Abraham Lincoln - A Complete Biography

No other narrative account of Abraham Lincoln's life has inspired such widespread acclaim as Lord Charnwood's Abraham Lincoln: A Complete Biography. Lord Charnwood has given us the most complete interpretation of Lincoln as yet produced, and he has presented it in such artistic form that it may well become classic. Many contemporary historians consider this thorough and superbly crafted work the quintessential biography of one of America's greatest presidents. Charnwood's study of Lincoln's statesmanship introduced generations of Americans to the life and politics of Lincoln, and the author's observations are so comprehensive and well supported that any serious study of Lincoln must respond to his conclusions. Lord Charnwood, a British by birth, was a man of many affairs and much learning. He had training in historical research and his work exhibits evidences of industrious and careful investigation. He made close examination of American newspapers of the period covered, and has had access to original manuscript archives in the State and Navy departments at Washington. This is essential reading for anyone interested in Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, or American political history. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Reviews: "Lord Charnwood has given us the most complete interpretation of Lincoln as yet produced, and he has presented it in such artistic form that it may well become a classic". - AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW "This book is bound to take first rank in the literature of Lincoln, and in many respects it may be pronounced the best of the biographies". - THE NATION "Lord Charnwood's remains the best Lincoln biography". - THE WEEKLY STANDARD "A masterly analysis of Lincoln's character and career and....a model of what the historian's work should be". - JOHN DRINKWATER ------------------------------------------------------------------- Contents: I. BOYHOOD OF LINCOLN II. THE GROWTH OF THE AMERICAN NATION 1. The Formation of a National Government 2. Territorial Expansion 3. The Growth of the Practice and Traditions of the Union Government 4. The Missouri Compromise 5. Leaders, Parties and Tendencies in Lincoln's Youth 6. Slavery and Southern Society 7. Intellectual Development III. LINCOLN'S EARLY CAREER 1. Life at New Salem 2. In the Illinois Legislature 3. Marriage IV. LINCOLN IN CONGRESS AND IN RETIREMENT 1. The Mexican War and Lincoln's Work in Congress 2. California and the Compromise of 1850 3. Lincoln in Retirement 4. The Repeal of the Missouri Compromise V. THE RISE OF LINCOLN 1. Lincoln's Return to Public Life 2. The Principles and the Oratory of Lincoln 3. Lincoln against Douglas 4. John Brown 5. The Election of Lincoln as President VI. SECESSION 1. The Case of the South against the Union 2. The Progress of Secession 3. The Inauguration of Lincoln 4. The Outbreak of War VII. THE CONDITIONS OF THE WAR VIII. THE OPENING OF THE WAR AND LINCOLN'S ADMINISTRATION 1. Preliminary Stages of the War 2. Bull Run 3. Lincoln's Administration Generally 4. Foreign Policy and England 5. The Great Questions of Domestic Policy IX. THE DISASTERS OF THE NORTH 1. Military Policy of the North 2. The War in the West up to May, 1862 3. The War in the East up to May, 1863 X. EMANCIPATION XI. THE APPROACH OF VICTORY 1. The War to the End of 1863 2. Conscription and the Politics of 1863 3. The War in 1864 4. The Second Election of Lincoln: 1864 XII. THE END Quotations Chronological Table