LINCOLN'S MELANCHOLY How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness

Lincoln suffered bouts of major depression in early adulthood and endured chronic depression the balance of his life. Author Shenk weaves careful evidence that the great president's persistence through the personal hardship of depression built the foundation for leadership during one of our nation's darkest periods. Richard M. Davidson's straightforward and even-toned voice lends credibility to Shenk's underlying theme: Lincoln felt that the most you can do in life is to make the best of its inevitable bad situations. Davidson's consistent tone is sometimes plodding but, fortunately, never melancholy as the book's title might suggest. He renders this work palatable to armchair Lincolnphiles without the benefit of formal training in history or psychology. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 06]