This nonfiction scrapbook of the Lincoln's is an extremely entertaining presentation of the lives of these historical Individuals through a display of newspaper articles. I am a fan of reading about the several first ladies and enjoyed this book for its many articles and photographs about Mary Todd Lincoln. The book is stylized as a photojournalist scrapbook and has many interesting treasures and tidbits. The author Fleming documents in over 20 pages of notes, the chain of evidence of the authenticity of these articles. She also shares information I have never seen before in different articles. For Example, a newspaper article about French dignitary's visit to the White House, written in gossip magazine form, noted that the Mary Todd appeared to be a terrible hostess because she did not provide an interpreter for Mr. Lincoln. However, her detractors who scoffed about the First Lady were surprised when Mary Todd glided
and guided the French dignitaries through the White House speaking perfect Parisien french. Anything that praises my favorite First Lady ,Mary Todd Lincoln, is going to get a five star rating from me.
The book includes first hand accounts and articles and vintage photographs that span the couples births and their children's birth. Abraham was born in 1809 and Mary in 1818 in the Edwards home where Mary lived out her days after the death of her beloved husband.
The Lincoln's were good neighbors. An article shares that Mary Todd and her neighbor gave birth at around the same time. A Mrs. Dallman was to ill to nurse her newborn so Mr Lincoln hatched a plan to pick up Mrs. Dallman's newborn to be fed by his sweet wife Mary until Mrs. Dallman recovered . There are excerpts from Mary Todd's own journals where she stated : Mr Lincoln was the kindest and most loving father in the world" He was especially devoted to Willie and Tad who he nicknamed " the dear codgers"
The author notes in her introduction that " I longed to peel away they layers of myth and produce a close intimate portrait of a man" through this chronological scrapbook of Abraham Mary and their children she does do that. This makes a great coffee table book , because each time you flip open this book as I have done often, there is a very intimate sharing of pieces of the famous man's life. Author Fleming begins with a stylized time line she named " The Lincoln Years " she notes " Bold Italicized events were shared by Abraham and Mary" their courtship and break up and re- engaging are documented - each of their children's birth Robert in 1843, second Edward in 1846. Edward dies in 1850, the same year their third son William Wallace is born. In 1853 their fourth son Tad is born. William Wallace dies in 1862. Her oldest son joins the Union and survives the war. Her husband is murdered in 1865. In 1871 a third son dies, Tad dies of pleurisy. Mary Todd is committed because she wants to speak to her three dead sons and her dead husband. She breaks all ties with her son Robert, who allowed her to be committed.
I enjoy the fact that the author spends more time on this intimate portrait than on the leader, the statesman the emancipator Abraham Lincoln and reveals so many of the personal tragedies of the tragic figure Mary Todd, a woman who lost three of her four sons and her beloved husband.
Although there are two or more photos, drawings or lithographs on every page, there is only a half page for picture credits. However there is a full index in the back of the book. This is a concept book, which unabashedly is dubbed a scrapbook and that is its charm. ( )

Stunning dual biography! ( )

What a wonderful presentation of the lineage of the Lincoln's. I found the articles and clippings as well as pictures to be very fascinating.
Originally I thought the book would be specifically about Abraham Lincoln and Mary, but it ended up being about the entire family.

5Q- This is an interesting biography of a mythical president and his famous wife. The author does an excellent job of representing them both in the scrapbook style design. The design and writing make the Lincolns approachable. The author includes details about them that are common amongst all of us. The style makes it easy to read in sessions, allowing the information to absorbed.
4P- Nonfiction is not necessarily the most popular, but this book will hook biography fans as well as those looking for a good story. Probably best for 10 and up.

In the same vein as her book on Eleanor Roosevelt, Fleming distills a tremendous amount of information into a readable and engaging scrapbook. Some of the images used have not been printed anywhere else, as per the author's lecture to my non-fiction course. The research that went into this title is obvious through each of the small sections. It is easy to read either small or large amounts of this book at a time as there are lots of breaks in the organization that do not ruin the flow but allow for non sequential reading. ( )