A courage born of depression abraham lincoln knew great loss and deep sorrow throughout his life, and it may be that his lifelong melancholia gave him the strength to handle the crises of his years as president. How abraham lincoln used faith to overcome depression. How depression challenged a president and fueled his greatness. Michael burlingame remarks, in his book the inner world of abraham lincoln, that the death of lincoln s mother was responsible for his lifelong tendency to melancholy. Oct 22, 2012 this is the summary of lincolns melancholy. Abraham lincoln and the battle with depression book 7. How depression challenged a president and fueled his greatness by joshua wolf shenk.
February 12, 1809 april 15, 1865 was an american statesman and lawyer who served as the 16th president of the united states 18611865. Sep 22, 2005 a thoughtful, nuanced portrait of abraham lincoln that finds his legendary political strengths rooted in his most personal struggles. When i stumbled across his atlantic article about lincolns depression, i wrote to. On the outside, trish seems like any other girl, but inside she feels. October 26, 2005 a new book on abraham lincoln explores how the young illinois lawyer went on to become president despite suffering from lifelong depression. Kalb also could have called her book twelve ways of looking at mental illness, and an equal or greater number of ways to heal and. Swanson is a very readable book about the murder of the president, the motives of his killer john wilkes booth and the desperate manhunt over 12 days. Jul 06, 2016 mary todd lincoln 181882, wife of president abraham lincoln, was forcibly committed to an asylum, but a contemporary doctor and scholar now believes she wasnt mentally ill at all. Lincoln was able to force himself out of bed each morning, let alone attain the highest office in the land. How abraham lincoln beat depression how i beat depression.
For someone with an academic interest in lincolns struggles with what appears to have been depression, this book fills a particular niche with flair and careful research. It is now regarded as major clinical depression although the word melancholia lives on in melancholic subtype depression. Book length treatment of lincoln and depression was published in 2005. The physical lincoln and the physical lincoln sourcebook. In abraham lincoln, the backwoods boy, i read about the son of a near. How lincoln handled depression without medication hopefully may give strength to the many people who currently suffer from what is now recognized as an often chronic and very widespread condition. Abraham lincoln knew great loss and deep sorrow throughout his life, and it may be that his lifelong melancholia gave him the strength to handle the crises of his years as president. The 25 best books about abraham lincoln abebooks reading copy. The author examines how lincolns struggle with a depression that was seen by his contemporaries as a crucial aspect of. Surely a lincoln historian such as yourself rjensen, must be aware of the authentic nature of the photograph of lincoln taken by john batchelder in the white house only hours after his body taken. Listening to this book will remind you that depression or melancholy as it was called in the day of lincoln, is not a ticket to obscurity or wasted life.
Exploring abraham lincolns melancholy a new book on abraham lincoln explores how the young illinois lawyer went on to become president despite suffering from lifelong depression. I have read biographies of lincoln and generally stay away from books focusing on one aspect of his life. Its important to note the various subtypes of depression as treating different types often require different measures. Lincoln s melancholy npr coverage of lincoln s melancholy. A thoughtful, nuanced portrait of abraham lincoln that finds. Jul 08, 2018 abraham lincoln is a powerful mental health hero for me. This not only brings new insight into lincoln s greatness, but offers insight for those suffering today. Whenever i doubt that i can do anything meaningful in this life with a defective brain and entire nervous system, actually, as well as the. Lincoln s goal to end slavery and preserve the union eventually became his central goal and purpose. Each time lincoln suffered from a loss he was introduced to a deeper part of himself which needed expression. Swanson is a very readable book about the murder of. Abraham lincoln american president born on february 12, 1809, died on april 15, 1865 abraham lincoln was the 16th president of the united states, serving from march 1861 until his assassination in.
Lincoln was contemporaneously described as suffering from melancholy, a condition which modern mental health professionals would characterize as clinical depression. Abraham lincoln is a powerful mental health hero for me. How depression challenged a president and fueled his greatness mp3 book published september 22nd 2005 by highbridge company mp3 book, 12 pages. Abraham lincoln and the battle with depression join the little wanderers as they open their hearts to a friend in need. Second, the author advances that lincolns depression. But the essayist and independent scholar takes great pains to educate the reader regarding lincolns melancholy.
A genuine titan in world history, much admired for his noble, courageous leadership, memoralised in statue at. But this diagnosis is only the beginning of a story about how. Depression god, lincoln, and depression how abraham lincoln could be both depressed and unassailably strong. Most of them deal, at least in some small way, with his long bouts with depression. True to its subtitle, the book discusses how depression was a challenge to lincoln throughout his life. Shenks book is an interesting biography of lincoln, examining the possibility that lincoln suffered from what would be termed nowadays unipolar depression. Shenks book is a shapely and insightful exegesis of the civil war. Relying on firsthand accounts from lincolns friends. I hope widmer will write more in the genre of history, specifically about lincoln or the civil war. A thoughtful, nuanced portrait of abraham lincoln that finds his legendary political strengths rooted in his most personal struggles. Apr 05, 2020 this is a book that was much needed not just in the lincoln community but in the civil war community, too. There are literally hundreds of books on abraham lincoln.
This great listen of a book only added to my respect for lincoln as a president and as an individual. Lincoln defeated depression by focusing intently on this goal. Mary todd lincoln 181882, wife of president abraham lincoln, was forcibly committed to an asylum, but a contemporary doctor and scholar now believes she wasnt mentally ill at all. The book looks at president lincolns lifelong battle with depression. The book addresses the history of depression and how it was treated medically, how it was dealt with in lincoln s life, as well as viewing lincoln s depression through what we know now. Mar 06, 2019 wanting to see what he was reading, keckley pretended she had dropped something and went behind where lincoln was sitting so that she could look over his shoulder. Drawing on seven years of his own research and the work of other esteemed lincoln scholars, shenk reveals how the sixteenth president harnessed his.
Abraham lincoln and the battle with depression book 7 the. Did abraham lincoln use faith to overcome depression. Every time i pick up pages from either the article. Joshua wolf shenk talked about his book lincolns melancholy. In his thirties lincoln went hard for selfimprovement and mastery. Taken from joshua wolf shenks classic, lincolns melancholy. Lincoln by david herbert donald, published in 1996, is also widely acknowledged as one of the better biographies of the man. Such is joshua wolf shenks remarkable book on lincoln. Lincolns melancholy how depression challenged a president and fueled his greatness. Every time i pick up pages from either the article or. Charles darwin, one of the 12 historical personages kalb reports on in the book, suffered from something that looks very much like a disorder we would call anxiety. How depression challenged a president and fueled his greatness, joshua wolf shenk writes about the early 19th century understanding of. Second, the author advances that lincoln s depression was more a source of insight than a mental flaw.
This examination of his depression or melancholy, however, seemed interesting. Lincoln forged a hard path toward mental health from the time he was a young man. The event is recounted in joshua shenks outstanding 2005 book, lincolns melancholy. In his book, shenk argues that lincolns melancholy made him more approachable and sympathetic to the public, who saw his depression as an intriguing aspect of his character, and indeed an aspect of his grand nature. Adhere to your purpose, lincoln wrote to quintin campbell in 1862, and you will soon feel as well as you ever did. Lincoln suffered depressed mood after major traumatic events, such as the death of ann rutledge in august 1835, the cessation of his purported engagement to mary todd lincoln in. How depression challenged a president and fueled his greatness 9780618773442. For someone with a personal interest in the struggle with depression, it is even more.
I was seven when grandfather gave me my first book about lincoln. In his book, shenk argues that lincolns melancholy made him more approachable and sympathetic to the public. He included many references from many disciplines and that added great value to the. Giving shape to the deep depression that pervaded lincoln s adult life, joshua wolf shenks lincoln s melancholy reveals how this illness influenced both the presidents character and his leadership. Abraham lincoln was born on february 12, 1809, the second child of thomas lincoln and nancy hanks lincoln, in a oneroom log cabin on sinking spring farm near hodgenville, kentucky 2022 he was a descendant of samuel lincoln, an englishman who migrated from hingham, norfolk, to its namesake, hingham, massachusetts, in 1638. The book addresses the history of depression and how it was treated medically, how it was dealt with in lincolns life, as well as viewing lincolns depression through what we know now. Sep 27, 2005 this not only brings new insight into lincoln s greatness, but offers insight for those suffering today. Abraham lincoln fought clinical depression all his life, and if he were alive today, his condition would be treated as a character issuethat is, as a political liability.
It has also been stated that his depression stemmed from a series of childhood losses. What was behind mary todd lincolns bizarre behavior. In other words, lincoln s character and intelligence seemed greater because of his depression it. Abraham lincoln was plagued by bouts of melancholy and depression throughout his life. Depression can serve as a harness to a greater awareness of ones self and a deeper knowledge of ones own being and ones relationship to the greater collective psyche. Oct 23, 2005 if lincoln s melancholy, a thoughtful but uneven book, is the product of a particularly personal experience, it is also the result of the latest currents in psychology and lincoln studies. A fascinating book about lincoln and about depression as well.
Lincoln did suffer from what we now call depression, as modern clinicians, using the standard diagnostic criteria, uniformly agree. First, besides revisionist historians it is not known that lincoln was a lifelong depressive. That is one strain of thought in joshua wolf shenks book, which argues that abraham lincolns lifelong struggle with depression was. By the end of 1840, the state was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, forcing the abandonment of lincoln s beloved projects. How depression challenged a president and fueled his greatness by joshua wolf shenk boston, houghton mifflin company, 2005. Sep 23, 2008 joshua wolf shenk talked about his book lincolns melancholy. Lincolns melancholy by joshua wolf shenk new york magazine. Michael burlingame remarks, in his book the inner world of abraham lincoln, that the death of lincolns mother was responsible for his lifelong tendency to melancholy. Lincoln could, and did, talk freely about his psychic pain with friends and even acquaintances and business associates. Lincoln used up all his political capital urging the legislature to stay the course, which proved a disaster.
How depression challenged a president and fueled his greatness joshua wolf shenk, author. But, the book is much more its also a social history of the us, looking at how the understanding and conception of depression, mental illness, and such have changed over the last century or so. Lincolns struggle with this illness was a constant. One thing whether you know a lot about lincoln or just a little bit, you are going to enjoy this book. How lincoln survived his depression wing of madness.
Oct 26, 2005 exploring abraham lincoln s melancholy a new book on abraham lincoln explores how the young illinois lawyer went on to become president despite suffering from lifelong depression. If lincolns melancholy, a thoughtful but uneven book, is the product of a particularly personal experience, it is also the result of the latest currents in psychology and lincoln studies. Belying the caricatures on the cover of princess di, einstein, lincoln, marilyn monroe and the pop artist, andy warhol was a hoarder is neither poppsych nor mentalillnessofthemoment memoir. Booklength treatment of lincoln and depression was published in 2005. Abraham lincoln fought clinical depression all his life, and if he were alive today, his condition would be. Jan 06, 2015 in fact, lincolns depression may have actually aided his election to president. But most importantly, joshua shenk tells us in lincolns. Lincolns melancholy audiobook by joshua wolf shenk. Aaron beck on abraham lincolns depression sara galbraith, psy. Lincolns look at that moment the classic image of gloom was familiar to everyone who knew him well. In fact, lincolns depression may have actually aided his election to president.