After being ousted from Germany in 1833 for his radical ideas; Gustav Koerner moved to Illinois to work as a lawyer. Koerner later became an Illinois Supreme Court judge and lieutenant governor. He and a young Abraham Lincoln had much in common; and they began a lifelong correspondence. Their friendship was instrumental in shaping Lincoln's early opinions and political goals. Through their letters comes a clear picture of this influential man and a fresh look at a well-known president.
#796214 in Books 2014-09-16 2014-09-16Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x 1.30 x 6.25l; .0 #File Name: 1451617321464 pages
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Reconstruction told through historiographiesBy Jim BrownA.J. Langguth’s work is interesting; but not altogether consuming. The one hint I noticed before I even read this book was the abstract on the book flap; which the author somehow labels the end of Reconstruction as 1887—it should be 1877; which he does correctly pinpoint inside the book but not on the abstract…how something like this got past the editor is beyond my understanding.Anyways; Langguth structures most chapters by profiling a major figure to fit the theme; including Charles Sumner; Seward; Davis; Johnson; Stevens; Stanton; Chase; Wade; Forrest; Grant; Greeley; Hayes; etc. Also included are some lesser-known characters; such as Oliver Otis Howard; Pinckney Pinchback; and Hiram Revels. Langguth does represent the historiographies of these men somewhat well; but he also is not consistent. For several of the chapters; he avoids the main character (the name of the chapter!) until the very last pages of it; which is somewhat perplexing and misleading.I’m an avid reader of history; especially of the Civil War; so this book interested me; especially near the end of the book; although he does become more and more vague as he chronicles Reconstruction. Langguth does a decent job of explaining the rise of the Ku Klux Klan; its operations; its motivations; and movements; especially by Grant; to quell the Klan’s influence and existence. If you’re interested in Reconstruction; I would give this a read; but if you want a fuller story with more content and deeper analysis; I’d recommend “Fateful Lightning: A New History of the Civil War and Reconstruction†by Allen Guelzo.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Delaying America's PronmiseBy Michael LapelosaThis book depicts the post-Civil War era and s the story of Reconstruction; which set back black Americans and isolated the South for a century. The author illustrates the conflicting positions; confusing attitudes and contrasting objectives of the eras participants. The governing coalition that President Lincoln so carefully presided over was torn asunder by his assassination. Upon assuming power; President Andrew Johnson's policies of leniency towards the ex-rebels at the expense of the black freed men was challenged by Northern Radical Republicans who wanted to punish the defeated South; which resulted in the sowing of the seeds of lasting conflict and discord. The narrative follows President Grant's efforts to fairly reconcile the defeated southern states and enforce the provisions of the 14th and 15th amendments which were hampered by an administration that ran rampant with corruption and greed.The author's wonderful prose and superb illustrations of the various personalities provide the reader with an excellent sense of time; place and person. Pictures and contemporary photographs enhance the text. Upon finishing the book; the reader comes away with context; perspective; and balance regarding this sad; frustrating and unfulfilled period in American history.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great read about a period in Ameican history few people ...By James M. DaviesGreat read about a period in Ameican history few people really know about or understand. By going into the back grounds of each of the major players and then weaving their actions together. You get the real picture of the actions and attitudes that came out of that period and affected government and social attitudes into the 1960's. The actions of Lincoln; Grant; Woodrow Wilson; Harry Truman;John F. Kennedy and LBJ can all be better understood. I highly recomend it to anyone that wants to get a grasp on that period in time and how it affects us to this day.
