Awards

• Winner of John Newbery Medal 1988
• Winner of John Newbery Medal 1988.

Overview

A description of the boyhood, marriage, and young professional life of Abraham Lincoln includes his presidential years and also reflects on the latest scholarly thoughts about our Civil War president.

Full Product Details

9780899193809

Table of Contents

Reviews

A realistic, perceptive, and unromanticized photobiography of Lincoln, including a sampler of quotations from his writings and speeches. Booklist, Editor's Choice

Relying on the recent scholarly biographies that have argued that many famous Abraham Lincoln stories are myths, Freedman carefully introduces a more realistic portrait than is usually found in juvenile biographies. The well-loved tales of Abe (a nickname he hated) courting Anne Rutledge, splitting rails in New Salem, or walking miles to obtain books are put into perspective with a few sentences. Lincoln comes alive as a conscientious lawyer who put clients at ease with stories but was a hopeless slob with files and papers. Freedman also offers a concise but excellent picture of Lincoln's struggle with the ethics and the politics of slavery, as well as his frustrating search for the right general to lead the Union troops. The 90 black-and-white photographs are highlighted by fine book design and by Freedman's comments about the nature of photography in the mid-1800's. While the photographs contribute much, it is Freedman's talent for putting the right details in uncomplicated prose that provides a very sharp focus for this Lincoln portrait. Appendixes include Lincoln quotes from 1832-1865, a description of Lincoln sites, notes on materials consulted, and an index. This is a necessary purchase for all collections - and an opportunity for librarians to scrutinize earlier biographies on Lincoln that have long occupied their shelves. (Kirkus Reviews)

A realistic, perceptive, and unromanticized photobiography of Lincoln, including a sampler of quotations from his writings and speeches.

Author Information

Russell Freedman received the Newbery Medal for LINCOLN: A PHOTOBIOGRAPHY. He is also the recipient of three Newbery Honors, the Sibert Medal, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, and was selected to give the 2006 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture. Mr. Freedman lives in New York City.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available