Wellesley wild biography of abraham lincoln

Lincoln was asked to memorialize the gruesome battle. His entire life and previous training and his deep political experience went into this, his revolutionary masterpiece. By examining both the address and Lincoln in their historical moment and cultural frame, Wills breathes new life into words we thought we knew, and reveals much about a president so mythologized but often misunderstood.

Wills shows how Lincoln came to change the world and to effect an intellectual revolution, how his words had to and did complete the work of the guns, and how Lincoln wove a spell that has not yet been broken. Widely considered in his own time as a genial but provincial lightweight who was out of place in the presidency, Abraham Lincoln astonished his allies and confounded his adversaries by producing a series of speeches and public letters so provocative that they helped revolutionize public opinion on such critical issues as civil liberties, the use of black soldiers, and the emancipation of slaves.

This is a brilliant and unprecedented examination of how Lincoln used the power of words to not only build his political career but to keep the country united during the Civil War. A master historian, Eric Foner draws Lincoln and the broader history of the period into perfect balance. We see Lincoln, a pragmatic politician grounded in principle, deftly navigating the dynamic politics of antislavery, secession, and civil war.

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. Lincoln on the Verge charts these pivotal thirteen days of travel, as Lincoln discovers his power, speaks directly to the public, and sees his country up close.

Drawing on new research, this riveting account reveals the president-elect as a work in progress, showing him on the verge of greatness, as he foils an assassination attempt, forges an unbreakable bond with the American people, and overcomes formidable obstacles in order to take his oath of office. Texts Video icon An illustration of two cells of a film strip.

Wellesley wild biography of abraham lincoln: Usually ships to store in

Video Audio icon An illustration of an audio speaker. Audio Software icon An illustration of a 3. Software Images icon An illustration of two photographs. Images Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape Donate Ellipses icon An illustration of text ellipses. Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape "Donate to the archive" User icon An illustration of a person's head and chest.

Sign up Log in. August 6, at pm. August 7, at am. Wayne Baker said:. August 30, at pm. Jim Back said:. December 11, at pm. As I recall it is hard to find copies and it was less a biography than a series of essays or character sketches. John Duffy said:. May 30, at am. Adams attack on it, is obviously quite steeped in the national argument that resulted in the Civil War.

These two men are my favorite figures in American history and this book shows why they had such an affinity towards each other: both autodidacts who insisted on following their own judgement while maintaining a keen ear for the political realities of their times. A very enjoyable read. None of this is to downplay the amazing accomplishment of Mr.

Lloyd in reading so many presidential biographies and then writing well written and helpful reviews about each one. This is a major accomplishment. I just wanted to make sure that folks knew about these books. Felippe Gontier said:. January 29, at pm. Thank you about your review. Can you indicate a book? But I do own, and intend one day to read, the famous three-volume series by Shelby Foote.

Steve H said:. January 24, at pm. I highly recommend it if you are still interested in that topic. Patsy Newell said:. February 3, at pm. Lincoln and Garfield are my two favorite presidents to research. Hope you get the chance to check it out. February 4, at am.

Wellesley wild biography of abraham lincoln: Lincoln Lore was originally written

Jeremy said:. October 22, at am. Thank you! October 22, at pm. But…only a little bit jealous as the thought of writing a dissertation right now might make me break out in hives. Fukuzawa Yukichi said:. January 9, at pm. January 10, at am. Yes, I would strongly encourage you to read it! Otherwise, I love your presidential biographies ratings.

I got a lot out of them. January 25, at am. I need to do that. June 9, at am. Fantastic compilation and great work as always! As a lover of all things Lincoln, I have thoroughly enjoyed your list here. If you have not already read or considered it, I humbly recommend it. If you do consider it, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.

June 10, at am. Thanks so much for the recommendation! And there can never be too many biographies of Lincoln, can there?!? Rob said:. July 1, at pm. In looking over your blog which is excellent, by the way I noticed you mention Ida M. That got my attention as I am in the process of writing a full biography of Tarbell. While her book is obviously much older than many, it still has a great deal of value.

Of course, Tarbell is best known for her expose on John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil, but she often said that she most enjoyed working on Lincoln. January 2, at pm. I just saw that Michael Burlingame released an abridged, single-volume edition of his work in October of Curious if that will address some of the issues you highlighted in your review.

Rob Wick said:. It was done by another professor named Jonathan White. Warren said:. August 12, at am.

Wellesley wild biography of abraham lincoln: The message seems definitely

August 16, at am. I recall it being published last year and taking a look to see if it was something I needed to read for this site. Is there any speculation in any of these biographies. I think this was all started by a one page magazine article noting that Lincoln shared a bed with a male roommate…. Share this: Twitter Facebook Email Tumblr.

Like Loading Steve said: June 30, at am. Both of these bios are pretty captivating so I imagine a high percentage of folks who start actually do get through them… Reply. Peter said: January 26, at pm. Steve said: January 27, at am. Fascinating and well worth a listen — thanks! Please check back, as stock may become available in the future.

Reynolds's biography so different and so compelling. Where did the sympathy and compassion expressed in [Lincoln's] Second Inaugural—'With malice toward none; with charity for all'—come from? This big, wonderful book provides the richest cultural context to explain that, and everything else, about Lincoln. Reynolds, author of the Bancroft Prize-winning cultural biography of Walt Whitman and many other iconic works of nineteenth century American history, understands the currents in which Abraham Lincoln swam as well as anyone alive.

His magisterial biography Abe is the product of full-body immersion into the riotous tumult of American life in the decades before the Civil War. It was a country growing up and being pulled apart at the same time, with a democratic popular culture that reflected the country's contradictions. Lincoln's lineage was considered auspicious by Emerson, Whitman, and others who prophesied that a new man from the West would emerge to balance North and South.

From New England Puritan stock on his father's side and Virginia Cavalier gentry on his mother's, Lincoln was linked by blood to the central conflict of the age.