Mr. Lincoln's Wars: A Novel in Thirteen StoriesIn this highly ambitious collection, Adam Braver explores Abraham Lincoln's inner life and personal turmoils -- while also reflecting on the indelible impact Lincoln had on the nation during the last year of his presidency. Braver brings the president to life, not just as the strong and resilient leader of history books but also as a grief-stricken father, heartbroken over the loss of his young son. Across a rich canvas of truth and imagination, Mr. Lincoln's Wars reveals a president within the White House walls. We see Lincoln as he explores the meaning of loss through a chance encounter with the father of a slain soldier. And a good-hearted young Union soldier is quickly turned into a killer in the name of President Lincoln. Finally, there is the assassination and the autopsy, as seen through the eyes of John Wilkes Booth, Mary Lincoln, the assistant surgeon general, and one of Lincoln's closest friends. Brilliant in its depiction of the country during the waning days of the war, this book is an insightful and moving exploration of the myth of celebrity and the passions it arouses. More than anything, Mr. Lincoln's Wars introduces a talented new writer whose storytelling ability knows no bounds. |
From inside the book
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... knew exactly what he meant . I see every face that comes through our doors , and though most of them just kind of wash away with the day , I recall the faces of every child I have ever dressed . I close my eyes and see their bloated ...
... marching . " It just spilled out that easily . Mr. Lincoln looked hard at me with that deep - set loneliness that always accompanies a grieving parent . “ You think he knew what was going on ? Do you 19 { Mr. Lincoln's Wars }
A Novel in Thirteen Stories Adam Braver. think he knew what was going on ? Do you think he knew he died ? " “ Like I said , sir , he looked like he was being kept company was all . ” He stood up , then fell right back down again . His ...
... knew his boy wasn't like that , no , and the old man reached down and grabbed the boy's crotch and squeezed like a sonabitch , then gave a quick yank downward , and letting go said , “ None of us Hargroves needs a horse , do we ? Now ...
Contents
11 | |
25 | |
The Idiot Brother | 47 |
The Willie Grief | 67 |
His Stepmothers Sister | 89 |
A Letter to President Lincoln from a Good Girl | 97 |
The Ward | 107 |
On to the Next Field | 131 |
Crybaby Jacks Theory | 149 |
The Sad and Familiar Ballad of Captain | 181 |
The Necropsy | 195 |
A Rainy Night in Springfield Illinois1849 | 289 |
A Word on Researching Mr Lincolns Wars | 305 |