The Political Writings of Abraham Lincoln

'Our foremost Lincoln/Civil War scholar, Allen Guelzo, has judiciously compiled and meticulously edited a wide variety of Lincoln's letters, speeches, reported conversations, and eulogies that cumulatively reveal the impressive scope and depth of the sixteenth president's political thinking. To blend such varied sources creates a richer and more sophisticated picture of Lincoln's thought than similar anthologies provide. This collection is ideal for both students and general readers seeking to better understand the Great Emancipator.' Michael Burlingame, Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies, University of Illinois Springfield and Author of Abraham Lincoln: A Life
'This volume is valuable in so many ways. From the wonderful clarity of Allen Guelzo's introduction to the rich abundance of the texts themselves, many of which are hard to find, it is instantly essential for Lincoln scholars, teachers, and the general public. Covering the sweep of Lincoln's life, it reveals a thinker who was constantly evolving, especially on the great issue of slavery. 'Politics was his life,' as his law partner once said, and this book proves it, with considerable eloquence.' Ted Widmer, author of Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington
'This rich and often revelatory collection will prove invaluable to both the historian and the broad history-reading public. It draws us deep into the ever-evolving thought of this canny and most eloquent of politicians, from his earnest debut in rural Illinois through the wrenching years of the Civil War, as he constantly struggles for the enlargement of civil liberty and, ultimately, the survival of the American experiment itself.' Fergus M. Bordewich, Author of Klan War: Ulysses S. Grant and the Battle to Save Reconstruction
'This exceptionally useful collection of documents rests on the premise that a true understanding of Abraham Lincoln must begin with recognition of him as a profoundly 'political man.' Ably introduced by Allen C. Guelzo, the letters and speeches illuminate Lincoln's life-long engagement with politics, both applied and theoretical, and his fierce dedication to a democratic republic that he believed held remarkable promise.' Gary W. Gallagher, John L. Nau III Professor of History Emeritus, University of Virginia
'The Political Writings of Abraham Lincoln is the best one-volume edition of the speeches, letters, and personal notes of America's greatest president. The robust anthology is organized chronologically and thematically around pivotal developments in Lincoln's political career as he rose to become the nation's preeminent Republican during the country's most divisive era. Guelzo's biographical introduction is an erudite combination of scholarly judgment and civic education, rewarding scholars, teachers, and laypersons alike as it reveals Lincoln's capacious mind, resolute character, and grand ambition as he sought the moral recovery of American self-government.' Lucas E. Morel , John K. Boardman, Jr. Professor of Politics, Washington and Lee University, Author of Lincoln and the American Founding
'Professor Guelzo formulates a political history of the era by tracing Lincoln's political rise. His perspicuous choice of the mainsail pieces of Lincoln's thought is supplemented by more than a dozen recent discoveries and long-forgotten observations of key contemporaries, 1840–1865. His introduction alone provides a thumbnail biography of the most significant political thinker since Madison.' James M. Cornelius, Ph. D., Secretary and editor, Abraham Lincoln Association
'Allen Guelzo's weighty anthology of Lincoln's political writings illuminates both the president's fundamental democratic values and the fine grain of his leadership and decision-making. With its sparkling introduction, deft arrangement of topics, and unobtrusive editing, this is a collection that - in documenting Lincoln's hatred of oppression, confidence in popular government, and commitment to the rule of law - delivers a manifesto as relevant for our own times as it was for his.' Richard Carwardine, author of Righteous Strife: How Warring Religious Nationalists Forged Lincoln's Union