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Lincoln: The Fire of Genius: How Abraham Lincoln's Commitment to Science and Technology Helped Modernize America
Abraham Lincoln had a lifelong fascination with science and technology, a fascination that would help institutionalize science, win the Civil War, and propel the nation into the modern age. Readers will learn through Lincoln: The Fire of Genius how science and technology gradually infiltrated Lincoln’s remarkable life and influenced his growing desire to improve the condition of all men. The book traces this progression from a simple farm boy to a president who changed the world.
Counter to conventional wisdom, subsistence farming provides a considerable education in agronomic science, forest ecology, hydrology, and even a little civil engineering. Continuing through a lifetime of self-study, curiosity, and hard work, Lincoln became the only President with a patent, advocated for technological advancement as a legislator in Illinois and in Washington, and became the “go-to” western lawyer on technology, and patent cases during his legal career. During the Civil War, Lincoln drew upon his commitment to science and personally encouraged inventors while taking dramatic steps to institutionalize science via the Smithsonian Institution, create the National Academy of Sciences, and initiate the Department of Agriculture. Lincoln’s insistence on high-tech weaponry, balloon surveillance, strategic use of telegraphy, and railroad deployment positioned the North to achieve Union victory.
Counter to conventional wisdom, subsistence farming provides a considerable education in agronomic science, forest ecology, hydrology, and even a little civil engineering. Continuing through a lifetime of self-study, curiosity, and hard work, Lincoln became the only President with a patent, advocated for technological advancement as a legislator in Illinois and in Washington, and became the “go-to” western lawyer on technology, and patent cases during his legal career. During the Civil War, Lincoln drew upon his commitment to science and personally encouraged inventors while taking dramatic steps to institutionalize science via the Smithsonian Institution, create the National Academy of Sciences, and initiate the Department of Agriculture. Lincoln’s insistence on high-tech weaponry, balloon surveillance, strategic use of telegraphy, and railroad deployment positioned the North to achieve Union victory.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2022
11 people are currently reading
4358 people want to read
About the author
David J. Kent
8 books145 followersDavid 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.
His forthcoming book, "Lincoln in New England: In Search of His Forgotten Tours," will be released in March 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 3, 2024
Many politicians have turned away from science in recent years, despite the world being plunged into a global pandemic and the critical need to act on climate change. It wasn’t always so. Several early presidents supported scientific research, and Abraham Lincoln was fascinated by science and technology, which was undergoing a period of rapid growth during his lifetime. Unlike Thomas Jefferson and other educated eastern elites, Lincoln saw the benefit of science and technology to the common man, a mechanism that could aid the goal of “bettering one’s condition.”
Lincoln: The Fire of Genius offers the first holistic look at Lincoln’s fascination with science and technology. That fascination can be seen threading through his remarkable life, his commitment to self-study and self-improvement, his careers as a lawyer and politician, and finally, to his presidency.
Always a Whig, Lincoln would tell his best friend, Lincoln embraced “the Whig Way” of internal improvements. Many of these were brought on by technological advances like steam engines, railroads, and telegraphs. Lincoln encouraged development even in the face of opposition. When he didn’t understand something, he “did the work” of finding books and experts from which he could learn. He strived to improve himself through lifetime study of mathematics, astronomy, and hydrology, while developing expertise in mechanics and other technological advances. Lincoln always had an eye on the future and how progress could be extended to all Americans.
Lincoln saw the need for institutionalizing scientific and technological advancement. He understood that technology wasn’t always good for the masses, something that we continue to find today. Invention of the cotton gin made production of cotton more efficient, for example, and thus more profitable. Rather than reducing the need for enslaved labor, it increased it by making the cultivation of ever-growing cotton acreage more and more profitable. Lincoln dealt with “scientific racism,” the spurious idea that superiority was ingrained in the color of our skin. When the issue of slavery led to conflict, the Civil War became an incubator for new inventions. Lincoln understood both the value of technology to winning the war and the need to direct improvements to enhance the value to individuals and society. Lincoln would bring the Whig way national and set the stage for the modernization of America.
All of this is documented in the same breezy, story-telling style that enthralled readers in his previous best-selling books on Lincoln, Tesla, and Edison.
Pre-Order now on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Lincol...
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/linc...
Lincoln: The Fire of Genius offers the first holistic look at Lincoln’s fascination with science and technology. That fascination can be seen threading through his remarkable life, his commitment to self-study and self-improvement, his careers as a lawyer and politician, and finally, to his presidency.
Always a Whig, Lincoln would tell his best friend, Lincoln embraced “the Whig Way” of internal improvements. Many of these were brought on by technological advances like steam engines, railroads, and telegraphs. Lincoln encouraged development even in the face of opposition. When he didn’t understand something, he “did the work” of finding books and experts from which he could learn. He strived to improve himself through lifetime study of mathematics, astronomy, and hydrology, while developing expertise in mechanics and other technological advances. Lincoln always had an eye on the future and how progress could be extended to all Americans.
Lincoln saw the need for institutionalizing scientific and technological advancement. He understood that technology wasn’t always good for the masses, something that we continue to find today. Invention of the cotton gin made production of cotton more efficient, for example, and thus more profitable. Rather than reducing the need for enslaved labor, it increased it by making the cultivation of ever-growing cotton acreage more and more profitable. Lincoln dealt with “scientific racism,” the spurious idea that superiority was ingrained in the color of our skin. When the issue of slavery led to conflict, the Civil War became an incubator for new inventions. Lincoln understood both the value of technology to winning the war and the need to direct improvements to enhance the value to individuals and society. Lincoln would bring the Whig way national and set the stage for the modernization of America.
All of this is documented in the same breezy, story-telling style that enthralled readers in his previous best-selling books on Lincoln, Tesla, and Edison.
Pre-Order now on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Lincol...
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/linc...
February 26, 2023
As a 'lay person' of science and technology, I found this to be an easily digestible treatise on Lincoln's passion and drive to improve the human condition. Well written and thorough, the writer serves to shine a light on underrepresented aspects of Lincoln's life and contributions. All senators and members of Congress should be made to read this as it serves as a model for decorum and an inspiration.
April 10, 2023
A unique perspective on the life of Lincoln and a very interesting read. From a young boy through adulthood, follow along and see the science that surrounded him and influenced his studies, thoughts and decisions. Great book for anyone interested in history and science!
November 9, 2024
A marvelous survey of all the ways that Lincoln, from his earliest days on the farmlands and rivers of Indiana and Illinois through to his presidency in Washington, DC, studied and incorporated mathematical concepts and advances in technology into his worldview and the policies of his administration, including even the management of the war and the emancipation of the country's four million enslaved blacks. Lincoln never stopped questioning and reasoning about the world around him. There are delightful surprises here, even for those who think they know Lincoln well.
August 21, 2022
This is another book I obtained through a Goodreads Giveaway.
Having recently read Gore Vidal's Lincoln and noting that similar books focus almost exclusively on Lincoln's activities during the Civil War and culminating with his assassination, I must say that I found this book a refreshing change from the typical Lincoln biography. Focusing instead on the mind of Lincoln and how both his process of educating himself and then applying what he had learned furthered the progress of the nation from a largely agriculture-based one to an industrialized one, the reader gets an entirely different view of how Lincoln helped shape our modern society. Many of the concepts he embraced over a century and a half ago still contribute to how we view ourselves as a nation and a people. His natural curiosity led him to investigate how our world could be made a better place. He was more than just a freer of slaves. He was a thinker who rationalized not only the freeing of slaves but the embracing of things such as the modernization of agriculture, the improvement of our national infrastructure, and the preservation of our heritage in the Smithsonian Institution to name just three examples.
The book is also written in a way that captivates. I must admit to not being a big fan of nonfiction histories; this book, however, presents the life and times of Lincoln in a way that's not simply a stifling recollection of facts while remaining accurate in what it conveys.
If you are a history buff or not, I'm sure you will enjoy this book.
Having recently read Gore Vidal's Lincoln and noting that similar books focus almost exclusively on Lincoln's activities during the Civil War and culminating with his assassination, I must say that I found this book a refreshing change from the typical Lincoln biography. Focusing instead on the mind of Lincoln and how both his process of educating himself and then applying what he had learned furthered the progress of the nation from a largely agriculture-based one to an industrialized one, the reader gets an entirely different view of how Lincoln helped shape our modern society. Many of the concepts he embraced over a century and a half ago still contribute to how we view ourselves as a nation and a people. His natural curiosity led him to investigate how our world could be made a better place. He was more than just a freer of slaves. He was a thinker who rationalized not only the freeing of slaves but the embracing of things such as the modernization of agriculture, the improvement of our national infrastructure, and the preservation of our heritage in the Smithsonian Institution to name just three examples.
The book is also written in a way that captivates. I must admit to not being a big fan of nonfiction histories; this book, however, presents the life and times of Lincoln in a way that's not simply a stifling recollection of facts while remaining accurate in what it conveys.
If you are a history buff or not, I'm sure you will enjoy this book.
September 6, 2022
This book is an excellent tribute to a great leader: Abraham Lincoln. The focus is on Lincoln as a role model and leader who through self-learning, a practical mindset with a strong grasp of scientific and engineering principles, and sheer determination started America towards becoming the technological marvel it is today! I was truly fascinated by this aspect of Lincoln that has been overshadowed by his equally notable political and military activities. Anyone who wondered how we got from an economy based on family farms to an industrial powerhouse will be enthralled by following the steps of the person who lived in and lead that process. A great book, especially for history buffs!
August 31, 2022
I have read and learned about Lincoln's legal and political careers, I had never really thought about him as an important figure in the development of science and technology in America. In this book, Kent persuasively lays out Lincoln's commitment to learn and utilize science in his own life, as well as the ways he promoted it's broader use. This is an excellent book for anyone interested in Lincoln or the development and use of science in the late 1800s.
October 16, 2024
A fantastic journey through the breadth of Lincoln's life. Most Lincoln scholars focus solely on Lincoln's role as the 16th President of the United States, his 1863 declaration of the Emancipation Proclamation, his influence as a legal mind, or his powerful leadership through the Civil War.
Kent's fresh, unique, exploration of Lincoln's life and influences is a guide through the realms of a brilliant mind historically neglected by Lincoln scholars. From Lincoln’s young life as a farmer learning botany, biology, and hydrology to his engineering prowess resulting in the only patent to be filed by a U.S. President, Kent explores the true brilliance Lincoln cultivated throughout his lifetime. Scientist, farmer, lawyer, economic development savant, Lincoln's genius was truly that of a Renaissance man. An excellent read.
Kent's fresh, unique, exploration of Lincoln's life and influences is a guide through the realms of a brilliant mind historically neglected by Lincoln scholars. From Lincoln’s young life as a farmer learning botany, biology, and hydrology to his engineering prowess resulting in the only patent to be filed by a U.S. President, Kent explores the true brilliance Lincoln cultivated throughout his lifetime. Scientist, farmer, lawyer, economic development savant, Lincoln's genius was truly that of a Renaissance man. An excellent read.
August 27, 2022
There are an estimated 15,000 books on Abraham Lincoln – some general biography, some focused on a particular speech or event. This new book offers a unique lens through which to understand and appreciate the great man who accomplished so much. His life-long curiosity and interest in science and technology not only bettered himself but helped modernize America. As people today, especially politicians, admire and quote often from our 16th President, it is important to have a good understanding of his view on science and technology, and how we have all benefited from his efforts to institutionalize science.
Even with its obviously extensive research, both broad and deep, the book is written in a way that is both informative and engaging. It would provide an enjoyable reading experience and fresh insights for every reader from the general public to Lincoln scholars.
Even with its obviously extensive research, both broad and deep, the book is written in a way that is both informative and engaging. It would provide an enjoyable reading experience and fresh insights for every reader from the general public to Lincoln scholars.
October 16, 2022
Very Detail Oriented
There’s a lot of information in this book. Describes in detail the books Lincoln did and may have read. As well as exactly what the books encompassed. Not even halfway through I started skimming. Some interesting facts. I learned a lot about Abraham Lincoln from this book.
There’s a lot of information in this book. Describes in detail the books Lincoln did and may have read. As well as exactly what the books encompassed. Not even halfway through I started skimming. Some interesting facts. I learned a lot about Abraham Lincoln from this book.
November 15, 2023
An interesting book that looks at Lincoln from a new angle. Lincoln was a man of curiosity. To feed this curiosity, he read everything he could as a child and young man. His curiosity later manifested itself in his his legal career and his presidency. To find out more, you MUST read this excellent book.
February 5, 2023
I received the from GoodReads First Reads.
An intensive study of the technological and scientific mind and works of Abraham Lincoln. It seems as though his whole life centered around these two studies.
An intensive study of the technological and scientific mind and works of Abraham Lincoln. It seems as though his whole life centered around these two studies.
August 29, 2023
Like most Americans I was only aware of Lincoln's political ideas. This book is about his contribution to science, engineering and technology in 19th century America.
June 23, 2024
Great History book, but to much detail, not easy for me to read
February 28, 2023
Well-written specialized Lincoln biography. Centering on Lincoln's science and technology interests shows us a person many do not know.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews