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Abraham Lincoln: The American Presidents Series: The 16th President, 1861-1865

Abraham Lincoln: The American Presidents Series: The 16th President, 1861-1865

George S. McGovern, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. (Editor), Sean Wilentz (Editor)
$34.00
This product is not returnable.
Publish Date:
Publisher:
Times Books
ISBN:
9780805083453
Pages:
208
Language:
English
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Description

America's greatest president, who rose to power in the country's greatest hour of need and whose vision saw the United States through the Civil War.

Abraham Lincoln towers above the others who have held the office of president—the icon of greatness, the pillar of strength whose words bound up the nation's wounds. His presidency is the hinge on which American history pivots, the time when the young republic collapsed of its own contradictions and a new birth of freedom, sanctified by blood, created the United States we know today. His story has been told many times, but never by a man who himself sought the office of president and contemplated the awesome responsibilities that come with it.

George S. McGovern—a Midwesterner, former U.S. senator, presidential candidate, veteran, and historian by training—offers his unique insight into our sixteenth president. He shows how Lincoln sometimes went astray, particularly in his restrictions on civil liberties, but also how he adjusted his sights and transformed the Civil War from a political dispute to a moral crusade. McGovern's account reminds us why we hold Lincoln in such esteem and why he remains the standard by which all of his successors are measured.

About the Author

George S. McGovern (1922-2012) represented South Dakota in the United States Senate from 1963 to 1981 and was the Democratic nominee for president in 1972. He was a decorated bomber pilot in World War II, after which he earned his Ph.D. in American history and government at Northwestern University. He was also a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., (1917-2007) was the preeminent political historian of our time. For more than half a century, he was a cornerstone figure in the intellectual life of the nation and a fixture on the political scene. He won two Pulitzer prizes for The Age of Jackson (1946) and A Thousand Days (1966), and in 1988 received the National Humanities Medal. He published the first volume of his autobiography, A Life in the Twentieth Century, in 2000.

Sean Wilentz, a professor of history at Princeton University, is the author or editor of several books, including Chants Democratic and The Rise of American Democracy. He has also written for The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The New Republic, and other publications. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

Praise for Abraham Lincoln: The American Presidents Series: The 16th President, 1861-1865

“A startlingly original and deeply thoughtful analysis of Abraham Lincoln. If you are looking to read just one book on Lincoln, this landmark gem is the one!”
—Douglas Brinkley, author of Gerald R. Ford

“A dramatically engaging and intellectually stimulating rendering of the life of our greatest president.”
—Thomas J. Knock, Southern Methodist University

“McGovern's Lincoln is a finely wrought gem. In this small volume McGovern captures Lincoln's character and leadership strength better than many weighty tomes. It is a worthy addition to the brilliant American Presidents Series.”
—Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of No Ordinary Time

“Short and sweet . . . a well-timed entry in Times Books' presidents series.”
—Boston Sunday Globe

“A fine read for those who want to know about Lincoln but may not have the time for the more in-depth biographies.”
—Bookpage

“Compact and commanding . . . With considerable skill and insight, McGovern . . . crafts a biography snappy, clear and comprehensive enough to please general readers, students and scholars alike . . . he nails the essential strengths, flaws, failures and achievements of America's most revered leader . . . McGovern's overall depiction is one of a complex, tolerant and extraordinary man who simultaneously preserved the Union and transformed the nation.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“McGovern finds an inspiring lesson in what a man can do with his life. McGovern's Lincoln is a smart, ambitious striver who overcame humble origins, repeated setbacks and spells of depression . . . when McGovern's lucid homage concludes, ‘We wish our leaders could be more like Lincoln; we wish we all could be,' readers are likely to agree.”
—Publishers Weekly

“In this compact but convincing portrait, [McGovern] assesses Lincoln's greatness in terms of his ability to use his humble origins . . . faith in American democracy, gifts of language, and personal self-confidence . . . The biography warrants reading to catch the sense of Lincoln's greatness, both for his own day and ours.”
—Library Journal

“[A] fine préscis . . . [McGovern] clearly enunciates the great changes that Lincoln and the war began to effect.”
—Booklist

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