Reviews
"A judicious, convincing analysis. . . . Emerson's new evidence demonstrates that Mary Todd Lincoln deserves to be pitied more than censured, but also that she behaved very badly indeed."-Michael Burlingame, author ofThe Inner World of Abraham Lincoln "Jason Emerson's heroic efforts to uncover new material on Robert Lincoln have paid off handsomely with this engaging interpretation of Mary Lincoln's later years."-Catherine Clinton, author ofFanny Kemble's Civil Wars "Jason Emerson is a very, very good writer and a superior historical detective. This is a most original book, taking new evidence to new heights of sophisticated analysis."-Harold Holzer, author ofThe Lincoln Family Album, " The Madness of Mary Lincoln is precise, documented, and detailed. . . . Every word counts and every word adds up to a riveting and until-now neglected chronicle begging to be told."-- Carl Sferrazza Anthony , author of First Ladies, Basing his work on recently discovered letters of Mary Todd Lincoln, independent historian Emerson reconstructs the events surrounding her infamous insanity case in 1875. This new evidence, along with the author''s examination of other contemporary and scholarly accounts, provides a comprehensive, sympathetic retelling of Mary Lincoln''s life in the years following her husband''s assassination. Emerson weaves together the social, legal, and psychological factors that shaped Lincoln''s lifelong struggle with mental illness as well as how those around her perceived her erratic behavior. In particular, he persuasively argues that Robert Lincoln''s decision to commit his mother to an asylum was motivated by deep affection and concern, not the self-serving impulses to which other observers and scholars have alluded. Finally, Emerson''s fascinating account of how Lincoln''s "insanity" letters were originally lost and then rediscovered offers a useful reminder that what is known about the past can depend as much on sheer luck as on careful detective work. Emerson''s concise, engrossing book will be of interest to students and scholars. Summing Up: Recommended., At long last the definitive work on Mrs. Abraham Lincoln's oft discussed mental state has been published based on recently discovered 25 long lost letters by her and associates from the asylum where she had to be incarcerated and from elsewhere. Actually the letters were with the descendants of the Lincoln family attorney. With the help of officials at Hildene, the Robert Todd Lincoln Vermont estate of the President's son, independent historian Jason Emerson, formerly of the National Park Service, was able to uncover this treasure trove., "Jason Emerson'sThe Madness of Mary Lincolnwill become a classic of American history. It has everything-a compelling story; a fascinating cast of characters; the thrilling discovery of long-lost documents; shrewd analysis of the people, the period, and the sources; and it's a pleasure to read. Here is a model of the historian's art."-American Spectator "Jason Emerson has written the definitive work on Mary Todd Lincoln's mental health in general and her insanity problems in particular. Written with verve and complete understanding of the subject,The Madness of Mary Lincolnis a masterpiece."-Wayne C. Temple, author ofAbraham Lincoln: From Skeptic to Prophet, "The Madness of Mary Lincolnis precise, documented, and detailed. . . . Every word counts and every word adds up to a riveting and until-now neglected chronicle begging to be told."-Carl Sferrazza Anthony, author ofFirst Ladies, "At long last the definitive work on Mrs. Abraham Lincoln''s oft discussed mental state has been published based on recently discovered 25 long lost letters by her and associates from the asylum where she had to be incarcerated and from elsewhere. Actually the letters were with the descendants of the Lincoln family attorney. With the help of officials at Hildene, the Robert Todd Lincoln Vermont estate of the President''s son, independent historian Jason Emerson, formerly of the National Park Service, was able to uncover this treasure trove." , ... The Madness of Mary Lincoln will be greatly appreciated by history buffs and serious historians for its thoughtful and detailed look at some of the great personages of the Civil War era. Others will enjoy the glimpses of the past that foster appreciation of how US society arrived at its current condition., At long last the definitive work on Mrs. Abraham Lincoln''s oft discussed mental state has been published based on recently discovered 25 long lost letters by her and associates from the asylum where she had to be incarcerated and from elsewhere. Actually the letters were with the descendants of the Lincoln family attorney. With the help of officials at Hildene, the Robert Todd Lincoln Vermont estate of the President''s son, independent historian Jason Emerson, formerly of the National Park Service, was able to uncover this treasure trove. An indefatigable researcher, Emerson not only writes well but judiciously in showing that Mary Todd Lincoln almost assuredly suffered from bipolar disorder, which used to be called manic depression. Moreover, through the generosity of Abraham Lincoln''s biographer Dr. Michael Burlingame, whose own multi-volume work on the President is much anticipated, and who shared part of his findings with Emerson, it is now apparent that poor Mrs. Lincoln not only suffered long before her White House years but that depression, suicide, and incarceration for mental illness affected other members of her Todd family. Even one of her sister''s, Elizabeth Edwards, acknowledged similar problems with at least one other Todd relative. Dr. James S. Brust, a psychiatrist who has studied Mary''s case and whose report is published in this fascinating volume, says even today if Mary was alive, she would require psychiatric hospitalization. Mary exhibited all the symptoms of manic depressive illness: depression, delusions of persecution, poverty and various sleep disorders, hallucinations, inflated self -- esteem, sharp mood swings, extravagant spending or monomania, threats of physical violence against others and attempts at suicide. This excellent and thorough work should go a long way to resurrecting the reputation of her son Robert whose name has been much abused in recent decades by amateur playwrights taking their cues from biographers with their own agenda seeking to make Mary a feminist at her son''s and even at the President''s expense. Mary Todd Lincoln was not one though she imagined all sorts of things occasionally, though the term itself was largely unknown. When the President wrote that he could hardly be a supporter of the white anti Catholic, anti foreign Know-Nothing movement since he was not a supporter of black slavery, Mary was supporting the Know-Nothing candidate for President. In politics, in temperament, in her own flawed emotional make-up Mary Todd Lincoln was no Eleanor Roosevelt or even an Edith Bolling Wilson in what that early 20th century First Lady called her "stewardship" when her husband was struck down by a stroke shortly after World War I. Emerson adds to his impressive work by not only publishing the lost letters of Mary and related others, but actual photographs of some of Mary''s letters too. The author rightly spends a good deal of time describing the Victorian concept of manhood as to how and why Robert acted on his sick mother''s behalf by having her placed in an asylum after a trial that was legal by the standards of the day and considered then a major reforming breakthrough. Robert was a Victorian to the core, soldiering on with an almost crushing sense of duty and responsibility even against his own sensitive and reclusive personality. Indeed, a more modern sense of openness by today''s standards would have helped his reputation and other matters in this sad affair. When he returned his mother''s estate to her he had actually increased its value and did not claim a commission for which he was legally entitled. Mrs. Lincoln must be given credit in the White House years for at least trying to fulfill her duties as she saw them such as making unannounced visits to hospitals for the sick and wounded soldiers, "A judicious, convincing analysis. . . . Emerson's new evidence demonstrates that Mary Todd Lincoln deserves to be pitied more than censured, but also that she behaved very badly indeed."--Michael Burlingame, author of "The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln" "Jason Emerson's heroic efforts to uncover new material on Robert Lincoln have paid off handsomely with this engaging interpretation of Mary Lincoln's later years."--Catherine Clinton, author of "Fanny Kemble's Civil Wars" "" "Jason Emerson is a very, very good writer and a superior historical detective. This is a most original book, taking new evidence to new heights of sophisticated analysis."--Harold Holzer, author of "The Lincoln Family Album", "Jason Emerson's The Madness of Mary Lincoln will become a classic of American history. It has everything--a compelling story; a fascinating cast of characters; the thrilling discovery of long-lost documents; shrewd analysis of the people, the period, and the sources; and it's a pleasure to read. Here is a model of the historian's art."-- American Spectator "Jason Emerson has written the definitive work on Mary Todd Lincoln's mental health in general and her insanity problems in particular. Written with verve and complete understanding of the subject, The Madness of Mary Lincoln is a masterpiece."-- Wayne C. Temple , author of Abraham Lincoln: From Skeptic to Prophet " The Madness of Mary Lincoln is precise, documented, and detailed. . . . Every word counts and every word adds up to a riveting and until-now neglected chronicle begging to be told."-- Carl Sferrazza Anthony , author of First Ladies "A judicious, convincing analysis. . . . Emerson's new evidence demonstrates that Mary Todd Lincoln deserves to be pitied more than censured, but also that she behaved very badly indeed."-- Michael Burlingame , author of The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln "Jason Emerson's heroic efforts to uncover new material on Robert Lincoln have paid off handsomely with this engaging interpretation of Mary Lincoln's later years."-- Catherine Clinton , author of Fanny Kemble's Civil Wars "Jason Emerson is a very, very good writer and a superior historical detective. This is a most original book, taking new evidence to new heights of sophisticated analysis."-- Harold Holzer , author of The Lincoln Family Album, Those of us who have at the same time anguished over what has through the years been called Mary Lincoln''s madness and Abraham''s discomfort with having to live with it will be pleased with this volume, the third on the subject through the years. It also explains the behavior of the only remaining son, Robert Todd, and exonerates him from cruelly committing his mother to an insane sanitarium in Chicago. Mary, admittedly, was high-strung, driven by pride and conceit, all resulting from what Emerson diagnoses as "depression, of mania, of a relapsing-remitting course, and even of a regular cycle. These are consistent with Bipolar Disorder" (188). There is evidence of "serious psychiatric illness in Mary Lincoln''s family," and she was, "at times, clearly psychotic" (189). These new conclusions come by Emerson through examination of a steamer trunk formerly owned by Robert Todd Lincoln''s lawyer and stowed in an attic for forty years, which contained twenty-five letters, twenty of which were written by Mary herself, the others about her. Emerson looks upon this trunk and these letters as a priceless treasure-trove, and so will all of us who are interested in Abraham, Mary, Robert, medicine in general and the treatment of those mentally ill during the last of the nineteenth century., " Jason Emerson has written the definitive work on Mary Todd Lincoln' s mental health in general and her insanity problems in particular. Written with verve and complete understanding of the subject, "The Madness of Mary Lincoln" is a masterpiece." -- Wayne C. Temple, author of "Abraham Lincoln: From Skeptic to Prophet", American historians dream of finding a cache of Lincoln letters the way the rest of us dream of picking six winning numbers for Powerball Lotto. In summer 2005, independent scholar Jason Emerson hit the jackpot-twenty forgotten, never-before-published letters written by Mary Lincoln. And these are not letters from some random period in Mary''s life-these letters date from "the insanity episode," as Emerson calls it, the months before, during, and after her 1875 confinement in the Bellevue Place Sanitarium in Batavia, Illinois. In addition to the Mary Lincoln letters, Emerson found five other previously unknown letters written to the president''s widow during this unhappy chapter in her life. Taken together, these documents offer scholars what they have never had before: fresh insights into Mary''s mental and physical condition before she was sent to Bellevue; the actions she took to win her release from the sanitarium; the less-than-flattering role her friends James and Myra Bradwell played in the case; and the intense feelings of resentment and even hostility Mary nurtured against her son Robert Todd Lincolnin the years after her release from Bellevue. It is simply a breathtaking find, and the fact that Emerson stumbled on the letters in an old steamer trunk tucked away in the Towers family''s attic (Frederic N. Towers had beenRobert Lincoln''sattorney) gives the discovery an almost fairy tale quality. If at the bottom of the trunk Emerson had also turned up a hand-drawn map with "X" marking the spot where Jefferson Davis buried the gold from the Confederate treasury, I wouldn''t be a bit surprised. The discovery of these letters is thrilling, but the documents themselves are only useful if they are set within their historical context, and that is what Emerson does so well in The Madness of Mary Lincoln. The book is, first of all, a sympathetic portrait of Mary Lincoln, a woman who showed signs of mental illness long before the assassination of her husband, Abraham Lincoln, on April 14, 1865 (although that event is generally considered the poor woman''s breaking point). In an attempt to identify Mary Lincoln''s specific mental illness, Emerson called in John M. Suarez of the Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California Medical Center in Los Angeles, and James S. Brust, M.D., chair of the department of psychiatry and medical director of the psychiatric unit at San Pedro Peninsula Hospital, San Pedro, California, to evaluate the case. The psychiatrists believe she suffered from Bipolar Disorder, which would account for the periods of depression, wild mood swings, reckless shopping binges, and hallucinations-at the time of her committal to Bellevue, Mary complained that the spirit of an Indian removed, then replaced, her scalp, picked bones out of her face, and drew wires from her eyes. Jason Emerson, then, places himself squarely in the camp of those biographers and historians who believe that Mary Lincoln suffered from a severe mental illness. In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I have tended to regard Mary Lincoln as an eccentric who was railroaded into an asylum by her unfeeling sonRobert. After reading Emerson''s arguments and the documentary evidence he has marshaled to support them, I am now convinced that Mary Lincoln was not of sound mind, and that Robert Todd Lincoln,while not exactly the most lovable character in American history, was not the cold-hearted bastard I took him to be. Live and learn. Nor was Mary shipped off to some Dickensian madhouse. Bellevue was a private sanitarium run by Dr. Richard J. Patterson. He cared exclusively for women who suffered from nervous disorders, or depression, or had suicidal tendencies. In keeping with his treatment program, which emphasized "rest, diet, baths, fresh air, occupation, diversion, change of scene, no more medicine than... absolutely necessary, and the least possib, It''s the stuff Hollywood movies are made of: The already mentally unbalanced wife of a president goes mad after his assassination. Her son, fearful that she has become not only incompetent but a danger to herself, has her publicly tried for insanity and committed to an asylum. There, through the connivance of a pair of mysteriously motivated conspirators, she engineers her release and flees to Europe. Finally, she dies in obscurity, nearly forgotten by an embarrassed American public, while her son lives the rest of his life labeled as a son who had his mother committed in order to get his hands on her fortune.If only it were Hollywood, but the story of Mary Todd Lincoln and Robert Todd Lincoln is all of this and more. Or at least it is more now that author Jason Emerson has shed astonishing new light on a chapter of American history long thought closed. By dint of extraordinary scholarship and sheer luck, Emerson discovered that the entire story of Mary Lincoln''s madness was not all that it had long been assumed to be. In 2005 he had discovered twenty-five letters pertaining to Mary''s trial and commitment in a long-forgotten trunk that had once belonged to Robert Lincoln''s attorney. More than twenty of these had been written by Mary, half from the asylum in which she had been committed. These letters, and other discoveries made by Emerson, reveal a story far more remarkable than what had been recorded by history. And in the process, revealing Robert to be not a heartless villain but the most devoted son any mother might wish for. Few reading this could have or would have endured what he had been forced to go through... yet, ironically, much of the adverse public opinion was the fault of Robert and his own family.Jason Emerson has put all of this into a book that is not only one of the most original---and important---studies of American history to be published this year, but a book that is as compelling to read as any great psychological mystery or thriller. The book---written in an easy, conversational style that belies its meticulous research---is almost impossible to put down. It''s too bad summer is nearly over: I would recommend this book as a vacation companion over any current best-seller., It''s the stuff Hollywood movies are made of: The already mentally unbalanced wife of a president goes mad after his assassination. Her son, fearful that she has become not only incompetent but a danger to herself, has her publicly tried for insanity and committed to an asylum. There, through the connivance of a pair of mysteriously motivated conspirators, she engineers her release and flees to Europe. Finally, she dies in obscurity, nearly forgotten by an embarrassed American public, while her son lives the rest of his life labeled as a son who had his mother committed in order to get his hands on her fortune. If only it were Hollywood, but the story of Mary Todd Lincoln and Robert Todd Lincoln is all of this and more. Or at least it is more now that author Jason Emerson has shed astonishing new light on a chapter of American history long thought closed. By dint of extraordinary scholarship and sheer luck, Emerson discovered that the entire story of Mary Lincoln''s madness was not all that it had long been assumed to be. In 2005 he had discovered twenty-five letters pertaining to Mary''s trial and commitment in a long-forgotten trunk that had once belonged to Robert Lincoln''s attorney. More than twenty of these had been written by Mary, half from the asylum in which she had been committed. These letters, and other discoveries made by Emerson, reveal a story far more remarkable than what had been recorded by history. And in the process, revealing Robert to be not a heartless villain but the most devoted son any mother might wish for. Few reading this could have or would have endured what he had been forced to go through... yet, ironically, much of the adverse public opinion was the fault of Robert and his own family. Jason Emerson has put all of this into a book that is not only one of the most original---and important---studies of American history to be published this year, but a book that is as compelling to read as any great psychological mystery or thriller. The book---written in an easy, conversational style that belies its meticulous research---is almost impossible to put down. It''s too bad summer is nearly over: I would recommend this book as a vacation companion over any current best-seller., "A judicious, convincing analysis. . . . Emerson's new evidence demonstrates that Mary Todd Lincoln deserves to be pitied more than censured, but also that she behaved very badly indeed."-- Michael Burlingame , author of The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln "Jason Emerson's heroic efforts to uncover new material on Robert Lincoln have paid off handsomely with this engaging interpretation of Mary Lincoln's later years."-- Catherine Clinton , author of Fanny Kemble's Civil Wars "Jason Emerson is a very, very good writer and a superior historical detective. This is a most original book, taking new evidence to new heights of sophisticated analysis."-- Harold Holzer , author of The Lincoln Family Album, Abraham Lincoln dealt with quite a few problems as 16th president of the United States. Alas, one of them was his troubled wife, Mary, whose tragic later years are the subject of a fine new book by Virginia historian Jason Emerson,The Madness of Mary Lincoln(Southern Illinois University, $29.95, 258 pages, illus.). Born into a well-to-do Kentucky family, Mary was, in Mr. Emerson''s judgment, "intelligent, witty, vivacious and cultured, but she also was spoiled, petulant, selfish, nervous, and excitable." As first lady, her extravagant refurnishing of the While House in time of war invited considerable criticism. Then came tragedy. Her 12-year-old son, Willie, died of typhoid fever in 1862, and three years later her husband died at the hand of John Wilkes Booth. The remaining 17 years of Mary''s life were filled with anguish as she attempted to cope with the frowning world from which her husband had long protected her. Congress voted Mary a pension of $3,000 a year, but she had no home and few friends. She migrated from hotel to hotel, often pursued by demons. In a Chicago hotel she went downstairs half dressed, claiming that the hotel was on fire. When her older son, Robert, induced her to return to her room, she accused him of trying to murder her. She complained that people were attempting to speak to her through the wall. She carried huge sums of money on her person, leading acquaintances to fear for her safety. Mary''s erratic behavior placed Robert in a difficult position. Today, Mary Lincoln''s symptoms would be treated with drugs (Mr. Emerson believes she was bipolar), and she would be able to function in society. No such treatment was available in 1875, and psychotics such as Mary were often incarcerated for their own protection. But, as the author points out, in Illinois this could only be done after a trial by jury. Robert consulted with a legion of doctors who unanimously advised that Mary required treatment. The physicians told Robert that delay in his mother''s treatment would make him morally responsible for some forthcoming tragedy. It fell to Leonard Swett, an old friend of President Lincoln''s, to get Mary into a Chicago court on May 19, 1875. It took an hour for him to coax Mary into his carriage while she showered him with abuse. The ensuing trial lasted three hours, during which 18 witnesses - physicians, hotel employees and merchants - testified as to Mary''s derangement. According to Mr. Emerson, "Robert allowed only the barest minimum of evidence . . . in order to minimize public exposure and embarrassment." But Robert, in tears, called her "eccentric and unmanageable," and Mary said nothing in her own defense. The jury found Mary to be incompetent, and she was sent to an upscale mental institution outside Chicago, where she was confined for four months. At the end of that period Robert requested a second trial that found Mary "restored to health," though this view was not widely held by those closest to her. Estranged from Robert, she moved to Springfield. Convinced that her son would try to institutionalize her again, Mary fled to Europe, where she lived until shortly before her death in 1882. The treatment of the mentally ill has come a long way since the trials of Mary Lincoln. But Mr. Emerson rejects any attempt to demonize Robert Lincoln, concluding that "he acted with concern, compassion, and benevolence toward his mother.", Abraham Lincoln dealt with quite a few problems as 16th president of the United States. Alas, one of them was his troubled wife, Mary, whose tragic later years are the subject of a fine new book by Virginia historian Jason Emerson, The Madness of Mary Lincoln (Southern Illinois University, $29.95, 258 pages, illus.). Born into a well-to-do Kentucky family, Mary was, in Mr. Emerson''s judgment, "intelligent, witty, vivacious and cultured, but she also was spoiled, petulant, selfish, nervous, and excitable." As first lady, her extravagant refurnishing of the While House in time of war invited considerable criticism. Then came tragedy. Her 12-year-old son, Willie, died of typhoid fever in 1862, and three years later her husband died at the hand of John Wilkes Booth. The remaining 17 years of Mary''s life were filled with anguish as she attempted to cope with the frowning world from which her husband had long protected her. Congress voted Mary a pension of $3,000 a year, but she had no home and few friends. She migrated from hotel to hotel, often pursued by demons. In a Chicago hotel she went downstairs half dressed, claiming that the hotel was on fire. When her older son, Robert, induced her to return to her room, she accused him of trying to murder her. She complained that people were attempting to speak to her through the wall. She carried huge sums of money on her person, leading acquaintances to fear for her safety. Mary''s erratic behavior placed Robert in a difficult position. Today, Mary Lincoln''s symptoms would be treated with drugs (Mr. Emerson believes she was bipolar), and she would be able to function in society. No such treatment was available in 1875, and psychotics such as Mary were often incarcerated for their own protection. But, as the author points out, in Illinois this could only be done after a trial by jury. Robert consulted with a legion of doctors who unanimously advised that Mary required treatment. The physicians told Robert that delay in his mother''s treatment would make him morally responsible for some forthcoming tragedy. It fell to Leonard Swett, an old friend of President Lincoln''s, to get Mary into a Chicago court on May 19, 1875. It took an hour for him to coax Mary into his carriage while she showered him with abuse. The ensuing trial lasted three hours, during which 18 witnesses - physicians, hotel employees and merchants - testified as to Mary''s derangement. According to Mr. Emerson, "Robert allowed only the barest minimum of evidence . . . in order to minimize public exposure and embarrassment." But Robert, in tears, called her "eccentric and unmanageable," and Mary said nothing in her own defense. The jury found Mary to be incompetent, and she was sent to an upscale mental institution outside Chicago, where she was confined for four months. At the end of that period Robert requested a second trial that found Mary "restored to health," though this view was not widely held by those closest to her. Estranged from Robert, she moved to Springfield. Convinced that her son would try to institutionalize her again, Mary fled to Europe, where she lived until shortly before her death in 1882. The treatment of the mentally ill has come a long way since the trials of Mary Lincoln. But Mr. Emerson rejects any attempt to demonize Robert Lincoln, concluding that "he acted with concern, compassion, and benevolence toward his mother.", " The Madness of Mary Lincoln is precise, documented, and detailed. . . . Every word counts and every word adds up to a riveting and until-now neglected chronicle begging to be told."- Carl Sferrazza Anthony , author of First Ladies, "The Madness of Mary Lincolnis precise, documented, and detailed. . . . Every word counts and every word adds up to a riveting and until-now neglected chronicle begging to be told." -Carl Sferrazza Anthony, author ofFirst Ladies, " "The Madness of Mary Lincoln" is precise, documented, and detailed. . . . Every word counts and every word adds up to a riveting and until-now neglected chronicle begging to be told." -- Carl Sferrazza Anthony, author of "First Ladies", "The Madness of Mary Lincoln is a well written and intriguing work. Emerson's appendices are a wonderful addition to his study, containing transcriptions of the twenty-five previously unpublished Mary Todd Lincoln letters, the legal documents pertaining to the sale and destruction of the correspondence, and a short essay on the psychiatric illness of Mary Lincoln by Dr. James S. Brust. In all, Jason Emerson should be congratulated for both his detective work and his historical analysis which have culminated in a groundbreaking study on the life of this complex and troubled woman." Giselle Roberts is a Research Associate in American History at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. She is the author of The Confederate Belle (University of Missouri Press, 2003) and the editor of The Correspondence of Sarah Morgan and Francis Warrington Dawson (University of Georgia Press and the Southern Texts Society, 2004)., "At long last the definitive work on Mrs. Abraham Lincoln's oft discussed mental state has been published based on recently discovered 25 long lost letters by her and associates from the asylum where she had to be incarcerated and from elsewhere. Actually the letters were with the descendants of the Lincoln family attorney. With the help of officials at Hildene, the Robert Todd Lincoln Vermont estate of the President's son, independent historian Jason Emerson, formerly of the National Park Service, was able to uncover this treasure trove." , "Jason Emerson's The Madness of Mary Lincoln will become a classic of American history. It has everything-a compelling story; a fascinating cast of characters; the thrilling discovery of long-lost documents; shrewd analysis of the people, the period, and the sources; and it's a pleasure to read. Here is a model of the historian's art."- American Spectator "Jason Emerson has written the definitive work on Mary Todd Lincoln's mental health in general and her insanity problems in particular. Written with verve and complete understanding of the subject, The Madness of Mary Lincoln is a masterpiece."- Wayne C. Temple , author of Abraham Lincoln: From Skeptic to Prophet, "Jason Emerson has written the definitive work on Mary Todd Lincoln's mental health in general and her insanity problems in particular. Written with verve and complete understanding of the subject, "The Madness of Mary Lincoln" is a masterpiece."--Wayne C. Temple, author of "Abraham Lincoln: From Skeptic to Prophet", ""The Madness of Mary Lincoln" is precise, documented, and detailed. . . . Every word counts and every word adds up to a riveting and until-now neglected chronicle begging to be told."--Carl Sferrazza Anthony, author of "First Ladies", "A judicious, convincing analysis. . . . Emerson's new evidence demonstrates that Mary Todd Lincoln deserves to be pitied more than censured, but also that she behaved very badly indeed."- Michael Burlingame , author of The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln "Jason Emerson's heroic efforts to uncover new material on Robert Lincoln have paid off handsomely with this engaging interpretation of Mary Lincoln's later years."- Catherine Clinton , author of Fanny Kemble's Civil Wars "Jason Emerson is a very, very good writer and a superior historical detective. This is a most original book, taking new evidence to new heights of sophisticated analysis."- Harold Holzer , author of The Lincoln Family Album, " A judicious, convincing analysis. . . . Emerson's new evidence demonstrates that Mary Todd Lincoln deserves to be pitied more than censured, but also that she behaved very badly indeed." -- Michael Burlingame, author of "The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln" " Jason Emerson's heroic efforts to uncover new material on Robert Lincoln have paid off handsomely with this engaging interpretation of Mary Lincoln' s later years." -- Catherine Clinton, author of "Fanny Kemble' s Civil Wars" "" " Jason Emerson is a very, very good writer and a superior historical detective. This is a most original book, taking new evidence to new heights of sophisticated analysis." -- Harold Holzer, author of "The Lincoln Family Album", "Jason Emerson has written the definitive work on Mary Todd Lincoln's mental health in general and her insanity problems in particular. Written with verve and complete understanding of the subject,The Madness of Mary Lincolnis a masterpiece." -Wayne C. Temple, author ofAbraham Lincoln: From Skeptic to Prophet, "Jason Emerson's The Madness of Mary Lincoln will become a classic of American history. It has everything--a compelling story; a fascinating cast of characters; the thrilling discovery of long-lost documents; shrewd analysis of the people, the period, and the sources; and it's a pleasure to read. Here is a model of the historian's art."-- American Spectator "Jason Emerson has written the definitive work on Mary Todd Lincoln's mental health in general and her insanity problems in particular. Written with verve and complete understanding of the subject, The Madness of Mary Lincoln is a masterpiece."-- Wayne C. Temple , author of Abraham Lincoln: From Skeptic to Prophet, " Jason Emerson has written the definitive work on Mary Todd Lincoln ' s mental health in general and her insanity problems in particular. Written with verve and complete understanding of the subject, The Madness of Mary Lincoln is a masterpiece. " -- Wayne C. Temple, author of Abraham Lincoln: From Skeptic to Prophet, " Jason Emerson is a very, very good writer and a superior historical detective. He has combed original sources and, even more intriguingly, chased down descendants of the original characters in the Mary Lincoln insanity story. This is a most original book, taking new evidence to new heights of sophisticated analysis." -- Harold Holzer, author of "The Lincoln Family Album", Abraham Lincoln dealt with quite a few problems as 16th president of the United States. Alas, one of them was his troubled wife, Mary, whose tragic later years are the subject of a fine new book by Virginia historian Jason Emerson, The Madness of Mary Lincoln (Southern Illinois University, $29.95, 258 pages, illus.).Born into a well-to-do Kentucky family, Mary was, in Mr. Emerson''s judgment, "intelligent, witty, vivacious and cultured, but she also was spoiled, petulant, selfish, nervous, and excitable." As first lady, her extravagant refurnishing of the While House in time of war invited considerable criticism. Then came tragedy. Her 12-year-old son, Willie, died of typhoid fever in 1862, and three years later her husband died at the hand of John Wilkes Booth. The remaining 17 years of Mary''s life were filled with anguish as she attempted to cope with the frowning world from which her husband had long protected her.Congress voted Mary a pension of $3,000 a year, but she had no home and few friends. She migrated from hotel to hotel, often pursued by demons. In a Chicago hotel she went downstairs half dressed, claiming that the hotel was on fire. When her older son, Robert, induced her to return to her room, she accused him of trying to murder her. She complained that people were attempting to speak to her through the wall. She carried huge sums of money on her person, leading acquaintances to fear for her safety.Mary''s erratic behavior placed Robert in a difficult position. Today, Mary Lincoln''s symptoms would be treated with drugs (Mr. Emerson believes she was bipolar), and she would be able to function in society. No such treatment was available in 1875, and psychotics such as Mary were often incarcerated for their own protection. But, as the author points out, in Illinois this could only be done after a trial by jury.Robert consulted with a legion of doctors who unanimously advised that Mary required treatment. The physicians told Robert that delay in his mother''s treatment would make him morally responsible for some forthcoming tragedy.It fell to Leonard Swett, an old friend of President Lincoln''s, to get Mary into a Chicago court on May 19, 1875. It took an hour for him to coax Mary into his carriage while she showered him with abuse. The ensuing trial lasted three hours, during which 18 witnesses - physicians, hotel employees and merchants - testified as to Mary''s derangement. According to Mr. Emerson, "Robert allowed only the barest minimum of evidence . . . in order to minimize public exposure and embarrassment." But Robert, in tears, called her "eccentric and unmanageable," and Mary said nothing in her own defense.The jury found Mary to be incompetent, and she was sent to an upscale mental institution outside Chicago, where she was confined for four months. At the end of that period Robert requested a second trial that found Mary "restored to health," though this view was not widely held by those closest to her. Estranged from Robert, she moved to Springfield. Convinced that her son would try to institutionalize her again, Mary fled to Europe, where she lived until shortly before her death in 1882.The treatment of the mentally ill has come a long way since the trials of Mary Lincoln. But Mr. Emerson rejects any attempt to demonize Robert Lincoln, concluding that "he acted with concern, compassion, and benevolence toward his mother.", Those of us who have at the same time anguished over what has through the years been called Mary Lincoln's madness and Abraham's discomfort with having to live with it will be pleased with this volume, the third on the subject through the years. It also explains the behavior of the only remaining son, Robert Todd, and exonerates him from cruelly committing his mother to an insane sanitarium in Chicago. Mary, admittedly, was high-strung, driven by pride and conceit, all resulting from what Emerson diagnoses as "depression, of mania, of a relapsing-remitting course, and even of a regular cycle. These are consistent with Bipolar Disorder" (188). There is evidence of "serious psychiatric illness in Mary Lincoln's family," and she was, "at times, clearly psychotic" (189). These new conclusions come by Emerson through examination of a steamer trunk formerly owned by Robert Todd Lincoln's lawyer and stowed in an attic for forty years, which contained twenty-five letters, twenty of which were written by Mary herself, the others about her. Emerson looks upon this trunk and these letters as a priceless treasure-trove, and so will all of us who are interested in Abraham, Mary, Robert, medicine in general and the treatment of those mentally ill during the last of the nineteenth century., "... The Madness of Mary Lincoln will be greatly appreciated by history buffs and serious historians for its thoughtful and detailed look at some of the great personages of the Civil War era. Others will enjoy the glimpses of the past that foster appreciation of how US society arrived at its current condition." , Basing his work on recently discovered letters of Mary Todd Lincoln, independent historian Emerson reconstructs the events surrounding her infamous insanity case in 1875. This new evidence, along with the author's examination of other contemporary and scholarly accounts, provides a comprehensive, sympathetic retelling of Mary Lincoln's life in the years following her husband's assassination. Emerson weaves together the social, legal, and psychological factors that shaped Lincoln's lifelong struggle with mental illness as well as how those around her perceived her erratic behavior. In particular, he persuasively argues that Robert Lincoln's decision to commit his mother to an asylum was motivated by deep affection and concern, not the self-serving impulses to which other observers and scholars have alluded. Finally, Emerson's fascinating account of how Lincoln's "insanity" letters were originally lost and then rediscovered offers a useful reminder that what is known about the past can depend as much on sheer luck as on careful detective work. Emerson's concise, engrossing book will be of interest to students and scholars. Summing Up: Recommended., Those of us who have at the same time anguished over what has through the years been called Mary Lincoln's madness and Abraham's discomfort with having to live with it will be pleased with this volume, the third on the subject through the years. It also explains the behavior of the only remaining son, Robert Todd, and exonerates him from cruelly committing his mother to an insane sanitarium in Chicago. Mary, admittedly, was high-strung, driven by pride and conceit, all resulting from what Emerson diagnoses as "depression, of mania, of a relapsing-remitting course, and even of a regular cycle. These are consistent with Bipolar Disorder" (188). There is evidence of "serious psychiatric illness in Mary Lincoln's family," and she was, "at times, clearly psychotic" (189). These new conclusions come by Emerson through examination of a steamer trunk formerly owned by Robert Todd Lincoln's lawyer and stowed in an attic for forty years, which contained twenty-five letters, twenty of which were written by Mary herself, the others about her. Emerson looks upon this trunk and these letters as a priceless treasure-trove, and so will all of us who are interested in Abraham, Mary, Robert, medicine in general and the treatment of those mentally ill during the last of the nineteenth century. , It''s the stuff Hollywood movies are made of: The already mentally unbalanced wife of a president goes mad after his assassination. Her son, fearful that she has become not only incompetent but a danger to herself, has her publicly tried for insanity and committed to an asylum. There, through the connivance of a pair of mysteriously motivated conspirators, she engineers her release and flees to Europe. Finally, she dies in obscurity, nearly forgotten by an embarrassed American public, while her son lives the rest of his life labeled as a son who had his mother committed in order to get his hands on her fortune. If only it were Hollywood, but the story of Mary Todd Lincoln and Robert Todd Lincoln is all of this and more. Or at least it is more now that author Jason Emerson has shed astonishing new light on a chapter of American history long thought closed. By dint of extraordinary scholarship and sheer luck, Emerson discovered that the entire story of Mary Lincoln''s madness was not all that it had long been assumed to be. In 2005 he had discovered twenty-five letters pertaining to Mary''s trial and commitment in a long-forgotten trunk that had once belonged to Robert Lincoln''s attorney. More than twenty of these had been written by Mary, half from the asylum in which she had been committed. These letters, and other discoveries made by Emerson, reveal a story far more remarkable than what had been recorded by history. And in the process, revealing Robert to be not a heartless villain but the most devoted son any mother might wish for. Few reading this could have or would have endured what he had been forced to go through... yet, ironically, much of the adverse public opinion was the fault of Robert and his own family. Jason Emerson has put all of this into a book that is not only one of the most original---and important---studies of American history to be published this year, but a book that is as compelling to read as any great psychological mystery or thriller. The book---written in an easy, conversational style that belies its meticulous research---is almost impossible to put down. It''s too bad summer is nearly over: I would recommend this book as a vacation companion over any current best-seller., "A judicious, convincing analysis. . . . Emerson's new evidence demonstrates that Mary Todd Lincoln deserves to be pitied more than censured, but also that she behaved very badly indeed." -Michael Burlingame, author ofThe Inner World of Abraham Lincoln "Jason Emerson's heroic efforts to uncover new material on Robert Lincoln have paid off handsomely with this engaging interpretation of Mary Lincoln's later years." -Catherine Clinton, author ofFanny Kemble's Civil Wars "Jason Emerson is a very, very good writer and a superior historical detective. This is a most original book, taking new evidence to new heights of sophisticated analysis." -Harold Holzer, author ofThe Lincoln Family Album, "The Madness of Mary Lincoln is a well written and intriguing work. Emerson's appendices are a wonderful addition to his study, containing transcriptions of the twenty-five previously unpublished Mary Todd Lincoln letters, the legal documents pertaining to the sale and destruction of the correspondence, and a short essay on the psychiatric illness of Mary Lincoln by Dr. James S. Brust. In all, Jason Emerson should be congratulated for both his detective work and his historical analysis which have culminated in a groundbreaking study on the life of this complex and troubled woman." Giselle Roberts is a Research Associate in American History at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. She is the author of The Confederate Belle (University of Missouri Press, 2003) and the editor of The Correspondence of Sarah Morgan and Francis Warrington Dawson (University of Georgia Press and the Southern Texts Society, 2004).
