![]() ![]() ![]() For years, he and other lawyers “rode the circuit” of central Illinois on business. One of Mary’s chronic complaints was her husband’s long absences, which were excessive, Burlingame explains, because he preferred to stay away. Readers will be informed and disheartened as they read page after page of dismal reports from Lincoln’s Springfield neighbors and colleagues about Mary’s tantrums, which often drove him to spend the night in his office. In her defense, many point out that the premature deaths of three of four sons devastated her, and she was at Lincoln’s side holding his hand when he was shot. Throughout her life, she exhibited mood swings that ranged from fierce rages to deep depression to bizarre public outbursts that have persuaded some scholars, Burlingame included, that she suffered from bipolar disorder. All agree that she vigorously encouraged her husband’s political ambitions and treated his enemies as her own, but none deny that she was difficult, prone to “henpecking” and unpredictable behavior. ![]() ![]() Few historians would argue that Mary Todd Lincoln was a gentle soul. A portrait of “the sad story of the Lincolns’ domestic life,” which “has long been glossed over.”Īlthough neither of the couple’s stories is untold, Lincoln scholar Burlingame’s intense focus on their marriage may raise hackles despite generous documentation, citations, and footnotes. ![]()
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