Courting Mr. Lincoln: A Novel

Louis Bayard has presented a fictional account of the life of Mary Todd and her beau, Abraham Lincoln. The story is set in Springfield, Illinois in the mid-1800s. Mary Todd is traveling to her sister’s to find herself a suitor. A spunky and bright lady, Mary knows her standards and is fine waiting until the right man comes along. Unfortunately, Mary is running out of time. Through acquaintances, she meets Abraham Lincoln at a party. The two find themselves running into each other regularly. With help from friends, the two find themselves in each other’s arms, but not without their hardships and trials.

The story is presented between the alternating voices of Mary and Lincoln’s best friend Joshua Speed. As in real life, both points of view are more helpful to an audience; the same can be said of this story. Knowing that the time in which the story takes place was much different from our present-day makes it both frustrating and enjoyable to read, depending on your personal beliefs. Courting Mr. Lincoln makes you feel as if you are with Mary Todd and Joshua Speed, simultaneously, and able to gather a better understanding of our nation’s sixteenth president.