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Abraham Lincoln: A Presidential Life
Marking the two-hundredth anniversary of Lincoln's birth, this marvelous short biography by a leading historian offers an illuminating portrait of one of the giants in the American story. It is the best concise introduction to Lincoln in print, a must-have volume for anyone interested in American history or in our greatest president.
Best-selling author James M. McPherson follows the son of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks from his early years in Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois, to his highly successful law career, his marriage to Mary Todd, and his one term in Congress. We witness his leadership of the Republican anti-slavery movement, his famous debates with Stephen A. Douglas (a long acquaintance and former rival for the hand of Mary Todd), and his emergence as a candidate for president in 1860. Following Lincoln's election to the presidency, McPherson describes his masterful role as Commander in Chief during the Civil War, the writing of the Emancipation Proclamation, and his assassination by John Wilkes Booth. The book also discusses his lasting legacy and why he remains a quintessential American hero two hundred years after his birth, while an annotated bibliography permits easy access to further scholarship.
With his ideal short account of Lincoln, McPherson provides a compelling biography of a man of humble origins who preserved our nation during its greatest catastrophe and ended the scourge of slavery.
Best-selling author James M. McPherson follows the son of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks from his early years in Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois, to his highly successful law career, his marriage to Mary Todd, and his one term in Congress. We witness his leadership of the Republican anti-slavery movement, his famous debates with Stephen A. Douglas (a long acquaintance and former rival for the hand of Mary Todd), and his emergence as a candidate for president in 1860. Following Lincoln's election to the presidency, McPherson describes his masterful role as Commander in Chief during the Civil War, the writing of the Emancipation Proclamation, and his assassination by John Wilkes Booth. The book also discusses his lasting legacy and why he remains a quintessential American hero two hundred years after his birth, while an annotated bibliography permits easy access to further scholarship.
With his ideal short account of Lincoln, McPherson provides a compelling biography of a man of humble origins who preserved our nation during its greatest catastrophe and ended the scourge of slavery.
86 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2009
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About the author
James M. McPherson
171 books713 followersJames M. McPherson, Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins University, 1963; B.A., Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, Minnesota), 1958) is an American Civil War historian, and the George Henry Davis '86 Professor Emeritus of United States History at Princeton University. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Battle Cry of Freedom, his most famous book. He was the president of the American Historical Association in 2003, and is a member of the editorial board of Encyclopædia Britannica.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
March 7, 2021
"[Lincoln's] words and deeds lived after him, and will be revered as long as there is a United States. Indeed, it seems quite likely that without his determined leadership the United States would have ceased to be . . . [it] not only survived, in subsequent decades it also grew and prospered." -- the author, on pages 62-63
Author/historian McPherson has written dozens of books about the facts and figures involved in the U.S. Civil War, per his GR bibliography, but here he appears to try something just a little different. His prosaically titled Abraham Lincoln is a succinct biography about the 16th American president. No fuss. No muss. Just approximately 70 pages of the great man's life, beginning from his childhood (eagerly reading borrowed books by the log cabin fireplace, to the chagrin of his misunderstanding father) to the lawyerly years ("Any man who took Lincoln for a simple-minded man would wind up with his backside in a ditch" cracked a courthouse colleague) and then all the way to the White House for the most important and critical years of his regrettably short life. If you are looking for some light reading on a heavy subject - a lovely oxymoron, isn't it? - this intelligent book is an option.
Author/historian McPherson has written dozens of books about the facts and figures involved in the U.S. Civil War, per his GR bibliography, but here he appears to try something just a little different. His prosaically titled Abraham Lincoln is a succinct biography about the 16th American president. No fuss. No muss. Just approximately 70 pages of the great man's life, beginning from his childhood (eagerly reading borrowed books by the log cabin fireplace, to the chagrin of his misunderstanding father) to the lawyerly years ("Any man who took Lincoln for a simple-minded man would wind up with his backside in a ditch" cracked a courthouse colleague) and then all the way to the White House for the most important and critical years of his regrettably short life. If you are looking for some light reading on a heavy subject - a lovely oxymoron, isn't it? - this intelligent book is an option.
June 13, 2024
Lincoln For Busy Readers
The year 2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865). This anniversary would be a cause for reflection and soul-searching under the best of times. Reflection on Lincoln and his accomplishments is particularly important given the difficult days in which we live.
There has been a never-ending flow of books about Lincoln, and many new books are scheduled to appear in celebration of the bicentennial of his birth. Among these books is this short study, hardly more than an extended essay, of 67 pages by James McPherson, the United States's premier Civil War historian and the author of the most famous single-volume study of the War, "Battle Cry of Freedom."
The most important goal of any book is to show the reader that its subject matters. McPherson achieves this goal in this brief treatment of Lincoln. McPherson explains why, in Lincoln's words, it is important to remember that Lincoln had lived. (pp.10,65) In the final chapter of his book, McPherson points to Lincoln's two great achievements. First, Lincoln preserved the Union and its duly elected government. McPherson telling quotes Lincoln's words on this matter: "This issue embraces more than the fate of the United States. It presents to the whole family of man, the question whether a constitutional republic , or a democracy - a government of the people, by the same people - can, or cannot, maintain its territorial integrity. (p.63)
Lincoln's second great achievement was the ending of slavery. When Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, he stated that "I never in my life felt more certain that I was doing right than I do in signing this paper. If my name ever goes into history it will be for this act, and my whole soul is in it." (p. 64) Lincoln brought the United States on the path to understanding and realizing the ideal stated in the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal." (Id.)
McPherson's biography is framed by these two great accomplishments. McPherson discusses Lincoln's early life, his career as a lawyer, the 1858 debates with Steven Douglas, the beginning of the Civil War at Fort Sumter, Lincoln's relationship with his Generals and with his cabinet, and the important speeches, including the First Inaugural, the Gettysburg Address, and the Second Inaugural. He describes the mixture of idealist and pragmatic politician that constituted Abraham Lincoln.
The book is clearly and eloquently written with the intent to allow it to be read at a single sitting. With the extraordinary brevity of the book - (The books in the American President's series, including George McGovern's upcoming biography of Lincoln are about twice as long) it may be advisable to read it twice to understand Lincoln's continuing importance. The book includes a good annotated biography for the reader interested in exploring Lincoln in more detail. For those readers wanting an informed brief study of our sixteenth president, this book is an excellent beginning.
Robin Friedman
The year 2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865). This anniversary would be a cause for reflection and soul-searching under the best of times. Reflection on Lincoln and his accomplishments is particularly important given the difficult days in which we live.
There has been a never-ending flow of books about Lincoln, and many new books are scheduled to appear in celebration of the bicentennial of his birth. Among these books is this short study, hardly more than an extended essay, of 67 pages by James McPherson, the United States's premier Civil War historian and the author of the most famous single-volume study of the War, "Battle Cry of Freedom."
The most important goal of any book is to show the reader that its subject matters. McPherson achieves this goal in this brief treatment of Lincoln. McPherson explains why, in Lincoln's words, it is important to remember that Lincoln had lived. (pp.10,65) In the final chapter of his book, McPherson points to Lincoln's two great achievements. First, Lincoln preserved the Union and its duly elected government. McPherson telling quotes Lincoln's words on this matter: "This issue embraces more than the fate of the United States. It presents to the whole family of man, the question whether a constitutional republic , or a democracy - a government of the people, by the same people - can, or cannot, maintain its territorial integrity. (p.63)
Lincoln's second great achievement was the ending of slavery. When Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, he stated that "I never in my life felt more certain that I was doing right than I do in signing this paper. If my name ever goes into history it will be for this act, and my whole soul is in it." (p. 64) Lincoln brought the United States on the path to understanding and realizing the ideal stated in the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal." (Id.)
McPherson's biography is framed by these two great accomplishments. McPherson discusses Lincoln's early life, his career as a lawyer, the 1858 debates with Steven Douglas, the beginning of the Civil War at Fort Sumter, Lincoln's relationship with his Generals and with his cabinet, and the important speeches, including the First Inaugural, the Gettysburg Address, and the Second Inaugural. He describes the mixture of idealist and pragmatic politician that constituted Abraham Lincoln.
The book is clearly and eloquently written with the intent to allow it to be read at a single sitting. With the extraordinary brevity of the book - (The books in the American President's series, including George McGovern's upcoming biography of Lincoln are about twice as long) it may be advisable to read it twice to understand Lincoln's continuing importance. The book includes a good annotated biography for the reader interested in exploring Lincoln in more detail. For those readers wanting an informed brief study of our sixteenth president, this book is an excellent beginning.
Robin Friedman
May 9, 2023
This book was written in commemoration of the bicentennial of the 16th president's birth. Basically it is a survey. Probably informative if it your first Lincoln book. It is not my first Lincoln book and I am from Illinois where Lincoln is force-fed from the first grade. Also, I went Lincoln Elementary School. There was a statue of him in the lobby. In Illinois, you just can't get away from Lincoln. When I was 9-10 years old we went to Springfield and New Salem, just as everyone does by the time they are 10 years old.
But it was informative book and hit all the high points.
But it was informative book and hit all the high points.
November 26, 2022
This book is fabulous. It is a succinct summary of Lincoln's life, which is in itself helpful. Yet, the conclusion of this book is worth everything. Risking the unintended consequence of you not reading the book because I quote here the conclusion, I do so regardless of the concern.
"Indeed, it seems quite likely that without his [Lincoln's] determined leadership, the United States would have ceased to be. Union victory in the Civil War resolved two fundamental festering problems that had been left unresolved by the revolution of 1776 and the Constitution of 1787.
"The first problem was the survival of the Republic as one nation indivisible. The Republic established by the founders was a fragile experiment in a world bestrode by kings, queens, emperors, czars, dictators, and theories of aristocracy.
"Americans were painfully aware that most republics through history had eventually collapsed, degenerated into tyranny or were overthrown. Some Americans alive in 1861 had seen two French republics rise and fall, several European nationalist republic's spring up in 1848, and succumb to counterrevolutions, and republics in Latin America come and go with bewildering rapidity.
"In this context of reaction and counterrevolution, Lincoln said in 1862 that the United States represented the last best hope for the survival of Republican liberty. The cleavage of the nation in two by the success of the Confederacy would destroy that hope. It would set a fatal precedent, by which the minority might secede from the Union whenever it did not like what the majority stood for, until the United States fragmented into a multitude of petty, squabbling autocracies.
"This issue embraces more than the fate of these United States, Lincoln had said in 1861. It presents to the whole family of man the question, whether a constitutional republic or a democracy, of the people, by the same people, can or cannot maintain its territorial integrity. Union victory in the Civil War resolved that question. The Republic not only survived, in subsequent decades it also grew and prospered, and emerged in the 20th century as the world's arsenal of democracy. Had it not been for Lincoln, this might never have happened.
"The second problem left unresolved by the events of 1776 and 1787 was the issue of slavery. By the second quarter of the 19th century, a nation, founded on a charter that declared all people deserving of the inalienable right of Liberty, had become the largest slave holding nation in the world. This was the monstrous injustice that made the United States a monument of hypocrisy in the eyes of the world, as Lincoln had expressed it in 1854. With the emancipation proclamation, Lincoln started the United States on the road to living up to its professed belief, that all men are truly created equal.
"More than 20 years earlier a depressed Lincoln had told Joshua Speed that, he would be more than willing to die, except that he had done nothing to make any human being remember that he had lived. On New Year's Day in 1863, the Lincolns held a traditional reception in the White House, where the president stood for three hours, shaking hands with hundreds of people. Exhausted, he retired to his office with a few colleagues to sign the engrossed copy of the emancipation proclamation.
"His hand was so sore from its three hours of its social duty, that it could scarcely hold the pen. Lincoln did not want to sign while his hand was still trembling, because 'All who examine the document hereafter would say, he hasitated.' That would not do, 'For I never in my life felt more certain that I was doing right than I do in signing this paper. If my name ever goes into history it will be for this act and my whole soul is in it.' Lincoln then picked up the pen and signed his name without a tremor. 'That will do,' he said.
"More than any other American, Lincoln's name has gone into history. He gave all Americans, indeed all people everywhere, reason to remember that he had lived."
Well some may argue today, Lincoln did not resolve these two issues. Today with all of the divisiveness in politics, it appears that we are going to tear ourselves apart into petty, squabbling. factions. While this may be true to some degree, Lincoln did show that our nation can pass through even more strident times and still come out United in sovereignty and territory. Whether or not we unite in ideology is another question altogether. It is not likely to be answered in the affirmative. But this is a different question altogether, "what is the role of division ofopinion in resolving political conflict?"
Second, some may rebut that, we have not in fact resolved the issue of slavery. Today racism and racial inequity still abound in America. While it is true in part, that we still face many social ills, yet legalized slavery has in fact been abolished in America.
Furthermore, racism and racial inequity are not strictly American problems. What the emancipation proclamation showed was that America could survive a threat to our Declaration of Independence, and continue to improve in the way that we live our ideologies. Certainly, as a nation at large, we have plenty of room to grow. Yet, we have come so far, further than we ever would have without the Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights. We need to honor Abraham Lincoln for his sacrifice to enshrine these documents as our legacy and we are to continue to seek to uphold them and the strictest way possible.
"Indeed, it seems quite likely that without his [Lincoln's] determined leadership, the United States would have ceased to be. Union victory in the Civil War resolved two fundamental festering problems that had been left unresolved by the revolution of 1776 and the Constitution of 1787.
"The first problem was the survival of the Republic as one nation indivisible. The Republic established by the founders was a fragile experiment in a world bestrode by kings, queens, emperors, czars, dictators, and theories of aristocracy.
"Americans were painfully aware that most republics through history had eventually collapsed, degenerated into tyranny or were overthrown. Some Americans alive in 1861 had seen two French republics rise and fall, several European nationalist republic's spring up in 1848, and succumb to counterrevolutions, and republics in Latin America come and go with bewildering rapidity.
"In this context of reaction and counterrevolution, Lincoln said in 1862 that the United States represented the last best hope for the survival of Republican liberty. The cleavage of the nation in two by the success of the Confederacy would destroy that hope. It would set a fatal precedent, by which the minority might secede from the Union whenever it did not like what the majority stood for, until the United States fragmented into a multitude of petty, squabbling autocracies.
"This issue embraces more than the fate of these United States, Lincoln had said in 1861. It presents to the whole family of man the question, whether a constitutional republic or a democracy, of the people, by the same people, can or cannot maintain its territorial integrity. Union victory in the Civil War resolved that question. The Republic not only survived, in subsequent decades it also grew and prospered, and emerged in the 20th century as the world's arsenal of democracy. Had it not been for Lincoln, this might never have happened.
"The second problem left unresolved by the events of 1776 and 1787 was the issue of slavery. By the second quarter of the 19th century, a nation, founded on a charter that declared all people deserving of the inalienable right of Liberty, had become the largest slave holding nation in the world. This was the monstrous injustice that made the United States a monument of hypocrisy in the eyes of the world, as Lincoln had expressed it in 1854. With the emancipation proclamation, Lincoln started the United States on the road to living up to its professed belief, that all men are truly created equal.
"More than 20 years earlier a depressed Lincoln had told Joshua Speed that, he would be more than willing to die, except that he had done nothing to make any human being remember that he had lived. On New Year's Day in 1863, the Lincolns held a traditional reception in the White House, where the president stood for three hours, shaking hands with hundreds of people. Exhausted, he retired to his office with a few colleagues to sign the engrossed copy of the emancipation proclamation.
"His hand was so sore from its three hours of its social duty, that it could scarcely hold the pen. Lincoln did not want to sign while his hand was still trembling, because 'All who examine the document hereafter would say, he hasitated.' That would not do, 'For I never in my life felt more certain that I was doing right than I do in signing this paper. If my name ever goes into history it will be for this act and my whole soul is in it.' Lincoln then picked up the pen and signed his name without a tremor. 'That will do,' he said.
"More than any other American, Lincoln's name has gone into history. He gave all Americans, indeed all people everywhere, reason to remember that he had lived."
Well some may argue today, Lincoln did not resolve these two issues. Today with all of the divisiveness in politics, it appears that we are going to tear ourselves apart into petty, squabbling. factions. While this may be true to some degree, Lincoln did show that our nation can pass through even more strident times and still come out United in sovereignty and territory. Whether or not we unite in ideology is another question altogether. It is not likely to be answered in the affirmative. But this is a different question altogether, "what is the role of division ofopinion in resolving political conflict?"
Second, some may rebut that, we have not in fact resolved the issue of slavery. Today racism and racial inequity still abound in America. While it is true in part, that we still face many social ills, yet legalized slavery has in fact been abolished in America.
Furthermore, racism and racial inequity are not strictly American problems. What the emancipation proclamation showed was that America could survive a threat to our Declaration of Independence, and continue to improve in the way that we live our ideologies. Certainly, as a nation at large, we have plenty of room to grow. Yet, we have come so far, further than we ever would have without the Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights. We need to honor Abraham Lincoln for his sacrifice to enshrine these documents as our legacy and we are to continue to seek to uphold them and the strictest way possible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2020
The point of this book is to provide a short overview of the life of Abraham Lincoln. McPherson's scholarship is sound, and he writes well either at length (Battle Cry of Freedom) or in a brief book like this one. What I found exceptional in the book was McPherson’s ability to summarize great swaths of history with with brief descriptions that not only cover the salient events but provide new insights almost because of the brevity of the treatment. If you ever want to spend just a couple hours and come away with some insights about Lincoln, and how his steady leadership and lack of pettiness won the Civil War and saved the Union, this is the book you should pick up.
November 21, 2018
This is a splendid little biography of the 16th President of the United States! There is nothing groundbreaking in this book, but that not an issue, since this book is intended to provide only a brief summary of Lincoln's life. James B. McPherson never fails to deliver the best in historical writing!
July 13, 2025
It has been said that there have been more books written about Abraham Lincoln than any other person in world history (with the sole exception of Jesus). Many of the biographies among them are elephantine in dimensions, exhaustive in scope, and published in several volumes. What, then, if anything, could this slim volume have to say that has not been recorded elsewhere? -- This may be a short biography of the 16th President of the United States, but it is elegantly written and covers all the major events in Lincoln's life, his policies and thoughts on the issues of the day, and his actions as Chief Executive. It is an astounding achievement...and highly recommended!
April 8, 2025
A short and sweet biography of a secular saint, Abraham Lincoln. This is well written, with some excellent turns of phrase and well-placed quotes. As Lincoln’s oratory demonstrates, brevity is no vice.
August 13, 2024
Abraham Lincoln by James McPherson is a short, sixty-five-page biography of the sixteenth president of the United States.
This was a quick, interesting read.
This was a quick, interesting read.
December 3, 2019
For someone familiar with American history and terminology, this short biography of Lincoln will surely be treat. I would have preferred a bit more detail and explanation, and wouldn’t have minded 100 more pages.
March 19, 2025
Il libro è una biografia dettagliata e coinvolgente che ripercorre la vita di Abraham Lincoln, dalla sua umile infanzia fino alla presidenza e all'abolizione della schiavitù. Il libro evidenzia il coraggio, la determinazione e la visione politica di Lincoln, mettendo in luce il suo ruolo fondamentale nella storia americana. Con uno stile chiaro e ben documentato, offre un ritratto avvincente di un leader straordinario che ha cambiato il destino degli Stati Uniti.
February 27, 2013
It's a commonplace to point to McPherson as one of the few historians today who combines intellectual rigour with extraordinary readability. Last night I re-read this tiny (66 pages) volume in preparation for a foray into 'Tried by War' and was once again inspired by JM's clarity and insight.
When I watched the film scripted by Tony Kushner, I was very impressed by the skill with which he conveyed the complex, world historic principles that confronted Lincoln in the lead up to and throughout the course of the Civil War. For the purposes of a compelling and artistically valid film, I don't think anyone could have done better.
But McPherson nails it:
The notion that a 'republic', i.e. a nation held together by great, democratic ideas (as opposed to the authority of church and nobility) was still being tested. "Some Americans alive in 1861 had seen two French republics rise and fall, several European nationalist republics spring up in 1848 and succumb to counterrevolutions, and republics in Latin America come and go with bewildering rapidity."
Lincoln was convinced, correctly, that the struggle for the territorial integrity of the United States at that point in its history would have long-term consequences for the fate of bourgeois democracies throughout the world.
... and people who twist that insight (or wrench it out of its historical context) in order to imply Lincoln was somehow 'half-hearted' in his opposition to slavery will find their eyes opened by the simple historical record as elaborated so well by Professor McPherson.
When I watched the film scripted by Tony Kushner, I was very impressed by the skill with which he conveyed the complex, world historic principles that confronted Lincoln in the lead up to and throughout the course of the Civil War. For the purposes of a compelling and artistically valid film, I don't think anyone could have done better.
But McPherson nails it:
The notion that a 'republic', i.e. a nation held together by great, democratic ideas (as opposed to the authority of church and nobility) was still being tested. "Some Americans alive in 1861 had seen two French republics rise and fall, several European nationalist republics spring up in 1848 and succumb to counterrevolutions, and republics in Latin America come and go with bewildering rapidity."
Lincoln was convinced, correctly, that the struggle for the territorial integrity of the United States at that point in its history would have long-term consequences for the fate of bourgeois democracies throughout the world.
... and people who twist that insight (or wrench it out of its historical context) in order to imply Lincoln was somehow 'half-hearted' in his opposition to slavery will find their eyes opened by the simple historical record as elaborated so well by Professor McPherson.
March 5, 2009
I picked up this book after reading several reviews that said it was by far the best short biography of Lincoln. It is indeed short: a mere 63 pages. Anyone wanting to know the basic "external" facts and forces that shaped Lincoln's life is well-advised to spend the hour or two necessary to digest this book. But whole aspects of Lincoln's "internal" life are covered with little more than a tantalizing subordinate clause: "Although ill at ease with women, Lincoln in 1836 began a half-hearted courtship of Mary Owens!" One longs here and elsewhere for maybe three or four more sentences, putting some flesh on Lincoln's bones, even though doing this might stretch the book to a mighty 70 pages! Oh well, there are some memorable pages. Chief among these might be the comments on Lincoln's curtailment of civil liberties during the Civil War, the description of the battle over reconstruction that would have led to Lincoln's defeat in the 1864 election had not a few last minute military victories saved him (Sherman's capture of Atlanta, the Battle of Shenandoah Valley), and, most importantly, McPherson's report of Lincoln's evolving ideas about slavery that eventually led to his unambiguous opposition to that "monstrous injustice." I admire McPherson's ability to pack his small book with so much information. Perhaps its chief merit is to make one want to read a considerably more comprehensive Lincoln biography.
February 15, 2017
I wanted a simple book on Lincoln, since war is not one of my interests, and this book fulfilled that. Short and to the point, yet it does give a good context in order to broadly understand the famed president and his reasonings for the civil war. I would recommend this to anyone who needs a refresher on Lincoln or is just interested in facts, dates and places.
April 5, 2018
With the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth just around the corner, readers are about to be swamped by a veritable deluge of books about our 16th president. Readers hoping to avoid getting swept away by this innundation of Lincoln works would do well to latch onto this book. In this extremely short and accessible work, the Pulitzer-prize winning historian presents an up-to-date encapsulation of Lincoln’s life and times. The presentation of Lincoln’s life is surprisingly balanced; though the Civil War years occupy the majority of the text, due attention is also spent on his early years in Indiana and Illinois.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the book is its freshness. Though the story of Lincoln’s life has been told innumerable times in virtually every medium, the abbreviated scope of McPherson’s work leads him to adopt a broader perspective. While nothing new is revealed about the man, the book nonetheless give a sense of his life that is hard to find in larger accounts of Lincoln’s life. It is this quality which makes McPherson’s biography an ideal starting point for understanding Lincoln’s life, while the useful bibliography at the end will help steer the newly informed reader to the next step towards discovering more about this remarkable man.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the book is its freshness. Though the story of Lincoln’s life has been told innumerable times in virtually every medium, the abbreviated scope of McPherson’s work leads him to adopt a broader perspective. While nothing new is revealed about the man, the book nonetheless give a sense of his life that is hard to find in larger accounts of Lincoln’s life. It is this quality which makes McPherson’s biography an ideal starting point for understanding Lincoln’s life, while the useful bibliography at the end will help steer the newly informed reader to the next step towards discovering more about this remarkable man.
February 8, 2017
This was a good short read. I enjoyed knowing a bit about Lincoln before I dive into any of the longer works about him. Now, I have something to hang my hat on.
December 7, 2009
I thought James McPherson did a great job with his objective of writing a short biography of Abraham Lincoln. He covers all of the most important events in Lincoln's life, while also filling us in on recent scholarship that historians today are still debating about. All major themes are covered, and because of it's brevity, this text is highly recommended to anyone who is interested in a short one sitting with Abraham Lincoln.
July 31, 2016
This was a very easy read and a wonderful overview of a great American's life during a difficult time in history.
August 5, 2016
Short, insightful and clear. Excellent.
May 3, 2019
A bit too short for my taste - nonetheless, an excellent and insightful read. On point and a great introduction to Lincoln.
September 30, 2018
This book is ideal for anyone looking for a succinct, to-the-point biography about Abraham Lincoln's life. It does not delve into a lot of detail on any one event before or during the Civil War, and understandably over half of it takes place during the years 1860-1865.
McPherson is a spectacular writer (Battle Cry of Freedom is one of the greatest one volume Civil War works ever written) and he packs a lot into this short biography. The reading level is late high school, early collegiate, but the length is enough to use as a resource for students younger than that age group.
Abraham Lincoln begins with the Great Emancipator's birth in Kentucky, quickly going through his formative years and making mention of his less than stellar relationship with his father, Thomas. An equally succinct telling of his time as a lawyer is given, and Mary Todd is introduced and then married off at rapid fire speed.
McPherson spends a good bit of time on the politics behind the founding of the Republican Party and the insanity of the 1860 presidential election. Some of the players in the election that saw Lincoln come into power and led to the breakup of the Union were given mention--the names of John Breckinridge and John Bell make an appearance. Even the Pathfinder John C. Fremont's role as the first Republican presidential candidate in 1856 is not skimmed over for brevity's sake.
The Fort Sumter ordeal is rushed through, and it is at this point that the narrative loses some of its focus.
Instead of going through the war battle by battle, the author makes elliptical mentions of some key battles while opting for a bird's eye view of the Civil War. The overarching themes--preserving the Union so as to once and for all eliminate the idea of secession, granting freedom to those in bondage, how far is it okay to go in violating civil liberties to win a war--are examined from Lincoln's perspective, while the mention of battles and men like McClellan, Grant, and Vallindagham only serve to further the examination of these compelling questions.
As with any fair, non-fawning biography, Lincoln is not entirely sainted in the pages of this book. When mention of the Lincoln-Douglas debates is made, McPherson is careful to mention that, although he was more advanced on the issue of race than most men in his day, the future president was not above demagoguing the issue of black equality when it could personally benefit him. The angst he faced over how to approach slavery in light of the unsettled state of public opinion in border states like Missouri, Kentucky, and Maryland also figures into the book's look at the machinations behind decisions Lincoln made during the war.
Abraham Lincoln: A Presidential Life is a short, though effective, means of introducing Abraham Lincoln to minds eager for a starting point from which to examine his important life.
-Andrew Canfield Denver, Colorado
McPherson is a spectacular writer (Battle Cry of Freedom is one of the greatest one volume Civil War works ever written) and he packs a lot into this short biography. The reading level is late high school, early collegiate, but the length is enough to use as a resource for students younger than that age group.
Abraham Lincoln begins with the Great Emancipator's birth in Kentucky, quickly going through his formative years and making mention of his less than stellar relationship with his father, Thomas. An equally succinct telling of his time as a lawyer is given, and Mary Todd is introduced and then married off at rapid fire speed.
McPherson spends a good bit of time on the politics behind the founding of the Republican Party and the insanity of the 1860 presidential election. Some of the players in the election that saw Lincoln come into power and led to the breakup of the Union were given mention--the names of John Breckinridge and John Bell make an appearance. Even the Pathfinder John C. Fremont's role as the first Republican presidential candidate in 1856 is not skimmed over for brevity's sake.
The Fort Sumter ordeal is rushed through, and it is at this point that the narrative loses some of its focus.
Instead of going through the war battle by battle, the author makes elliptical mentions of some key battles while opting for a bird's eye view of the Civil War. The overarching themes--preserving the Union so as to once and for all eliminate the idea of secession, granting freedom to those in bondage, how far is it okay to go in violating civil liberties to win a war--are examined from Lincoln's perspective, while the mention of battles and men like McClellan, Grant, and Vallindagham only serve to further the examination of these compelling questions.
As with any fair, non-fawning biography, Lincoln is not entirely sainted in the pages of this book. When mention of the Lincoln-Douglas debates is made, McPherson is careful to mention that, although he was more advanced on the issue of race than most men in his day, the future president was not above demagoguing the issue of black equality when it could personally benefit him. The angst he faced over how to approach slavery in light of the unsettled state of public opinion in border states like Missouri, Kentucky, and Maryland also figures into the book's look at the machinations behind decisions Lincoln made during the war.
Abraham Lincoln: A Presidential Life is a short, though effective, means of introducing Abraham Lincoln to minds eager for a starting point from which to examine his important life.
-Andrew Canfield Denver, Colorado
April 22, 2025
Fast and fascinating read—I learned so much!
Before this book, I only knew bits of trivia about Lincoln. I had no idea how strategic and cunning he really was. Here are some of the things that stood out:
- Lincoln grew up poor and deeply resented his father, who discouraged his learning and kept all the money Lincoln earned until he turned 21. He was so estranged from him, he didn’t even attend his funeral.
- He earned the nickname Honest Abe after working as a grocery clerk. When the business failed and his partner died in debt, Lincoln took it upon himself to pay off not just his own share, but his partner’s as well.
- He actually left Mary Todd at the altar before eventually marrying her—she came from a wealthy family.
- He hated slavery. Some speculate he empathized with slaves because of how his own father used him. As a boy, he took a raft down the Mississippi and saw slaves chained and being auctioned—an experience that left a lasting impression.
- He became a lawyer and spent time in politics early on, but after helping get President Zachary Taylor elected, he was snubbed for a political appointment. Embarrassed and frustrated, Lincoln left politics for a time.
- He returned to politics when Kansas and Nebraska were allowed to have slavery despite the Missouri Compromise. Lincoln wanted slavery to slowly die out, while the South wanted to expand it.
- The Lincoln–Douglas debates made him nationally famous, even though he lost that Senate race. This earned him an invite when the Republican party was looking for new potential candidates for their future presidential run.
- He was actually a moderate on slavery at first. He opposed expanding it into new territories but didn’t call for its immediate abolition—this stance helped him secure the Republican nomination over more radical candidates.
- He didn’t win the popular vote—only 40%. The South had split their vote among three candidates, which gave the North’s pick the win.
- The South officially seceded after Lincoln won the presidency because of his stance against the expansion of slavery. I didn't realize he was the final straw.
- Lincoln wasn't taken seriously by many at first. He faced huge opposition and walked into an almost impossible situation.
- He even tried to appease the South by offering a constitutional amendment to protect slavery where it already existed—but they still walked away.
- He cleverly pushed the South into making the first move: if they attacked a peaceful group bringing food to Fort Sumter, they’d start the war. If they didn’t, they’d be seen as acknowledging Union control. When they attacked, it united the North in outrage.
- The Emancipation Proclamation was as much a military tactic as a moral one. It only freed slaves in the Confederacy, not in border states like Kentucky that still had slavery. The idea was to encourage enslaved people to rebel or flee, weakening the Southern war effort and turning the North into a liberation force wherever it advanced.
- Ultimately, I believe all of this was strategic—Lincoln played the long game and ended up passing the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery entirely.
Before this book, I only knew bits of trivia about Lincoln. I had no idea how strategic and cunning he really was. Here are some of the things that stood out:
- Lincoln grew up poor and deeply resented his father, who discouraged his learning and kept all the money Lincoln earned until he turned 21. He was so estranged from him, he didn’t even attend his funeral.
- He earned the nickname Honest Abe after working as a grocery clerk. When the business failed and his partner died in debt, Lincoln took it upon himself to pay off not just his own share, but his partner’s as well.
- He actually left Mary Todd at the altar before eventually marrying her—she came from a wealthy family.
- He hated slavery. Some speculate he empathized with slaves because of how his own father used him. As a boy, he took a raft down the Mississippi and saw slaves chained and being auctioned—an experience that left a lasting impression.
- He became a lawyer and spent time in politics early on, but after helping get President Zachary Taylor elected, he was snubbed for a political appointment. Embarrassed and frustrated, Lincoln left politics for a time.
- He returned to politics when Kansas and Nebraska were allowed to have slavery despite the Missouri Compromise. Lincoln wanted slavery to slowly die out, while the South wanted to expand it.
- The Lincoln–Douglas debates made him nationally famous, even though he lost that Senate race. This earned him an invite when the Republican party was looking for new potential candidates for their future presidential run.
- He was actually a moderate on slavery at first. He opposed expanding it into new territories but didn’t call for its immediate abolition—this stance helped him secure the Republican nomination over more radical candidates.
- He didn’t win the popular vote—only 40%. The South had split their vote among three candidates, which gave the North’s pick the win.
- The South officially seceded after Lincoln won the presidency because of his stance against the expansion of slavery. I didn't realize he was the final straw.
- Lincoln wasn't taken seriously by many at first. He faced huge opposition and walked into an almost impossible situation.
- He even tried to appease the South by offering a constitutional amendment to protect slavery where it already existed—but they still walked away.
- He cleverly pushed the South into making the first move: if they attacked a peaceful group bringing food to Fort Sumter, they’d start the war. If they didn’t, they’d be seen as acknowledging Union control. When they attacked, it united the North in outrage.
- The Emancipation Proclamation was as much a military tactic as a moral one. It only freed slaves in the Confederacy, not in border states like Kentucky that still had slavery. The idea was to encourage enslaved people to rebel or flee, weakening the Southern war effort and turning the North into a liberation force wherever it advanced.
- Ultimately, I believe all of this was strategic—Lincoln played the long game and ended up passing the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery entirely.
September 15, 2024
En god kort bog om en af demokratiets største mænd.
— — —
Bogen var overraskende nutidig, da forfatteren i sin fortælling takler mange af de myter og løgne, der de sidste år er blevet spredt på både den yderste højre -og venstrefløj om Lincoln. Forfatterens grundlæggende pointe, er at Lincoln selvfølgelig var imod slaveri, men kørte det politiske spil klogt og dygtigt, og ikke pressede for hårdt på med kravet om afskaffelse af slaveriet i starten af borgerkrigen — hvilket kunne have resulteret i, at Unionen ville tabe krigen og slaveriet vare ved endnu en generation.
Netop det faktum må man tage in mente, når man hører løgne om Lincoln fra neokonføderate racister og venstreorienterede historieforfalskere.
— — —
Forfatteren forklarer hvorfor Præsident Lincoln mente Unionen var ret i at føre krig mod Sydstaterne — nemlig om et demokrati baseret på et flertal ville føje og bøje sig for tyranniets vold og magt. Eller som Lincoln sagde ved Gettysburg:
“For fire snese og syv år siden frembragte vore fædre et nyt land på dette kontinent, undfanget i frihed og viet til den tanke, at alle mennesker er skabt lige.
Nu er vi optaget af en stor borgerkrig, som afprøver om denne nation, eller en hvilken som helst nation, således undfanget og således viet kan holde ud.
[…]
Verden vil ikke lægge mærke til eller huske, hvad vi siger her, men den kan aldrig glemme, hvad de gjorde her. Det er op til os, de levende, at være viet her til den store opgave, som fortsat står foran os – at disse ærede døde bibringer os en større hengivenhed for den sag, som de ofrede det sidste fulde mål – så vi her højtideligt beslutter, at disse døde ikke skal være døde forgæves – at denne nation, under Gud, skal have en frihedens genfødsel – og at regering af folket, ved folket og for folket ikke skal visne bort fra jorden.”
— — —
Bogen var overraskende nutidig, da forfatteren i sin fortælling takler mange af de myter og løgne, der de sidste år er blevet spredt på både den yderste højre -og venstrefløj om Lincoln. Forfatterens grundlæggende pointe, er at Lincoln selvfølgelig var imod slaveri, men kørte det politiske spil klogt og dygtigt, og ikke pressede for hårdt på med kravet om afskaffelse af slaveriet i starten af borgerkrigen — hvilket kunne have resulteret i, at Unionen ville tabe krigen og slaveriet vare ved endnu en generation.
Netop det faktum må man tage in mente, når man hører løgne om Lincoln fra neokonføderate racister og venstreorienterede historieforfalskere.
— — —
Forfatteren forklarer hvorfor Præsident Lincoln mente Unionen var ret i at føre krig mod Sydstaterne — nemlig om et demokrati baseret på et flertal ville føje og bøje sig for tyranniets vold og magt. Eller som Lincoln sagde ved Gettysburg:
“For fire snese og syv år siden frembragte vore fædre et nyt land på dette kontinent, undfanget i frihed og viet til den tanke, at alle mennesker er skabt lige.
Nu er vi optaget af en stor borgerkrig, som afprøver om denne nation, eller en hvilken som helst nation, således undfanget og således viet kan holde ud.
[…]
Verden vil ikke lægge mærke til eller huske, hvad vi siger her, men den kan aldrig glemme, hvad de gjorde her. Det er op til os, de levende, at være viet her til den store opgave, som fortsat står foran os – at disse ærede døde bibringer os en større hengivenhed for den sag, som de ofrede det sidste fulde mål – så vi her højtideligt beslutter, at disse døde ikke skal være døde forgæves – at denne nation, under Gud, skal have en frihedens genfødsel – og at regering af folket, ved folket og for folket ikke skal visne bort fra jorden.”
December 20, 2016
This immensely short book (only two cds) manages to give the listener a pleasant experience and a worthwhile one. Those readers who enjoy reading a great deal about Abraham Lincoln and his political thought and intriguing life story [1] already may find this book as I did, a book that one knows well and can quote at length on one's first read (or listen) simply because it quotes so much material that is already familiar. And it is not as if this book provided a lot that was new about Abraham Lincoln, at least not to me, but for those readers who want a short biography of Lincoln, this is still an excellent one because it combines McPherson's felicitous sense of prose [2] with a worthwhile subject whose own words are kept fully in mind as well. Perhaps, like more than one author, McPherson's own style has been richly enhanced by his own love of Lincoln's prose, whose elegance has seeped into his writing and improved it with a sense of poetry and timing and graciousness. It is an appealing thought to think that the author owes something of his own worthy style to one of the most notable stylists of the English language, one of many appealing thoughts that will likely come over someone while reading or listening to this book.
In terms of its contents, the author spends roughly half of his time discussing Lincoln's life before the start of the Civil War, and about half of his time discussing Lincoln's behavior as commander-in-chief after the outbreak of hostilities in 1861, including commentary about the aftermath of his presidency and the struggle over reconstruction as well as the way that Lincoln's reputation as a martyr to the cause of republican virtue was much different than his fairly divisive reputation as a president in the midst of civil war. Despite the brevity of his account, the author manages to hit the high and low points of Lincoln's life--his difficult family situation, his heroic struggle for self-education through voracious reading, his struggles with courtship and against mental illness, his career as a lawyer and his passion for politics, his love of stories, his desire for the ferocious prosecution of war, his desire for solutions to the immense binds between his public duty and his oft-expressed private wishes, his essential magnanimity of character combined with a ferocious sense of wit, and so on. The author quotes and paraphrases a lot of Lincoln's prose, and as a result the book is itself highly quotable.
The only flaw that can be found in the book is really that it is so short. Its brevity forbids the author from going into areas that he is well familiar with but does not have time to discuss--like Lincoln's foreign policy or his rise to gentlemanly status, but this book is meant for the reader who does not have the time or interest in a sustained and deep study of Lincoln that can only be gained from extensive research but rather for a brief biography of a man about whom it is vital to know in his own words as much as possible. Those readers who are new to a study of Lincoln will find much in here that will repay their study and reward their curiosity, and this book will or has likely served as as gateway book for a lot of people just discovering Abraham Lincoln and leaving this book wanting to read and study more. As that is likely its purpose, this is a book I wholeheartedly recommend to those who are interested in acquiring an interest in which one is unlikely to ever run out of books to read about.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2010...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2010...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
[2] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2010...
In terms of its contents, the author spends roughly half of his time discussing Lincoln's life before the start of the Civil War, and about half of his time discussing Lincoln's behavior as commander-in-chief after the outbreak of hostilities in 1861, including commentary about the aftermath of his presidency and the struggle over reconstruction as well as the way that Lincoln's reputation as a martyr to the cause of republican virtue was much different than his fairly divisive reputation as a president in the midst of civil war. Despite the brevity of his account, the author manages to hit the high and low points of Lincoln's life--his difficult family situation, his heroic struggle for self-education through voracious reading, his struggles with courtship and against mental illness, his career as a lawyer and his passion for politics, his love of stories, his desire for the ferocious prosecution of war, his desire for solutions to the immense binds between his public duty and his oft-expressed private wishes, his essential magnanimity of character combined with a ferocious sense of wit, and so on. The author quotes and paraphrases a lot of Lincoln's prose, and as a result the book is itself highly quotable.
The only flaw that can be found in the book is really that it is so short. Its brevity forbids the author from going into areas that he is well familiar with but does not have time to discuss--like Lincoln's foreign policy or his rise to gentlemanly status, but this book is meant for the reader who does not have the time or interest in a sustained and deep study of Lincoln that can only be gained from extensive research but rather for a brief biography of a man about whom it is vital to know in his own words as much as possible. Those readers who are new to a study of Lincoln will find much in here that will repay their study and reward their curiosity, and this book will or has likely served as as gateway book for a lot of people just discovering Abraham Lincoln and leaving this book wanting to read and study more. As that is likely its purpose, this is a book I wholeheartedly recommend to those who are interested in acquiring an interest in which one is unlikely to ever run out of books to read about.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2010...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2010...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...
[2] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2016...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2010...
March 15, 2017
A clear concise biography, McPherson's eloquent and brief record of Lincoln's life draws from numerous historical sources to provide readers with an overview of the main facts of the Great Emancipator's campaign to save the Union. Lincoln's early life in the frontier towns of Kentucky and Illinois did not indicate the heights to which his intellectual and spiritual life would rise, nor did his early political losses provide his contemporaries an idea of the statesmanship he would demonstrate in the turbulence of the greatest challenge the Union faced, a challenge recognized by Lincoln as greater than that which even Washington faced. McPherson covers Lincoln's life with an efficiency that gives the reader an ideal introduction to this foundational period of American history.
January 10, 2019
I love Abraham Lincoln. I've wanted to read this book for like, 4-5 years. And yes, I recognize that there are many conspiracy theories and problematic statements made by today's standards. That does not belittle the fact that he came into a presidency literally having to navigate a war. One of the bloodiest wars in American history. Also, I do not recall ever hearing about other presidents' mental health. Lincoln basically had clinical depression for his entire life, historians know this and regularly write about it, and he goes down as one of the greatest presidents in history. That is amazing, and the fact that it is talked about is amazing, especially for a president.
If you need a quick read about a president, this is a great one.
If you need a quick read about a president, this is a great one.
May 31, 2019
I have a great interest in Civil War history, and President Lincoln as a result. This book goes beyond the details you tend to learn about in history class in order to question what we really believe is true about Abraham Lincoln. Topics that tend to be prominent in the history of Lincoln, such as his assassination, are glossed over in favour of deeper thinking about unexplored or overlooked elements of his efforts. It's a short book (79 pages), however, the complexity of the terms and thoughts within the text does make it take a bit longer to get through than you might think. My professor assigned this book for class, and I skimmed it for the test that it would be on, then returned to it in the summer to give it the attention that it deserved.
May 4, 2019
Sau khi đọc những quyển sách "Những kẻ xuất chúng" mới thấy Abraham Lincoln cũng là một kẻ xuất chúng. Từ cuộc đời của ông chúng ta có thể học hỏi được rất nhiều điều, nó có thể giúp ích cho bạn hoặc cũng có thể giúp ích cho bạn nuôi dạy con cái để chúng trở lên xuất chúng.
Và hơn thế nữa con người xuất chúng này thật đáng nể phục. Bỏ qua gianh giới dân tộc, màu da hay tôn giáo và vân vân mây mây thì là một tấm gương đáng để suy nghĩ và học hỏi.
Và hơn thế nữa con người xuất chúng này thật đáng nể phục. Bỏ qua gianh giới dân tộc, màu da hay tôn giáo và vân vân mây mây thì là một tấm gương đáng để suy nghĩ và học hỏi.
June 30, 2020
A well-written and easily read (but spare—just 77 pages, including notes and bibliography) biography written in 2009 to mark the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth. It provides quick and clear insights into the many confounding political, military, and moral issues Lincoln had to negotiate to succeed in governing in wartime and win the war, preserve the Union, and abolish slavery.
August 30, 2023
I've read a lot of Lincoln books and am still awed by his brilliantly worded speeches. A bygone dedication to his ideals and words and phrases that are perfect in their meaning and passion. This was a quick and easy read, which I love. Subject is laser focused on his reasons for entering and continuing the Civil War.
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