The Complete Idiots Guide to the Ultimate Reading List discussion

Lincoln A Novel

Has anyone started it yet? I've read to part I, chapter 11 so far. So far its very interesting...

I'm more than halfway done... I've had a lot of stuff going on so I haven't had the time to sit down and read like I've wanted. So far, I really enjoy it, but it really makes me despise politicians. The only thing that bothers me about it, so far, is that they don't really tell the dates, so it's hard to keep track of how much time has passed.

Despise politicians? I don't think I'm that far yet. I have been really interested in the personality of Lincoln. I really enjoy the Gatsby-esque mystery that surrounds who he is and I also that it's highly appropriate that its told through many different and divergent points of view.

I think there is something really important in this quote from pg 69: "Lincoln turned full-face to the crowd in the windswept plaza; and the famous war-trumpet of a voice, until now muted, sounded its declaration and what was meant to be its justification for all time, '...preserve, protect and...defend the Constitution of the United States!"

I suppose, since the book is fiction, Vidal leaves out the dates since not everything that is in his book will match up, or maybe he wants you to look em up yourself...who knows.

Chase becomes much more seedy and underhanded (as does his daughter) and when you get to the part with, I think, General McClellan you'll see what I'm talking about.

I totally agree about the different points-of-view, that is definitely one of the best parts of the story.

Has anybody finished reading this one yet? I finished it last week and I have to say, I quite enjoyed it... I just wish that it had talked about Lincoln's earlier life more than it did. I remember learning about the Lincoln-Douglas debates in high school and was curious to read about those.

Nicole wrote: "Has anybody finished reading this one yet? I finished it last week and I have to say, I quite enjoyed it... I just wish that it had talked about Lincoln's earlier life more than it did. I remembe..."

I haven't finished it yet. I got to part II a few days ago but I had finals to study for...I'm going to get back to it tonight though

I've yet to start this one, but it is on my list. I started a new job and things are really crazy right now.

I just finished it a couple of days ago and really enjoyed it--it's a thick book that nevertheless reads fast. And yes, its view of politicians is very cynical, sometimes satirical. In a way, I don't consider that completely realistic somehow--I think the cynical and idealistic is more mixed in both politicians and politics, and that's missing.

The portrait of Lincoln and his administration is fascinating--because Gore doesn't pull any punches in depicting things like the way they threw people in jail indefinitely without charges, closed opposing newspapers, censored people, banished an opposing politician, created fiat money and an income tax, the draft--basically shredded the constitution to bits--and knew it. But it also depicts how desperate things were and Lincoln though he comes across as a sphinx at times also does come across as human and warm, especially when it comes to dealing with his troubled wife. But yeah, politicians by and large don't come across well in this book--power-hungry, venal and corrupt.