Courting Mr. Lincoln – Blog Tour
Courting Mr. Lincoln by Louis Bayard
Algonquin Books – April 23, 2019
*Book Review copy provided by Algonquin Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
In honor of Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday (2/12) I have a wonderful historical fiction book for you to check out! While there are plenty of historical and political books out there that will dissect Lincoln, his methods, his words, his legacy – it is rather rare to find a novel that humanizes but him and the people closest to him.
About the Book
When Mary Todd meets Abraham Lincoln in Springfield in the winter of 1840, he is on no one’s short list to be president. A country lawyer living above a dry goods shop, he is lacking both money and manners, and his gift for oratory surprises those who meet him. Mary, a quick, self-possessed debutante with an interest in debates and elections, at first finds him an enigma. “I can only hope,” she tells his roommate, the handsome, charming Joshua Speed, “that his waters being so very still, they also run deep.”
It’s not long, though, before she sees the Lincoln that Speed knows: an amiable, profound man who, despite his awkwardness, has a gentle wit to match his genius, and who respects her keen political mind. But as her relationship with Lincoln deepens, she must confront his inseparable friendship with Speed, who has taught his roommate how to dance, dress, and navigate the polite society of Springfield.
Told in the alternating voices of Mary Todd and Joshua Speed, and inspired by historical events, Courting Mr. Lincoln creates a sympathetic and complex portrait of Mary unlike any that has come before; a moving portrayal of the deep and very real connection between the two men; and most of all, an evocation of the unformed man who would grow into one of the nation’s most beloved presidents. Louis Bayard, a master storyteller, delivers here a page-turning tale of love, longing, and forbidden possibilities.
My Thoughts
As mentioned at the start of this post, one of my favorite things about this books was how Bayard humanized Mary Todd Lincoln from the mournful, seemingly superstitious, woman who attended seances and rubbed elbows with spiritualists. While there’s no denying that she engaged in this behavior and spirituality, modern Americans looking back at her must realize that she was firmly rooted in her time and place. That being said I thought that Bayard did a wonderful job bringing to life a vivacious woman that will seem all too familiar to modern readers.
Moreover, the novel also features the perspective of Joshua Speed, Lincoln’s confidant and rumored lover. I appreciated that while there is clearly speculation about the nature of their relationship is never seems to veer too far outside of what we know about their relationship, which could have been something more or could have fallen in line with male/male affection and love at the time.
While there is not a lot action or plot taking place throughout the book, watching the relationships take place is entirely enthralling and I found myself speeding through the book. Fans of historical fiction will be happy to spend some time with the three of these characters and perhaps even ponder a different perspective of these historical figures.
About the Author
Louis Bayard is a New York Times Notable Book author and has been shortlisted for both the Edgar and Dagger awards for his historical thrillers, which include The Pale Blue Eye and Mr. Timothy. His most recent novel was the critically acclaimed young-adult title Lucky Strikes. He lives in Washington, D.C., and teaches at George Washington University. Visit him online at www.louisbayard.com.
