The Beechers

"Obbie Tyler Todd's The Beechers is a biography of one of the most influential families in American history as well as the first biography of the Beecher family in over 40 years. The book combines elements of intellectual, religious, political, and social history. Tracing the life and career of Lyman Beecher, the patriarch, and concluding with the death of Isabella Beecher Hooker, the youngest of the eleven children, The Beechers is the first true chronological history of the family. Together, the Beechers represent the triumphs and tragedies of nineteenth-century America. Placing the Beechers in the context of larger events and movements in American history, this book also examines the beliefs and principles that tethered such a diverse group of people. The Beechers were the most famous religious family in America throughout the nineteenth century, composed of famous preachers, presidents, novelists, abolitionists, suffragists, and pioneers in women's education. However, they did not believe the same things about God, humanity, or the nation itself. Chronicling the lives of all eleven siblings, Todd's study explains the phenomenon of "Beecherism" as it was common understood by their friends and foes alike. The Beechers were obsessed with the concept of influence, namely "moral influence." Even when they were divided on issues of race, gender, and religion, moral and social reform became the family business. Rejecting the Puritan religion of their father, Lyman Beecher's children shared his optimistic view of humanity and of history as well as his grand vision of a Christian republican society"--