The Mary Lincoln Enigma: Historians on America's Most Controversial First Lady

“[A]s a whole, the book offers readers a unique opportunity to see Mary Lincoln in a variety of historical contexts, to learn about her life through the lens of different authors, and to witness firsthand the rousing historiographical debate about a woman whose life both reflected her era and defied it.”–Stacy Pratt McDermott, Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association

“Readers seeking the truth about the Lincoln marriage should . . . consult [the essays] by Stephen Berry, Wayne C. Temple, Douglas L. Wilson, Jason Emerson, and James S. Brust.”–Michael Burlingame, Civil War Book Review

“The thirteen essays in [The Mary Lincoln Enigma] give readers a sample of the perspectives on her and the topics through which she may be examined. These include such familiar topics as her relationship with her husband, her role in politics, and her mental health, as well as original topics such as her travels, her image in the graphic arts, and representations of her by novelists.”–Gwen Thompson, Register of the Kentucky Historical Society

“This collection of essays focuses on a variety of topics, including Mary’s relationships, her siblings, her life at the only home she and her husband owned together, her travels, her fashion sense, her psyche, her depiction in photographs and illustrations, and her portrayal in fiction. Although these essays are relatively short, they’re crammed full of interesting details. You can read the book straight through or (as I prefer) dip in and out of it at your leisure.”–Susan Higginbotham, Shepherd

“Mary Todd Lincoln was controversial while alive, and she remains controversial to this day. Historians at one extreme see her as mentally unstable, corrupt, and abusive to her spouse. At the other end of the spectrum are those who believe she was an intelligent and gifted woman who played a key role in her husband’s success. The Mary Lincoln Enigma assembles valuable new contributions to this debate by some of the most eminent experts on Mary and her time. This thought-provoking book belongs on the shelf of everyone interested in the lives of Mary and Abraham Lincoln.” —Burrus Carnahan, author of Act of Justice: Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and the Law of War and Lincoln on Trial: Southern Civilians and the Law of War

“This provocative collection goes a long way toward demolishing the one-dimensional caricatures that have dogged Mary Lincoln over the last century and a half. Leaving no controversial subject unaddressed, each chapter brings original research together with the insights of a wide-ranging assortment of experts in history, law, psychiatry, fashion, and the arts, and confronts the enduring myths with hard realities. Sensitively written and multifaceted in focus, this volume eschews simplistic conclusions in favor of opening new questions and embracing conflicting answers about the precise dimensions of Lincoln’s life. A compelling and important book about an ‘enigmatic’ nineteenth-century woman.”–Amy Murrell Taylor, author of The Divided Family in Civil War America

“The topics and controversies discussed in these pages by a group of talented historians include Mary Lincoln’s childhood, views on race, travels, role as first lady, and the tragic aftermath of her husband’s assassination. There is a great deal to be learned here, whether one is new to the study of Mrs. Lincoln or seeking to comprehend the latest scholarly debates. Highly recommended!” —Thomas R. Turner, editor of The Lincoln Herald

“This splendid, essential book presents a nuanced, sensitive, and kaleidoscopic reconsideration of the life of Mary Todd Lincoln; of her part in our understanding of her husband’s life and career; and of her own considerable historical and cultural significance. The first-rate team of scholars contributing to this volume write with clarity, grace, and rigor. Any reader will benefit from this volume’s moving reconsideration of one of our most controversial and tragic First Ladies.” —R. B. Bernstein, author of The Founding Fathers Reconsidered and Thomas Jefferson

Brian R. Dirck is a professor of history at Anderson University in Indiana. He is the author of numerous articles and books on Abraham Lincoln, including Lincoln and Davis: Imagining America, 1809-1865;Lincoln the Lawyer;Abraham Lincoln and White America;Lincoln and the Constitution; and Lincoln in Indiana.