Lincoln on the Verge
Thirteen Days to Washington
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4.6 • 74 Ratings
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
WINNER OF THE LINCOLN FORUM BOOK PRIZE
“A Lincoln classic...superb.” —The Washington Post
“A book for our time.”—Doris Kearns Goodwin
Lincoln on the Verge tells the dramatic story of America’s greatest president discovering his own strength to save the Republic.
As a divided nation plunges into the deepest crisis in its history, Abraham Lincoln boards a train for Washington and his inauguration—an inauguration Southerners have vowed to prevent. Lincoln on the Verge charts these pivotal thirteen days of travel, as Lincoln discovers his power, speaks directly to the public, and sees his country up close. Drawing on new research, this riveting account reveals the president-elect as a work in progress, showing him on the verge of greatness, as he foils an assassination attempt, forges an unbreakable bond with the American people, and overcomes formidable obstacles in order to take his oath of office.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Historian Widmer debuts with a kaleidoscopic account of president-elect Abraham Lincoln's 13-day journey from Springfield, Ill., to Washington, D.C., for his 1861 inauguration. Positioning the trip as an "odyssey to save democracy," Widmer meticulously details each stop along the way, describing large crowds teetering between festive and threatening, and highlights the increasing danger Lincoln faced from would-be assassins on the way to the capital. Interspersed are sketches of historical figures, including John D. Rockefeller, then 20, and Grace Bedell, the 12-year-old girl who advised Lincoln to grow his beard, and vivid recreations of emerging industrial powerhouses such as Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. Widmer accentuates Lincoln's tenuous political situation by drawing parallels to Jefferson Davis's concurrent journey from Mississippi to Alabama to accept the presidency of the Confederacy. Widmer's exploration of this historical footnote delivers real depth, though allusions to the Iliad and the Odyssey, including multiple comparisons of the railroad to the Trojan horse, feel forced and overly grandiose. Nevertheless, history buffs will be entertained and enlightened by this unique view of Lincoln and the country on the cusp of war. Correction: An earlier version of this review misstated the city in which Lincoln's trip originated.
Customer Reviews
Great read
The interesting struggle of simply making it to work, the struggle sets the tone for the next four years of accomplishment. Well written and thought provoking. I feel I have a better understanding of what the nation may have been like, divided with a desire for change but a lot of fear in the unknown.
Clear, concise and very well organized!
This book was such a pleasure because it was filled with so many obscure historical nuggets. A great read for anyone who is interested in Lincoln.