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"Illinois is now justly regarded as the central battleground, or turning-point," not just for Lincoln and Douglas, but for "the powers of slavery and the hosts of Freedom," and "the pending contest in this State" will likely settle the next Presidency." And the debates had become "the greatest assizes that were ever assembled at any time ... for the life of the nation, for the liberty of a race, for the triumph of eternal principles."
-- "Lincoln and Douglas: The Debates that Defined America" by Allen C. Guelzo
Another great read. This is also an excellent volume for those who feel a little interested in Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War but have not felt comfortable diving into that vast sea of materials yet, as this makes for a good general reader-friendly introduction, being simple, clear, and definitely not academic-boring. Although the debates are at the focus, Mr. Guelzo covers the whole campaign, including all the party and intra-party rivalries that give the prose more of a dramatic edge, in addition to the fact that we are talking about a democratic conflict over race and slavery.
For me personally, this makes a good front piece for the little Lincoln epic I have been developing over the years. The next book is Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals", though only the first part, which covers the 1860 election and the personal background of Lincoln and the key members of his cabinet. The rest of her book is fine; it's just that when it comes to the Civil War itself, I'm ready to switch gears to Shelby Foote's classic trilogy. And giving a little depth to that trilogy, while reading into it for my weekday reading, I would turn my weekend reading over to Harriet Beecher Stowe's classic, "Uncle Tom's Cabin". After the trilogy, I go to Edward Steers' "Blood on the Moon" on the assassination of Lincoln.
As if that were not enough, I recently discovered on C-SPAN another book that must be added, Stephen Budiansky's "The Bloody Shirt: Terror After Appomattox", which promises to cover the Reconstruction and how the South tended to win the peace through treachery and terror.
Lincoln has become one of my objects of fascination, rather like Elvis and Shakespeare. An odd assortment of interests but there you go.
-- "Lincoln and Douglas: The Debates that Defined America" by Allen C. Guelzo
Another great read. This is also an excellent volume for those who feel a little interested in Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War but have not felt comfortable diving into that vast sea of materials yet, as this makes for a good general reader-friendly introduction, being simple, clear, and definitely not academic-boring. Although the debates are at the focus, Mr. Guelzo covers the whole campaign, including all the party and intra-party rivalries that give the prose more of a dramatic edge, in addition to the fact that we are talking about a democratic conflict over race and slavery.
For me personally, this makes a good front piece for the little Lincoln epic I have been developing over the years. The next book is Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals", though only the first part, which covers the 1860 election and the personal background of Lincoln and the key members of his cabinet. The rest of her book is fine; it's just that when it comes to the Civil War itself, I'm ready to switch gears to Shelby Foote's classic trilogy. And giving a little depth to that trilogy, while reading into it for my weekday reading, I would turn my weekend reading over to Harriet Beecher Stowe's classic, "Uncle Tom's Cabin". After the trilogy, I go to Edward Steers' "Blood on the Moon" on the assassination of Lincoln.
As if that were not enough, I recently discovered on C-SPAN another book that must be added, Stephen Budiansky's "The Bloody Shirt: Terror After Appomattox", which promises to cover the Reconstruction and how the South tended to win the peace through treachery and terror.
Lincoln has become one of my objects of fascination, rather like Elvis and Shakespeare. An odd assortment of interests but there you go.
