Abraham Lincoln Books

samgrant · #1 02-06-2007, 10:24 PM

Well, I originally started this to call attention to a thread to which my pal William42, unfortunately gave the uninviting title of "he was "remarkably free from hate."

http://civilwartalk.com/forums/book-movie-review-tent/24732-he-remarkably-free-hate.html

But, it also later occurred to me that with so many thousands of Lincoln books published over the years, of every possible description, that it might be a good idea to have a thread which would be devoted especially to books about Lincoln.

Another thought: on next February 12, it will be only 2 years till the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birthday. Imagine how many works are in the works, to take advantage of this landmark date! (funny how the X-hundredth, X-fiftieth, and more recently the X-anyith date of something that happened some time ago, seems to be so darned significant!)

You budding best selling authors better get going!

So here is the place for any or all observations on the entire Lincoln bibliography.

Favorites, good ones and bad ones, whatever.

william42 · #2 02-06-2007, 10:52 PM

Hi Sam. So sorry the title of the thread was not to your liking. In the future I'll try to make my titles more "inviting" for you. The title is part of the text of a review of a book on Lincoln. The author of the book expresses his astonishment at Lincoln's compassion and benevolence towards people in general, despite the very turbulent times, and his tolerance toward those who did not try to hide their dislike, and even hatred towards him. I met the author, Mr. Carwardine, at the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield. He is very much the Lincoln admirer, as am I.

Terry

samgrant · #3 02-07-2007, 07:17 AM

"So sorry the title of the thread was not to your liking. In the future I'll try to make my titles more "inviting" for you."

Me? I was the only one to respond!

Let's start over.

william42 · #4 02-07-2007, 03:38 PM

Sure, Sam. We can start over. I guess I misinterpreted your evaluation of my title to that thread. Anyway, I would add more Lincoln books to your thread here, but I recently gave them all to an antiques consignment shop in Newburgh to sell for me. I'm still waiting for the check, but they told me that all of my Lincoln and CW items "went like hotcakes". So, at the very least, I've learned that Lincoln and the CW are very much alive and well in southwest Indiana.

Terry

ole · #5 02-07-2007, 04:07 PM

There are some Lincoln-clinkers out there. And I note that DiLorenzo has another highly ignorable book out there somewhere. Best, in my opinion: Donald, Carwadine, Goodwin, Sandburg.

Ole

samgrant · #6 02-08-2007, 11:08 PM

OK! (Starting over?),

I think I mentioned my reading of Donald as opposed to Thomas in William42's excellent thread:

http://civilwartalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24732

Well, I think I have only read one complete bio of Lincoln before (Benjamin Thomas), tho have read several Lincoln oriented CW books ("Lincoln and His Generals" - T. Harry Williams, "Lincoln Finds a General" - Kenneth Williams, "A team of Rivals - Doris Kean's, as well as others).

Now I must say that in currently reading Donald, I have come upon some new things that I had never found before.

One new thing here: tho Lincoln may as Will has mentioned may have been "remarkably free from hate", he was also remarkably free from ridicule.

So it is somewhat remarkable to find from Donald:

" ... during these unusually hot, depressing summer months of 1864 ... In calmer times Lincoln would have ignored a semiliterate communication from a Pennsylvania man who urged him to remember that "white men is in class number one and black men is in class number two and must be governed by white men forever. "But now, in his irascible mood, he drafted a reply to be sent out over Nicolay's signature requesting the writer who informed him "whether you are either a white man or a black one, because in either case, you can not be regarded as an entirely impartial judge." "It may be," the President continued, in an unusual tone of sarcasm, "that you belong to a third or fourth class of yellow or red men, in which case the impartiality of your judgment would be more apparent."

[Well good for him to let it out for a change!]

And another new (?) thing:

We have all heard that story about how when Early's troops did that minor raid threatening Washington in July of 1864, and how Lincoln happened to be there (at Ft. Stevens) and stood on the parapet as bullets flew, and someone told him "get down, you ****ed fool".

Well I always thought that was a one day thing. Actually L. was there 2 days!

In fact, Lincoln was there on July 11, the 1st day of Early's raid. "He stood there with a long frock coat and plug hat on, (Plug hat ? - a hat that is round and black and hard with a narrow brim; worn by some British businessmen) making a very conspicuous figure," signal officer Asa Townsend Abbott recalled. "When the Confederates came within shooting distance, an officer twice cautioned Lincoln to get down, but he paid no attention. Then a man standing near him was shot in the leg, and a soldier roughly ordered the President to get down or he would get his head knocked off. He cooly descended, got into his carriage, and was driven back to the city ..."

"The next day ... President and Mrs. Lincoln ... came out to witness the fighting. Thoughtlessly [Horatio G.] Wright invited the President to mount the parapet in order to get a clear view ... the general recorded that Lincoln "evinced remarkable coolness and disregard for danger." After a surgeon standing near him was shot, Wright ordered the parapet cleared and asked the President to step down. Lincoln insisted on remaining until the general said he would have him removed forcibly. "The absurdity of the idea of sending off the President under guard seemed to amuse him, " Wright recalled, "but, in consideration of my earnestness in the matter, he agreed to compromise by sitting behind the parapet instead of standing upon it."

So now we have learned that L. occasionally wore a "plug hat", and that he found the fighting so interesting that he came back the next day! Did I mention that he brought along Mrs. L. on both days? Well, he did.

************************

Another source:

"Monday, July 11, 1864.
Washington, DC.

About 9 A.M. rides out to front in direction of Tennallytown.

Accompanied by Mrs. Lincoln, visits Fort Stevens, DC.

Present at Fort Stevens during attack. Soldier roughly orders him off parapet.

Witnesses skirmish with Gen. Early's troops in front of Fort Stevens.

At wharf to welcome reinforcements sent up Potomac by Gen. Grant."

"Tuesday, July 12, 1864.
Washington, DC.

Each day of skirmishing President rides to suburbs and watches "the soldiers repulse the invaders."

President, Mrs. Lincoln, and several members of Congress visit Fort Stevens, DC, at 4 P.M. and watch operations from parapet.

Asst. Sec. Seward and father, Sec. Seward, drive out to Fort Stevens with President.

President tours fortifications again. Under fire again at Fort Stevens. Man shot at his side.

Gen. Wright tells Lincoln to get out of danger. Lincoln does not move. Young officer, Oliver Wendell Homes, Jr., shouts: "Get down, you fool." President moves back.

At night President and Mrs. Lincoln drive along line of city defenses and are greeted by soldiers."

http://www.thelincolnlog.org/