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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... looked sunken, cheekbones drawn out in a sharp cut, with thin jowls of flesh formed under his eyes that locked off to the distance. And his boy,Willie, had died three years ago at the age of twelve, and Lincoln had been right by his ...
... looked deep at him with her eyes carrying a pierce of intentional hurt , rolling her 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 ...
... looked down . " It's over and gone . " " What , ” she laughed , “ the war ? ” " I told you last night . " She glanced past him . “ I don't listen anymore . He sighed . " Well , it's done with . ” " And I am happy for you , Abraham . You ...
... looked strong. Like he had flicked the weight of the world right off his shoulders. “I'm sorry about your boy.” I spoke first, although not certain that anybody actually needed to talk at all. But still, he had only recently lost a son ...
... forearm. I'm sure I jumped a step or two. But he held on. At least his fingers were warm. “Tell me everything,” he said. I looked at him, shrugging my shoulders. " I want to know . " His voice barely 16. } {. Adam Braver.
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 |