An American Marriage: The Untold Story of Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd

National Archives Museum
Online

Based on 30 years of research, in An American Marriage, historian Michael Burlingame describes and analyzes why Lincoln had good reason to regret his marriage to Mary Todd. This revealing narrative shows that, as First Lady, Mary Lincoln was not profoundly opposed to slavery, accepted bribes and kickbacks, engaged in extortion, peddled influence, humiliated Lincoln in public and often physically abused her husband, children, and servants.