Lincoln's Melancholy
by Joshua Wolf Shenk · first published 2005
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Drawing on seven years of his own research and the work of other esteemed Lincoln scholars, Shenk reveals how the sixteenth president harnessed his depression to fuel his astonishing success. Lincoln found the solace and tactics he needed to deal with the nation’s worst crisis in the �coping strategies” he had developed over a lifetime of persevering through depressive episodes and personal tragedies. With empathy and authority gained from his own experience with depression, Shenk crafts a nuanced, revelatory account of Lincoln and his legacy. Based on careful, intrepid research, Lincol
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…culture which says "be happy" or "just do X and you'll be happy". I saw the article mentions Noonday Demon. I've never read it but a book that cites it and I personally found a depression classic is Lincoln's Melancholy. It is remarkable both how miserable he was and how far he drove himself because of or in spite of it. I don't think you can know Lincoln, the Civil War, or his impact on the US without understanding…
on “Depression Classic” ↗…pass legislation fascinated me) Harry Potter (comfort series) Charlie Wilson’s War (it’s hilarious and informative), Game Change (a sobering reminder of the 2008 election and how we got to today), Lincoln’s Melancholy (on his depression). I’ve read lots of books twice, but the above are the only I can find in my library I’ve read 3 or more times. Outside of Harry Potter, I view the figures in those books most responsible…
on “Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?” ↗