Lincoln: A Very Short Introduction

by Allen C. Guelzo Narrated by Patrick Lawlor

Overview

Beneath the surface of the apparently untutored and deceptively frank Abraham Lincoln ran private tunnels of self-taught study, a restless philosophical curiosity, and a profound grasp of the fundamentals of democracy. Now, in Lincoln: A Very Short Introduction, the award-winning Lincoln authority Allen C. Guelzo offers a penetrating look into the mind of one of our greatest presidents.



Guelzo takes us on a wide-ranging exploration of problems that confronted Lincoln and liberal democracy-equality, opportunity, the rule of law, slavery, freedom, peace, and his legacy. The Lincoln we meet here is an Enlightenment figure who struggled to create a common ground between a people focused on individual rights and a society eager to establish a certain moral, philosophical, and intellectual bedrock. Lincoln insisted that liberal democracy had a higher purpose, which was the realization of a morally right political order. But how to interject that sense of moral order into a system that values personal self-satisfaction-"the pursuit of happiness"-remains a fundamental dilemma even today.



Guelzo paints a marvelous portrait of this Lincoln-Lincoln the man of ideas-providing new insights into one of the giants of American history.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Written with grace and flair, this brief biography of Lincoln draws on the author's unexcelled knowledge of the subject to offer incisive interpretations of Lincoln's early life, his antebellum career, his ideology of free labor, his rise to the presidency, and his leadership in a war that preserved the United States as one nation and freed it from the blight of slavery."—James M. McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom

"The small volume provides an impressive amount of historical and intellectual context, and offers an expert summary of Lincoln's thought." —Indiana Magazine of History

"Successfully distills an epic life into the essence of [the] man in [a] pocket-size volume." - Washington Times

"Guelzo's book will fill a notable void in the always expanding field of Lincoln studies. This new volume from Oxford should enjoy pride of place as the best short biography of Lincoln available."—Rick Beard, Executive Director, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

Product Details

BN ID:	2940159969163
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	08/15/2023
Edition description:	Unabridged

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