Publisher Description

In the first multi-volume biography of Abraham Lincoln to be published in decades, Lincoln scholar Michael Burlingame offers a fresh look at the life of one of America's greatest presidents. Incorporating the field notes of earlier biographers, along with decades of research in multiple manuscript archives and long-neglected newspapers, this remarkable work will both alter and reinforce current understanding of America's sixteenth president. In volume 2, Burlingame examines Lincoln's presidency and the trials of the Civil War. He supplies fascinating details on the crisis over Fort Sumter and the relentless office seekers who plagued Lincoln. He introduces readers to the president's battles with hostile newspaper editors and his quarrels with incompetent field commanders. Burlingame also interprets Lincoln's private life, discussing his marriage to Mary Todd, the untimely death of his son Willie to disease in 1862, and his recurrent anguish over the enormous human costs of the war.

Back Cover

Lincoln Prize, Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College Cowinner, Book Award, Abraham Lincoln Institute Russell P. Strange Book Award, Illinois State Historical Society PROSE Award for Best Book in U.S. History and Biography/Autobiography, Professional and Scholarly Publishing Division, Association of American Publishers Named One of the 5 Best Books of 2009 by The Atlantic Named One of the 10 Top Lincoln Books by Chicago Tribune In the first multi-volume biography of Abraham Lincoln to be published in decades, Lincoln scholar Michael Burlingame offers a fresh look at the life of one of America's greatest presidents. Incorporating the field notes of earlier biographers, along with decades of research in multiple manuscript archives and long-neglected newspapers, this remarkable work will both alter and reinforce current understanding of America's sixteenth president. In volume 2, Burlingame examines Lincoln's presidency and the trials of the Civil War. He supplies fascinating details on the crisis over Fort Sumter and the relentless office seekers who plagued Lincoln. He introduces readers to the president's battles with hostile newspaper editors and his quarrels with incompetent field commanders. Burlingame also interprets Lincoln's private life, discussing his marriage to Mary Todd, the untimely death of his son Willie to disease in 1862, and his recurrent anguish over the enormous human costs of the war. "A magisterial enterprise."--William Safire, New York Times "No review could do complete justice to the magnificent two-volume biography that has been so well-wrought by Michael Burlingame."--Christopher Hitchens, Atlantic Monthly "The author knows more about Lincoln than any other living person."--James McPherson, New York Review of Books "This book supplants [Carl] Sandburg and supersedes all other biographies. Future Lincoln books cannot be written without it, and from no other book can a general reader learn so much about Abraham Lincoln. It is the essential title for the bicentennial."--James L. Swanson, Publishers Weekly "Burlingame is a towering figure in Lincoln scholarship, and students of the 16th president have been waiting for this book for years. For all his learning--Burlingame may know more about Lincoln and his era than anyone in the world--his take on his subject is fresh, and he doesn't gloss over Lincoln's less appealing attributes. Abraham Lincoln comes as close to being the definitive biography as anything the world has seen in decades."-- Time

Flap

Lincoln Prize, Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College Cowinner, Book Award, Abraham Lincoln Institute Russell P. Strange Book Award, Illinois State Historical Society PROSE Award for Best Book in U.S. History and Biography/Autobiography, Professional and Scholarly Publishing Division, Association of American Publishers Named One of the 5 Best Books of 2009 by The Atlantic Named One of the 10 Top Lincoln Books by Chicago Tribune In the first multi-volume biography of Abraham Lincoln to be published in decades, Lincoln scholar Michael Burlingame offers a fresh look at the life of one of America's greatest presidents. Incorporating the field notes of earlier biographers, along with decades of research in multiple manuscript archives and long-neglected newspapers, this remarkable work will both alter and reinforce current understanding of America's sixteenth president. In volume 2, Burlingame examines Lincoln's presidency and the trials of the Civil War. He supplies fascinating details on the crisis over Fort Sumter and the relentless office seekers who plagued Lincoln. He introduces readers to the president's battles with hostile newspaper editors and his quarrels with incompetent field commanders. Burlingame also interprets Lincoln's private life, discussing his marriage to Mary Todd, the untimely death of his son Willie to disease in 1862, and his recurrent anguish over the enormous human costs of the war. "A magisterial enterprise."--William Safire, New York Times "No review could do complete justice to the magnificent two-volume biography that has been so well-wrought by Michael Burlingame."--Christopher Hitchens, Atlantic Monthly "The author knows more about Lincoln than any other living person."--James McPherson, New York Review of Books "This book supplants [Carl] Sandburg and supersedes all other biographies. Future Lincoln books cannot be written without it, and from no other book can a general reader learn so much about Abraham Lincoln. It is the essential title for the bicentennial."--James L. Swanson, Publishers Weekly "Burlingame is a towering figure in Lincoln scholarship, and students of the 16th president have been waiting for this book for years. For all his learning--Burlingame may know more about Lincoln and his era than anyone in the world--his take on his subject is fresh, and he doesn't gloss over Lincoln's less appealing attributes. Abraham Lincoln comes as close to being the definitive biography as anything the world has seen in decades."-- Time

Author Biography

Michael Burlingame is Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at the University of Illinois Springfield. He is the author or editor of several books about Lincoln, including Lincoln Observed: Civil War Dispatches of Noah Brooks, published by Johns Hopkins, and The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln.

Table of Contents

19. "The Man Does Not Live Who Is More Devoted to Peace Than I Am, But It May Be Necessary to Put the Foot Down Firmly": From Springfield to Washington (February 11–22, 1861)
20. "I Am Now Going to Be Master": Inauguration (February 23–March 4, 1861)
21. "A Man So Busy Letting Rooms in One End of His House, That He Can't Stop to Put Out the Fire That Is Burning in the Other": Distributing Patronage (March–April 1861)
22. "You Can Have No Conf lict Without Being Yourselves the Aggressors": The Fort Sumter Crisis (March–April 1861)
23. "I Intend to Give Blows": The Hundred Days (April–July 1861)
24. Sitzkrieg: The Phony War (August 1861–January 1862)
25 "This Damned Old House": The Lincoln Family in the Executive Mansion
26. "I Expect to Maintain This Contest Until Successful, or Till I Die, or Am Conquered, or My Term Expires, or Congress or the Country Forsakes Me": From the Slough of Despond to the Gates of Richmond (January–July 1862)
27. "The Hour Comes for Dealing with Slavery": Playing the Last Trump Card (January–July 1862)
28. "Would You Prosecute the War with Elder- Stalk Squirts, Charged with Rose Water?": The Soft War Turns Hard (July–September 1862)
29. "I Am Not a Bold Man, But I Have the Knack of Sticking to My Promises!": The Emancipation Proclamation (September– December 1862)
30. "Go Forward, and Give Us Victories": From the Mud March to Gettysburg (January–July 1863)
31. "The Signs Look Better": Victory at the Polls and in the Field (July–November 1863)
32. "I Hope to Stand Firm Enough to Not Go Backward, and Yet Not Go Forward Fast Enough to Wreck the Country's Cause": Reconstruction and Renomination (November 1863–June 1864)
33. "Hold On with a Bulldog Grip and Chew and Choke as Much as Possible": The Grand Offensive (May–August 1864)
34. "The Wisest Radical of All": Reelection (September–November 1864)
35. "Let the Thing Be Pressed": Victory at Last (November 1864– April 1865)
36. "I Feel a Presentiment That I Shall Not Outlast the Rebellion. When It Is Over, My Work Will Be Done.": The Final Days (April 9–15, 1865)
Acknowledgments
Note on Sources
Notes
Index

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Now in paperback, this award-winning biography has been hailed as the definitive portrait of Lincoln.

Long Description

In the first multi-volume biography of Abraham Lincoln to be published in decades, Lincoln scholar Michael Burlingame offers a fresh look at the life of one of Americas greatest presidents. Incorporating the field notes of earlier biographers, along with decades of research in multiple manuscript archives and long-neglected newspapers, this remarkable work will both alter and reinforce our current understanding of Americas sixteenth president. Volume 1 covers Lincolns early childhood, his experiences as a farm boy in Indiana and Illinois, his legal training, and the political ambition that led to a term in Congress in the 1840s. In volume 2, Burlingame examines Lincolns life during his presidency and the Civil War, narrating in fascinating detail the crisis over Fort Sumter and Lincolns own battles with relentless office seekers, hostile newspaper editors, and incompetent field commanders. Burlingame also offers new interpretations of Lincolns private life, discussing his marriage to Mary Todd and the untimely deaths of two sons to disease. But through it all his difficult childhood, his contentious political career, a fratricidal war, and tragic personal losses Lincoln preserved a keen sense of humor and acquired a psychological maturity that proved to be the Norths most valuable asset in winning the Civil War. Published to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, this landmark publication establishes Burlingame as the most assiduous Lincoln biographer of recent memory and brings Lincoln alive to modern readers as never before.

Promotional "Headline"

Now in paperback, this award-winning biography has been hailed as the definitive portrait of Lincoln.

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