The Lincoln Enigma: The Changing Faces of an American Icon

by Gabor S. Boritt (Editor)

In The Lincoln Enigma , Gabor Boritt invites renowned Lincoln scholars, and rising new voices, to take a look at much-debated aspects of Lincoln's life--including his possible gay relationships, his plan to send blacks back to Africa, and his high-handed treatment of the Constitution. Boritt explores Lincoln's proposals that looked to a lily-white America. Jean Baker marvels at Lincoln's loves and marriage. David Herbert Donald compares Lincoln and Jefferson Davis as Commanders-in-Chief. Douglas Wilson shows us the young Lincoln--not the strong leader of popular history, but a man who struggles to find his purpose. Gerald Prokopowicz searches for the military leader, William C. Harris for the peacemaker, and Robert Bruce meditates on Lincoln and death. In a final section Boritt and Harold Holzer offer a fascinating portfolio of Lincoln images in modern art. Acute and thought-provoking in their observations, this all-star cast of historians--including two Pulitzer and three Lincoln
Prize winners--questions our assumptions of Lincoln, and provides a new vitality to our ongoing reflections on his life and legacy.

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Gabor S. Boritt was the Robert Fluhrer Professor of Civil War Studies and Director of the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College.

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lincoln Enigma is a fascinating collection of essays about various aspects of Lincoln's life and personality, from what he was like as a young man to his marriage, views of the relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and his preoccupation with death. The book also contains a long section examining various depictions of our most beloved President in popular culture, from painting and poster stamps to sculpture and film.

[Iman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty interesting read. It's laid out nicely if you wanted to pick a chapter and read more on that area. The authors take different pieces of the life, the myth, and look more in depth. The chapters on his military fantasies, marriage, and Lincoln in art were the best.

[Socraticgadfly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too short!

What were Lincoln's views on death, afterlife and religion? Did he really have a loveless marriage? Would things have been different if he and Jeff Davis had swapped places?

Speculative thought, and some answers, are to be found in this new volume, along with a wealth of perspective of Lincoln in artwork.

The reason I only four-starred this book is that the body copy of text, before the artwork appendices, is only about 160 pages. This book could have used at least 50, if not 100, pages of additional meat on his bones.

AND, this is LINCOLN! It's not like that would have been that hard to do.

[K C · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting essays, but probably wouldn't have bothered reading it if it hadn't been given to me. Oddly for a history book, it seems a bit dated with all the references to "turn of the millennium." (It was published in 2001).

[Terry]

one of these days....