Abraham Lincoln: Great American Historians on Our Sixteenth President

by: Brian Lamb and Susan Swain

Published by: PublicAffairs

Reviewed by Nicole M. Winget

Abraham Lincoln has become a legend. Unfortunately, along with this legend has come a lot of myth and lore and very little clarity and detail about the man and the life he led. Abraham Lincoln: Great American Historians on Our Sixteenth President is a collection of essays that present various accounts of Abraham Lincoln’s life that attempt to show the real man behind the myth. Spanning topics that cover Lincoln’s whole life, they give a unique and more full picture to what made the man great and what type of person and leader he really was.

The essays are a collection of interviews, research and historical documents from some of our most outstanding historians, compiled by C-SPAN in celebration of the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth. They include reviews of first-hand accounts of events Lincoln was involved in, analyses of his speeches, and personal and touching accounts of his personal trials and tribulations.

One of the highlights of the book is that it presents sometimes conflicting accounts of events, demonstrating how time, personalities, and desire to put a best foot forward, can all combine to put forth confusing descriptions of a historical figure. These include an analysis of his stance on slavery, how he attacked his political agenda, and how he handled the tragedies of his family life. For the most part however, the essays only scratch the surface and leave you wanting more. This is a good addition to a Lincoln library and will give some good jumping off points, but does not get too in-depth about any one topic.

A great collection of very well-written and researched essays, Abraham Lincoln: Great American Historians on Our Sixteenth President is jammed packed full of great information and will be a great addition to the library of any fans of history!

Armchair Interviews agrees.