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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... out over his stomach, pushing out four wrinkles that rose and fell with each breath deep and constant. The air passed over his lips with a slight whistle that carried a tune all its own, yet as familiar and natural as 3.
... lips into a grin and folding her arms across her breasts . The mansion hall dimmed in green shadows , leaving no trace of light from the day . His eyes skipped along the hallway walls and settled on a mirror , then jumped from the ...
... lips together, and I could see the thoughts running across his mind like a handful of photographs. He was breathing hard. And he brought his hand up to his face and started stroking his beard beneath silent eyes. I started babbling ...
... could close my eyes and see his boy , but I still wasn't seeing anything Mr. Lincoln didn't already know . The color of his hair , the texture of his skin , the slight rise of his upper lip , and his blue eyes set gently 18 { ADAM BRAVER }
A Novel in Thirteen Stories Adam Braver. his upper lip , and his blue eyes set gently back behind almost - blond lashes . But I never saw answers that February night . No missing text that would complete the unfinished chapter . Just a ...
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 |