each man - perhaps too detailed. His prose is interesting if not always concise.
Any reader interested in the Civil War or Lincoln will enjoy this excellent book.
March 19, 2009
Abraham Lincoln's relationships with his private secretaries are among the most interesting and most character-revealing glimpses we have of him as a person. This book manages to make them a bit dull. How can someone make John Hay, one of the most astute witnesses to the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, boring? This reads like one of those books published before its voice was found. It's by no means a worthless read for someone interested in Lincoln, and includes some incidents and diary entries that don't appear in other works, but it lacks a real understanding of the interior lives of its subjects. This could have been one of the most interesting accounts of Lincoln in the White House--Hay and Nicolay were certainly privy to the "greatness and goodness" of their chief, and they loved him as young men who discover that their mentor is a living ideal they have always felt, but never before discovered. Most moving (but not well told in this book) is Hay's transformation from a cynical young buck bemused and amused by his interesting but awkward employer to a surrogate son finding in Lincoln someone so honest that his cynicism was exploded, and so kind and so canny that he went from near-ridicule to awe. That transformation, in one of the dozen or so greatest minds of his generation, is something that the reader should have an easy time sharing. It seems Epstein was not up to it, but his book is still worth a read for serious Lincoln admirers.
April 11, 2013
The book jacket for Daniel Mark Epstein’s LINCOLN’S MEN states that the author explores the role of three remarkable young men who served as Abraham Lincoln’s “private secretaries” during the Civil War. The narrative however does more by delving into the relationship between John Nicolay, William Stoddard, John Hay and the sixteenth president. The reader is invited into the inner workings of the White House, how the war was conducted, the great issues of the day, and the social system that evolved in Washington, D.C. during the Civil War. We are presented with three distinctly different men whose diverse strengths ranged from backgrounds as diverse in printing, a poetry, and journalism. The three “private secretaries” offered Lincoln companionship, advice, a sounding board for his ideas, in addition to carrying out intelligence missions and other important functions for the president. Part of Lincoln’s genius was his ability to recognize talent in others and then employ that talent for the benefit of the nation as was the case with all three of these gentlemen. Epstein prepares an integrated biography of all three, but more importantly the reader gains a window into Lincoln’s marriage and its effect on policy, his thought process, and the human emotion engendered by the savagery of war. Epstein mines the important diaries and other primary materials that are important in writing history and fills in a neglected aspect in exploring the conduct of the Civil War.
September 26, 2012
A good book worth reading but unusually, one that suffers from being too short. At under 250 pages, it's difficult to see how this subject could be done justice.
Essentially, this is an 1860s West Wing with all the politics, intrigues, passions and surprises you would expect from such a politically charged era. This feels like an introduction to the subject only and really does leaving you wanting more.
Also, there is the suggestion that this might cover the gay allegations. Sadly it does not. It seems like the author might be unaware of the accusations that Lincoln was gay or thinks it not a fit subject. He is, after all, very Christian. The kind who uses phrases like "different ways to praise our Lord". It could be worse of course, he could have been one of those who only believe their particular interpretation. Anyway, he means well I'm sure as he's clearly a fan of Lincoln and any fan of Lincoln can't be bad.
Lincoln naturally, comes across as a genuinely nice man and capable President, surrounded by unreliable military men and supportive staff. Though a bit weird. Personally, I have a high tolerance for weird but I'm glad it wasn't me waking-up to find my boss sat on my bed and wanting to read to me. An exploration of what such behaviour might've meant would've been most welcome.
Essentially, this is an 1860s West Wing with all the politics, intrigues, passions and surprises you would expect from such a politically charged era. This feels like an introduction to the subject only and really does leaving you wanting more.
Also, there is the suggestion that this might cover the gay allegations. Sadly it does not. It seems like the author might be unaware of the accusations that Lincoln was gay or thinks it not a fit subject. He is, after all, very Christian. The kind who uses phrases like "different ways to praise our Lord". It could be worse of course, he could have been one of those who only believe their particular interpretation. Anyway, he means well I'm sure as he's clearly a fan of Lincoln and any fan of Lincoln can't be bad.
Lincoln naturally, comes across as a genuinely nice man and capable President, surrounded by unreliable military men and supportive staff. Though a bit weird. Personally, I have a high tolerance for weird but I'm glad it wasn't me waking-up to find my boss sat on my bed and wanting to read to me. An exploration of what such behaviour might've meant would've been most welcome.
June 10, 2012
A good friend of mine found this book at a garage sale and paid a dollar for it. It is worth a lot more than that to me. The many quotes about individuals and events by John Hay are priceless. I gave it a 4 star rating because it has so much personal information on the President as well as others while they were in the Executive Mansion. There was enough new insights and time lines in the book that I will do some modifying of my one man one act play on Lincoln - in the role of John Hay.
Check me out at: www.lincolntogo.net
For me, this is a priceless book.
Jeff Henderson - if you read this review, I would welcome an opportunity to talk with you about Lincoln since you do seem to have more than a passing interest.
Check me out at: www.lincolntogo.net
For me, this is a priceless book.
Jeff Henderson - if you read this review, I would welcome an opportunity to talk with you about Lincoln since you do seem to have more than a passing interest.
September 5, 2015
A solid book that I would rate 3.5/5 if I had the option. It covers the history of the Civil War through the relationship between Lincoln and his secretaries. It is a very general history, and basically covers the history of the war in a short, quick book. We learn about the personal backgrounds of Hay, Nicolay, and Stoddard, but overall I feel like it really just touched on the surface. I am not sure there is too much more there for the author to dive in deeply with, but I did enjoy the read.
June 14, 2011
This was an interesting read. It took me many pages before I started to enjoy it. Those secretaries lead a very interesting life both in the White House and outside. The pressure they were under were tremendous and it't not surprising that they required many "working vacations" away as Lincoln's first term as President became more difficult.
October 26, 2018
Great biography of Lincoln’s secretaries, John Nicolay and John Hay. Their intimate relationship with the president and cabinet provide illuminating details of both the Civil War and the private lives of the Lincolns. Following both men’s lives until death, the book portrays two amazing figures in U.S. history.
November 3, 2011
I enjoyed reading this book for the facts but the writing style was difficult. Took me way to long to finish! The two men who were Lincoln's secretaries were devoted to serving the president.. It was nice to find out the intimate details of Lincoln's personality and principles.
July 20, 2016
This provided interesting insight into Lincoln as a leader and as a thinker. I had no idea that Washington's social scene during the Civil War was so vibrant. That, too, provided a fresh look for me at an era I thought I knew well.
August 13, 2009
Loved this book. It felt like I was there, knew them personally and spent days with them.
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July 28, 2009Excellent! Have my nose buried in it now. I am amazed at how much new information -- at least new to me -- is being introduced.
May 10, 2010
This really deserves 2 1/2 stars. Parts of the book were very interesting, but spaced between boring and tedious writing that made the 242 page text a very slow read.
December 13, 2010
A look behind the closed doors of the Lincoln White House, and how the president relied on his aides for friendship and support during the many trials of his tenure.
March 6, 2013
Fabulous!
February 13, 2013
I was put off by Mr. Epstein's style of writing at first, but once I got into the story of the three secretaries that served Mr. Lincoln was fascinating and I couldn't put it down.
March 31, 2017
Very informative book told from the men who knew him best
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews