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Abraham Lincoln: Great American Historians on Our Sixteenth President | 
 enlarge | Authors: Brian Lamb, Susan Swain, C-span
Publisher: PublicAffairs
Category: Book
List Price: $27.95
Buy New: $14.84
You Save: $13.11 (47%)
New (33) Used (10) from $14.84
Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 26543
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 400
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.4
ISBN: 1586486764
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.7092
EAN: 9781586486761
ASIN: 1586486764
Publication Date: October 27, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In a handsome, gift-quality volume celebrating the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth, America’s top Lincoln historians offer their diverse perspectives on the life and legacy of America’s sixteenth president. Spanning Lincoln’s life—from his early career as a Springfield lawyer, to his presidential reign during one of America’s most troubled historical periods, to his assassination in 1865—these essays, developed from original C-SPAN interviews, provide a compelling, composite portrait of Lincoln, one that offers up new stories and fresh insights on a defining leader. Edited by C-SPAN’s Brian Lamb and Susan Swain, illustrated with Lamb’s photographs of Lincoln landmarks, and promoted throughout the year on C-SPAN, Abraham Lincoln is a wonderful compendium of information and deeply-informed analysis that deserves a prominent place on every bookshelf.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Lincolnian dispassion, chez C-SPAN January 5, 2009
pclaudel (New York City)
Some few of the essays, speeches, and comments contained in this collection are substantial reflections upon the actions and character of Abraham Lincoln. Most, however, whether well written and argued or otherwise, are of fleeting interest, except to those who want a souvenir of their C-SPAN watching (not the worst way to spend one's time).
Promotional materials and many reviews both on and off this site describe this book as balanced, apparently because it contains some depreciative comments or essays. In fact, however, Bennett and DiLorenzo are the only clearly disapprobatory voices in evidence (though readers of the late Shelby Foote know that he was no reflexive idolater of the sixteenth president, he chose his on-air words with great care). That is to say, two writers versus fifty-three constitutes balance in the field known as Lincoln scholarship. Were a collection of essays about Jesus of Nazareth published with a similar proportion of yea- and naysayers, can one imagine anyone describing it as balanced? Whatever one's views about Lincoln, it is hard not to wonder whether C-SPAN has not stacked the deck.
In addition, what is one to make of the book's characterization of all the contributors as "great American historians"? By no means are all the contributors academic historians (this is one of the collection's virtue). Far more important, however, no criteria for greatness are ever proposed. A careful reader could hardly be chastised for suspecting that their absence is no accident. To cite an example, not only did the proved plagiarism of Doris Kearns Goodwin fail to dampen her career--in a sphere of activity that claims to prize originality of thought and research above all else--but it almost seems to have hastened her admission to the pantheon. Sadly, of such stuff is greatness made in twenty-first-century America.
As regular watchers of C-SPAN already know, this once impartial operation has changed during the past decade. Lincoln has become one of two topics (the other being the bipartisan establishment's so-called War on Terror) where fewer discouraging words are encountered than ever were heard back home on the range. This statement is not an expression of disgruntled opinion; it is observable fact.
Years ago, a witty man, noting the fast-approaching omnipresence of the computer, pointed out that Americans now owned two things that they couldn't fix and didn't really understand (the car, of course, was the other thing). Using more or less incomprehensible technology seems to be a fact of modern life, and it may indeed be as much a good thing as a bad. The intellectual analogue of this truism, however--the advent of ideas, subjects, and events that are understandable but not discussable because of the powerful forces demanding their acceptance--has no discernible upside. If the promoters of this essay collection have their way, Lincoln will become one more undiscussable topic--at least, undiscussable if one values keeping his livelihood.
 Quench your Lincoln thirst December 27, 2008
James Hiller (Beaverton, OR)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
With the 200th anniversary of his birth coming up in February, interest in Abraham Lincoln is on the rise, and rightly so. Maybe the most written about man in history, Lincoln inspires examination and scholarship unlike any other figure we've had in American History. Is it because his greatness comes from his humble roots? An intellect not formed in America's prestigious universities? A passion for patriotism by holding the union together with threads? Whatever the reason, we cannot get enough Lincoln. This book, "Abraham Lincoln: Great American Historians on Our Sixteenth President" is an important part of the record this year.
Complied and culled from the vast historical repertoire of CSPAN, this book is a collection of essays by many of the most current Lincoln scholars: Harold Holzer, James McPherson, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Stephen Oates, and many others. Some of the essay are long and detailed, some a merely a paragraph of thought.
Grouped in four categories, this is a great book to "dip into" from time to time when you want a sip of water to quench your Lincoln thirst, but don't have time for a full bottle, so to speak. While there is very little new information here, it is always refreshing to read from the most knowledgeable Lincoln devotees.
This is a great book for a casual Lincoln fan wanting to refresh their knowledge, for a person who doesn't know a thing about the man, and for the Lincoln fan in your life. Thanks to CSPAN for this compilation of some very important Lincoln voices!
 Message sent on Christmas Eve December 24, 2008
Tula M. Satterfield
1 out of 10 found this review helpful
If you truly want a review, you souldn't send out any notice about what I've purchased before Christmas. Others in the family whom I purchased these for might have opened and read the email. Really to received it on Christmas Eve is poor timing. Folks do shop early and want to keep it a secret.
Disappointed December 20, 2008
Michigan 73
1 out of 6 found this review helpful
Book was returned because of its presentation, not content. Yellowish paper and difficult typeset made text difficult to read comfortably. Very disappointed because I was looking forward to reading it.
Lincoln on C-SPAN November 19, 2008
Christian Schlect (Yakima, Washington/USA)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
A wonderful purchase for anyone with even a faint interest in Abraham Lincoln and his impact on America.
In this book, many notable scholars lend their thoughts and insights in a conversational style to various aspects of the Lincoln story. A reader will be delayed neither by scholarly jargon nor intrusive footnotes. Instead, that person is presented with the easy opportunity to be exposed to a wide breadth of the scholarship directly touching upon Mr. Lincoln. And afterwards, if interest is excited, he or she can go find and read one or more of the books written by these able past contributors to C-SPAN.
C-SPAN is a national treasure and this timely history book is a monument to that cable-industry company's talented staff and its work over the years in bringing Abraham Lincoln's life and times so vividly before a new generation of Americans.
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