Team of Rivals

Team of Rivals

Company type	Book
Industry	Publishing
Founded	2005
Founder	Doris Kearns Goodwin
Headquarters	United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Doris Kearns Goodwin
Products	History book
Owner	Simon & Schuster

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln is a 2005 publication by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, who has earned the Pulitzer Prize. Released through Simon & Schuster, the book examines the tenure of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and his principal cabinet members from 1861 to 1865. It focuses particularly on three opponents from the 1860 presidential race—Attorney General Edward Bates, Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase, and Secretary of State William H. Seward. The narrative emphasizes Lincoln’s adeptness at bringing together competing political interests to accomplish the abolition of slavery and secure victory in the Civil War.

This work, Goodwin’s sixth, garnered widespread praise and was honored with the 2006 Lincoln Prize as well as the first-ever Book Prize for American History awarded by the New-York Historical Society. Former US President Barack Obama named it among his favorites and reportedly found guidance in it when assembling his cabinet, though he later clarified that it did not influence his decision to appoint Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. A film adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg premiered in 2012 to critical acclaim.

Background

Team of Rivals marks Goodwin’s sixth major work. She previously received the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for History for No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II, a similarly focused analysis of leadership within the Roosevelt administration.

The author devoted a decade to researching and composing Team of Rivals. Her interest was sparked by the rich collections of letters and diaries from Seward, Chase, Bates, and Lincoln, which unveiled new perspectives on Lincoln’s leadership approach.

During this timeframe, Goodwin encountered a plagiarism dispute related to her 1987 publication The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys, which concluded with an apology and settlement. She found comfort in Lincoln’s teaching to avoid wasting energy on past grievances. In 2012, she referenced Ida Tarbell’s remark that Lincoln continues to inspire extensive writing because he is "so companionable," a sentiment that resonated deeply with her own experience.

Contents

Goodwin begins by weaving Lincoln’s story together with those of his Republican rivals from 1860—Senator William H. Seward of New York, Governor Salmon P. Chase of Ohio, and Missouri’s Edward Bates—offering a comprehensive view of their intertwined political journeys. The book is divided into two sections: The Rivals and Master Among Men. The first part traces Lincoln's ascent alongside these contenders, culminating in his inauguration in 1861. The second part covers his administration throughout the Civil War until his assassination in 1865.

The opening chapter profiles the four principal candidates vying for the 1860 Republican nomination: frontrunner Seward; radical-backed Chase; conservative-supported Bates; and Lincoln, then a former Illinois congressman. Each candidate followed distinct political trajectories: Seward leveraged connections with New York political boss Thurlow Weed; Chase gained prominence through abolitionist efforts; Bates opposed President Polk’s policies; and Lincoln rose via his debates against Stephen A. Douglas in 1858.

At the Chicago convention, Seward commanded widespread recognition and nearly secured majority support but faced resistance due to his strong anti-slavery position and progressive views on immigration, which risked alienating Northern voters and potentially handing victory to Democrats. Bates was perceived as too conservative for liberals and had lost some conservative backing because of earlier correspondence. Chase encountered opposition from Ohio politicians that undermined his campaign. Ultimately, Lincoln emerged as a unifying figure acceptable across factions, leveraging superior political tactics to clinch the presidency.

To consolidate party unity and capitalize on exceptional talent, Lincoln appointed his former rivals to prominent cabinet positions: Seward as Secretary of State, Chase as Secretary of the Treasury, and Bates as Attorney General. Following Lincoln’s election, Southern states seceded from the Union, initiating the Civil War. Goodwin provides detailed accounts of cabinet discussions on critical matters such as provisioning Fort Sumter and issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. She also delves into personal dimensions like Chase’s daughter Kate’s marriage, Mary Todd Lincoln’s societal role, and the death of Lincoln’s son Willie.

Throughout the conflict, Seward evolved into a trusted advisor, whereas Chase sought to replace Lincoln as the Republican nominee in 1864 but remained Treasury Secretary due to his expertise; however, his efforts were unsuccessful. Lincoln appointed Edwin M. Stanton as Secretary of War following Simon Cameron; Stanton developed loyalty comparable to Seward's. Managing these formidable personalities alongside generals McClellan, Halleck, and Meade posed challenges until Lincoln promoted Ulysses S. Grant in 1864 to command Union forces.

Lincoln oversaw passage of the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery by employing calculated persuasion to secure essential votes: "I am President of the United States...a measure of such importance that those two votes must be procured." Subsequently, he appointed Chase Chief Justice to protect freed African Americans’ rights.

Team of Rivals concludes with an account of Lincoln’s assassination on April 14, 1865; Seward survived an attack on the same night. The epilogue traces later events including the deaths of Seward, Stanton, Bates, Chase, Mary Lincoln, and others.

Reception

James M. McPherson, a distinguished Civil War historian and Pulitzer Prize laureate, described the book as "a refined and insightful examination of Lincoln alongside key cabinet figures, appealing both to scholars and to readers whose understanding of Lincoln blends secondary education with popular narratives." He highlighted Goodwin's superior treatment of Lincoln's talent for uniting diverse political factions compared to other authors. In a review for The Washington Post, Allen C. Guelzo characterized the work as far from a tedious bureaucratic recounting; instead, it presents a character-driven narrative—a compelling saga in which Lincoln's prominence rises as others' diminish. Kimberly Marlowe Hartnett of the Seattle Times commended the book's "complex, multi-layered design," deeming it "a remarkable contribution" that skillfully preserves and elucidates Lincoln’s enduring influence. Randy Dotinga from the Christian Science Monitor praised Team of Rivals for its vast scope and engaging readability. Meanwhile, Sanford D. Horwitt of the San Francisco Chronicle acknowledged Goodwin’s captivating portrayal of Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War, though he noted occasional digressions from the central focus on Lincoln and his 1860 competitors.

In 2006, the work was honored with the prestigious Lincoln Prize, recognizing exceptional scholarship on Abraham Lincoln or the Civil War period. On March 29 of that year, Goodwin was awarded the $50,000 Book Prize for American History by the New-York Historical Society. Additionally, Team of Rivals was shortlisted for both the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

President Barack Obama identified Team of Rivals as his preferred reading choice if stranded on a desert island. During his tenure as senator, he met with Goodwin in Washington to discuss her work. Following his 2008 presidential victory, Obama sought collaboration with former political adversaries such as Hillary Clinton, who later served as his Secretary of State—an approach often likened to Lincoln’s strategy of assembling a "Team of Rivals."

Film adaptation

During her involvement in a 1999 project with director Steven Spielberg, Goodwin revealed her intention to author Team of Rivals, prompting Spielberg to acquire the film rights promptly. DreamWorks secured these rights in 2001, with Goodwin providing Spielberg sequential chapters as she completed them. Initially cast as Abraham Lincoln, Liam Neeson withdrew in 2010, leading to Daniel Day-Lewis stepping into the role. The screenplay was penned by Tony Kushner, who earned an Academy Award for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) nomination for his work. Critics observed that the film’s narrative—primarily centered on the enactment of the Thirteenth Amendment—relied on only a small portion of Goodwin’s book, with Kushner conducting extensive independent research.

Principal photography commenced on October 17, 2011, concluding on December 19, 2011. Throughout production, Goodwin contributed to script revisions and assisted Day-Lewis by guiding him through Lincoln’s residence and legal office in Springfield, Illinois. Released nationwide on November 16, 2012, the motion picture garnered both commercial success and critical praise. For his portrayal of Lincoln, Day-Lewis received the 2012 Academy Award for Best Actor.

External links

• Team of Rivals available at doriskearnsgoodwin.com (archived)