Abraham Lincoln: The Man Behind the Myths“There is no better introduction to current thinking about Lincoln and his place in history.” —Newsday An essential book for any student of Lincoln and American history, Abraham Lincoln: The Man Behind the Myths is acclaimed Lincoln biographer Stephen B. Oates's unique exploration of America's sixteenth president in reality and memory. In this multifaceted portrait, Oates, "the most popular historical interpreter of Lincoln" (Gabor S. Boritt, New York Times Book Review), exposes the human side of the great and tragic president—including his depression, his difficulties with love, and his troubled and troubling attitudes about slavery—while also confronting the many legends that have arisen around "Honest Abe." Oates throughout raises timely questions about what the Lincoln mythos reveals about the American people. |
From inside the book
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... in the progress of human liberty in the world . He fought the Civil War with that uppermost in his mind , and I attempt to discuss all his momentous war measures - particularly emancipation - in terms of his vision and core of xii PRELUDE.
... Emancipation Proclamation free any blacks ? Did Lincoln steal the glory of self - liberating slaves by issuing it ? Was he tender- hearted when it came to reconstructing Dixie ? Would reconstruc- tion have been different had he lived ...
... emancipation considerably refines and elaborates on an argument I first made in one of those essays . Given the persis- tent misunderstanding of that crucial event , I thought it necessary to make the argument longer and more precise ...
... emancipation , he always follows the pulse of the people : with a genius for timing , he issues his proclamation only when that is what they want . Now " a piece of historic drama " has been played , and across the world , among the ...
... Emancipation Proclamation , the Confederate press pro- nounced him a " Fiend " who wanted to incite a race war in Dixie ; Jefferson Davis considered the proclamation " the most execrable measure recorded in the history of guilty man ...
Contents
ManyMooded | 31 |
All Conquering Mind | 45 |
Mr Lincoln | 51 |
The Beacon Light of Liberty | 57 |
This Vast Moral Evil | 65 |
My Dissatisfied Fellow Countrymen | 75 |
The Central Idea | 89 |
The Man of Our Redemption | 111 |
Final | 149 |
Aftermath | 164 |
Acknowledgments | 189 |
Index | 215 |