Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America

by David J. Kent

A lively, illustrated biography of America’s 16th president from his humble beginnings to his historic leadership during the Civil War.Abraham Lincoln was, to put it mildly, an unlikely candidate for president. Raised on the frontier and mostly self-taught, the gangly farmer had little in common with the Founding Fathers, with one a deep and abiding belief in America’s still-fragile experiment in democracy. Turning his quick mind and gregarious personality to politics, Lincoln ascended through state and national government, before being elected president in 1860 on the eve of the Civil War. During that bloody and devastating conflict, Lincoln’s tenacity, strategic brilliance, and plain-spoken eloquence not only helped keep the nation together through its darkest hours but also set the course for a reconciliation that he would not live to see. Filled with historical drama and packed with rare illustrations,  The Man Who Saved America weaves the fascinating biography of Abraham Lincoln into the story of the most perilous period in American history.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, American Civil War, Politics, American History

361 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 31, 2017

About the author

David J. Kent is an award-winning Abraham Lincoln historian and award-winning former scientist. He is the author of books on Abraham Lincoln, Nikola Tesla, and Thomas Edison. His website is davidjkent-writer.com.

His forthcoming book, "Lincoln in New England: In Search of His Forgotten Tours," will be released in March 2026.

Reviews

[David Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is designed to appeal to a wide range of readers who want to learn things about Lincoln they may not have known are read in other biographies. Packed with colorful and rare illustrations, Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America is visually stunning and the writing is light and easy.

The book begins with Lincoln's early childhood on the farm in Kentucky and follows him as the family moves to free state of Indiana. We look at his rudimentary, most self-taught education and the loss of his mother, then his sister. Now an adult, Lincoln moves to Illinois and, after two flatboat trips to New Orleans, strikes out on his own in New Salem.

Additional chapters delve into the beginnings of his life in politics, his loves and family, and his life on the circuit and as a lawyer in Springfield. After being out of politics for several years, Lincoln is suddenly "aroused as never before" by passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act by rival Stephen A. Douglas, which is destined to spread slavery into the territories - and perhaps nation-wide.

Running for president is covered in a chapter, and there are two chapters covering Lincoln's struggles to save the Union during the Civil War. The final chapter looks at his martyrdom and long-lasting legacy.

Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America tells the story of a man who excelled beyond anyone's imagination, and who rose to power during the nation's most demanding trials. Through easy to read language and with spectacular photos, cartoons, and drawings in a format that blends the best of vivid writing with a graphical novel feel, this book brings out the incredible man who saved America from itself.

I am the author of this book. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. See also my earlier books, Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World.

[Amy Hiltz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abraham Lincoln: the greatest president we have ever seen. This book provides an amazing biography about his early life and his humble rise to power. It highlights both his struggles and his victories in an easy to read book filled with pictures to accompany the text. I loved reading this book about my favorite president.

[Amanda Yamate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, excellent book. So enjoyable and well-written. Kent shares major moments of Lincoln’s life and how Lincoln’s actions saved our country and made it what it is today. Every fact supports the concept that Lincoln is basically a superhero...which I have always believed haha.

[Ru Sun · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very informative and beautifully written book! The author did a great job introducing the life of Abraham Lincoln - from childhood to presidency to legacy. It is rather challenging to distill so many important facts and interesting anecdotes into a concise and easy-to-understand book. As the saying goes, "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Only a deep understanding of the history and the man himself would make it possible. Once again the author delivered an outstanding biography that exceeded expectations.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love learning about Abraham Lincoln. I always forget that he did not have this fast rise to popularity and the presidency. It was through his dedication to his beliefs and hard work that he got to where he was.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely gorgeous book!

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly engaging, easy-to-read overview, replete with photos, drawings, paintings and other graphics. Kent comes close to hagiography, but if you're going to idealize anyone in American history, who would be a better candidate?

A quick list of Lincoln's "other" accomplishments in the concluding pages seals the deal:
Homestead Act
Dept. of Agriculture
Morrill Land Grant Act
Pacific Railway Act
Thanksgiving
Yosemite
National Academy of Sciences

[Sally Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. I especially loved the artwork.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned that Lincoln's primary objective was to keep America united, rather than to abolish slavery.

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America" by Kent is extremely concise and informative. This particular books examines various topics, such as Lincoln's early life, legal career, personal relationships, and presidency. Overall, a pretty good book

[Vidura Barrios · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written acount of the life of Lincoln.

[Sandra Rushlo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It may help that I love Lincoln; but this biography taught me a lot that I'd never known before (no spoilers - you'll have to read it yourself!). Somehow, Mr. Kent managed to fit everything from small details about Lincoln's childhood to his martyrdom into this richly illustrated bio. It would delight the most well-versed scholars and the readers who know nothing of the man. The matter-of-fact style of writing, interspersed with beautiful paintings and early photography, portrays such a wide array of anecdotes, witticisms, and painful truths about Lincoln and his time. Kent has produced a masterpiece, yet never idealizes him as many do but gives the full portrait of a man humble, flawed, and yet heroic. He even worked in a brief lesson on the shifting political parties, and the topics have never been so pertinent as they are today. This is a must-read for any history buff or anyone looking to explore a new subject.

[Randall Schober]

Good book. Short read.

[Ferrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great popular overview of the life of Abraham Lincoln with lots of illustrations. I read it as a reminder of the life of Lincoln. I think it would be especially good as an introduction to this great man before reading a more in-depth biography. It would be especially good for teenage readers. Kent gets at all of the essential information, and the artwork is great for younger readers.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always love learning more about Lincoln and the photos were nice. However it felt very abridged and summarized instead of inspiring. I did enjoy learning more about his childhood and political career. Such an amazing man and president.