Daniel Farber's "Lincoln's Constitution"

[J_Man0507]

Its been mentioned several times, but I haven't seen anything extensive on the book here in the forum, so here's my take on it (if there is, my most humble apologies)

I just finished this book the other day and found it quite fascinating. This book takes on the hotly contested debate over whether Lincoln was within his rights as president to do some of the things he did during the war. Farber gives a good hearing on the issue and is critical where needs be, but he does not see Lincoln as the dictator so many make him out to be. He does concede that there were times where lines were crossed, and whereas they weren't necessarily crossed by Lincoln himself, as president, he bears a great deal of culpability.

Farber looks at the issues not just from the historical perspective, but also from a modern view as well, translating the precedents Lincoln set into the modern day legal arena in a post 9/11 world. This book does not settle the issue, as most books never do. But it does offer a look at Lincoln that is fairly unbiased. This book does not worship Lincoln, nor does it see him as a terrible man (as some authors have.) I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about the issues facing the nation from an author who gives a fair hearing on a man who held America together in its time of greatest turmoil.