Honor's Voice

The Transformation of Abraham Lincoln

Nonfiction, History, Americas, United States, 19th Century, Biography & Memoir, Political, Historical
Cover of the book Honor's Voice by Douglas L. Wilson, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Douglas L. Wilson ISBN: 9780307765819
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group Publication: March 30, 2011
Imprint: Vintage Language: English
Author: Douglas L. Wilson
ISBN: 9780307765819
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Publication: March 30, 2011
Imprint: Vintage
Language: English

Abraham Lincoln's remarkable emergence from the rural Midwest and his rise to the presidency have been the stuff of romance and legend. But as Douglas L. Wilson shows us in Honor's Voice, Lincoln's transformation was not one long triumphal march, but a process that was more than once seriously derailed. There were times, in his journey from storekeeper and mill operator to lawyer and member of the Illinois state legislature, when Lincoln lost his nerve and self-confidence - on at least two occasions he became so despondent as to appear suicidal - and when his acute emotional vulnerabilities were exposed.

Focusing on the crucial years between 1831 and 1842, Wilson's skillful analysis of the testimonies and writings of Lincoln's contemporaries reveals the individual behind the legends. We see Lincoln as a boy: not the dutiful son studying by firelight, but the stubborn rebel determined to make something of himself. We see him as a young man: not the ascendant statesman, but the canny local politician who was renowned for his talents in wrestling and storytelling (as well as for his extensive store of off-color jokes). Wilson also reconstructs Lincoln's frequently anguished personal life: his religious skepticism, recurrent bouts of depression, and difficult relationships with women - from Ann Rutledge to Mary Owens to Mary Todd.

Meticulously researched and well written, this is a fascinating book that makes us reexamine our ideas about one of the icons of American history.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Abraham Lincoln's remarkable emergence from the rural Midwest and his rise to the presidency have been the stuff of romance and legend. But as Douglas L. Wilson shows us in Honor's Voice, Lincoln's transformation was not one long triumphal march, but a process that was more than once seriously derailed. There were times, in his journey from storekeeper and mill operator to lawyer and member of the Illinois state legislature, when Lincoln lost his nerve and self-confidence - on at least two occasions he became so despondent as to appear suicidal - and when his acute emotional vulnerabilities were exposed.

Focusing on the crucial years between 1831 and 1842, Wilson's skillful analysis of the testimonies and writings of Lincoln's contemporaries reveals the individual behind the legends. We see Lincoln as a boy: not the dutiful son studying by firelight, but the stubborn rebel determined to make something of himself. We see him as a young man: not the ascendant statesman, but the canny local politician who was renowned for his talents in wrestling and storytelling (as well as for his extensive store of off-color jokes). Wilson also reconstructs Lincoln's frequently anguished personal life: his religious skepticism, recurrent bouts of depression, and difficult relationships with women - from Ann Rutledge to Mary Owens to Mary Todd.

Meticulously researched and well written, this is a fascinating book that makes us reexamine our ideas about one of the icons of American history.

More books from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Cover of the book Red Dust by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book Final Solution by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book The Lost Book of Mormon by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book A World of Love by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book American Psycho by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book Is It Good for the Jews? by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book Madeleine's War by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book Distant Neighbors by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book The Routes of Man by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book Countrymen by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book The Bitter Tea of General Yen by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book A Country With No Name by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book On Michael Jackson by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book Liberation Theology by Douglas L. Wilson
Cover of the book It Must've Been Something I Ate by Douglas L. Wilson
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy