10 books about Abraham Lincoln

"ABE is a cultural biography of Abraham Lincoln, following Lincoln's monumental life from cradle to grave while weaving a narrative that includes Lincoln's cultural influences and the nation-wide and regional cultural trends and moods and happenings of his day, and how Lincoln both shaped and was shaped by his America. The music, humor, literature, and fashions of the time and their impact on Lincoln's life are explored as well, and analysis of other important figures such as Lincoln's wife, his assassin, his professional partners, etc., also draw on this culturally focused style"--

An analysis of Abraham Lincoln's political talents identifies the character strengths and abilities that enabled his successful election, in an account that also describes how he used the same abilities to rally former opponents in winning the Civil War.

A biography of America's sixteenth president portrays Lincoln as a man of integrity whose moral compass holds the key to understanding his life, examining his speeches, his ideas on slavery, his religious odyssey, and his role as Commander-in-Chief.

Draws extensively on Lincoln's personal papers and legal writings to present a biography of the president

Abraham Lincoln and Donald Trump are two of a kind, despite terms in office separated by more than a century. Both encountered a biased press and deeply divisive political environments after being elected with less than 50 percent of the popular vote. Each was viewed as an ill-equipped outlier and accompanied to office by first ladies ostracized by Washington's elite. Lincoln was known by those closest to him for his supreme self-confidence, inexhaustible ambition, mean streak, braggadocio, arrogance, vanity, and knack for thriving amid conflict. The same can be said for Trump, who can be better understood through the many parallels linking him to Lincoln. Born to Fight is the calm in the storm (or the fan for the flame). It dares bring together two apparent polar opposites, drag them through the harsh acumen of history and public perception, and lay them open to reveal two political icons amazingly alike. Evident on hundreds of levels, including the turbulent times they governed, Lincoln and our 45th President are revealed with such startling resemblance and clarity to spark renewed or even novel appreciation for these deceptively kindred American originals.

“Widmer brings off his panoramic, almost mystical interpretation with riveting panache. His book is not only a historical achievement but a literary one.” —The Wall Street Journal “A Lincoln classic...superb....So much has been written about Abraham Lincoln that it’s rare when a historian discovers an episode in his life that, if fully developed and interpreted, yields important new insights. Ted Widmer has done just that...” ­—The Washington Post As a divided nation plunges into the deepest crisis in its history, Abraham Lincoln boards a train for Washington and his inauguration—an inauguration Southerners have vowed to prevent by any means necessary. Drawing on new research, this account reveals the President-Elect as a work in progress, showing him on the verge of greatness, foiling an assassination attempt, and forging an unbreakable bond with the American people. On the eve of his 52nd birthday, February 11, 1861, the President-Elect of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, walked onto a train, the first step of his journey to the White House, and his rendezvous with destiny. But as the train began to carry Lincoln toward Washington, it was far from certain what he would find there. Bankrupt and rudderless, the government was on the verge of collapse. To make matters worse, reliable intelligence confirmed a conspiracy to assassinate him as he passed through Baltimore. It is no exaggeration to say that the fate of the Republic hung in the balance. How did Lincoln survive this grueling odyssey, to become the president we know from the history books? Lincoln on the Verge tells the story of a leader discovering his own strength, improvising brilliantly, and seeing his country up close during these pivotal thirteen days. From the moment the Presidential Special left the station, a new Lincoln was on display, speaking constantly, from a moving train, to save the Republic. The journey would draw on all of Lincoln’s mental and physical reserves. But the President-Elect discovered an inner strength, which deepened with the exhausting ordeal of meeting millions of Americans. Lincoln on the Verge tells the story of America’s greatest president and the obstacles he overcame, well before he could take the oath of office and deliver his inaugural address.

Old Abe: A Novel recounts the final five years of Abraham Lincoln's life, the most cataclysmic years of America's history. Bound to Lincoln's side, every page of this vivid novel details the President's struggles. We follow him as national tragedy deepens, as he struggles and presses ahead, and as he comes to life once again fighting to save the country. This story spans from the spring of 1860 in Illinois, to Lincoln's election and the calamity of the Civil War, to his assassination at the height of his power. During the war, death surrounds him. Lincoln walks the bloody battlefields of Virginia and Maryland. He peers down the Potomac River through a spyglass, searching for approaching Confederate gunboats that reports have warned him of. He feels death stalk him as one summer evening, a would-be assassin fires a shot that passes through his hat. At the White House, he weeps over the body of Willie, his second son to die in childhood. Lincoln tries desperately to hold the Union together, searching for a general who will fight for him. Amid national and personal tragedy, he struggles to find meaning in the war and bring freedom to Southern slaves. Central to this novel is a love story--the story of Abraham and Mary Lincoln's stormy yet devoted marriage. Mary Todd Lincoln's strong will and ambition for her husband helped drive him to the White House, but the presidency takes an incredible toll on her. Mary grows increasingly frightened and insecure. Lincoln watches helplessly as she becomes more and more emotionally unstable. He grasps for ways to support her, but finds no remedy strong enough to reverse the damage that has been done. As Lincoln's journey unfolds, Old Abe probes the relentless character and enduring spirit of America. This story portrays Lincoln not only as a flesh-and-blood man, but a hero who embodies his country's finest ideals. In the midst of America's most devastating tragedy, Old Abe captures the challenges and triumphs, the failures and successes, of one of the most famous leaders in U.S. history, who sets a divided country on track to become a great nation of the world.

Highlights the life and achievements of the sixteenth president of the United States, discussing his childhood years, his rise through politics, and the major decisions he made as president during the Civil War.

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Abraham Lincoln's determination to hold the North and South together would ultimately lead to the bloodiest war in American history, the abolition of slavery, and his own untimely death from an assassin’s bullet. But to see Lincoln solely as a tragic figure consumed with the strife of mid-nineteenth century America is to miss meeting him as a man who never allowed himself to be defeated by adversity or grief or turmoil. From his earliest days on the frontier, he endured the loss of his beloved mother and the demanding physical challenges of a rough-and-ready land where death came easily and education was rare; where ambition was rewarded if a man proved himself willing to work hard; where love was attainable, even for a man whose physical appearance was most charitably described as homely. Inside you will read about... ✓ Born on the Frontier ✓ Lincoln’s Life in New Salem ✓ The Election of 1860 ✓ The House Divides ✓ The Tide Turns ✓ The End ✓ The Legacy of Lincoln Lincoln arose from poverty and ignorance to become a man of influence and eloquence whose speeches continue to resonate with a nation that aspires to meet his ideals. Lincoln had his detractors and enemies but throughout his years, he had a remarkable ability to remain unpoisoned by his foes and to retain compassion for those who opposed him. Meet Abraham Lincoln, the frontier president whose death made him a martyr but whose life made him a hero.