Lincoln is the single most compelling figure in our history; but also one of the most enigmatic. Was he the Great Emancipator; a man of deep convictions who ended slavery in the United States; or simply a reluctant politician compelled by the force of events to free the slaves? In Father Abraham; Richard Striner offers a fresh portrait of Lincoln; one that helps us make sense of his many contradictions.Striner shows first that; if you examine the speeches that Lincoln made in the 1850s; you will have no doubt of his passion to end slavery. These speeches illuminate the anger; vehemence; and sheer brilliance of candidate Lincoln; who worked up crowds with charismatic fervor as he gathered a national following. But if he felt so passionately about abolition; why did he wait so long to release the Emancipation Proclamation? As Striner points out; politics is the art of the possible; and Lincoln was a consummate politician; a shrewd manipulator who cloaked his visionary ethics in the more pragmatic garb of the coalition-builder. He was at bottom a Machiavellian prince for a democratic age. When secession began; Lincoln used the battle cry of saving the Union to build a power base; one that would eventually break the slave-holding states forever. Striner argues that Lincoln was a rare man indeed: a fervent idealist and a crafty politician with a remarkable gift for strategy. It was the harmonious blend of these two qualities; Striner concludes; that made Lincoln's role in ending slavery so fundamental.
#394028 in Books James T Patterson 2007-03-05Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 5.90 x 1.30 x 8.70l; 2.50 #File Name: 0195305221496 pagesRestless Giant: The United States from Watergate to Bush v. Gore (Oxford History of the United States)
Review
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful. A Hit and a MissBy Nicholas E. SarantakesThe Oxford History of the United States series is an amazing endeavor. The purpose of this undertaking is to provide readers with an accessible summary of major historical works in the field in engaging narratives. Two books in the series have won the Pulitzer Prize; others have won a number of important; but lesser-known book awards. Patterson; a professor emeritus at Brown University; is the only individual to write two volumes in this series. This book picks up right where Grand Expectations; his previous contribution to the series; left off. He basically advances the same argument about rights consciousness; but for a different time period. His text is stunning. He shows his skill in interpreting vast amounts of information and putting old controversies into new lights. The 1970s were hardly as bad as people thought and the 1980s were a time of greatness as Ronald Regan dominated the decade in a way that few presidents do.The account; however; breaks down when Patterson reaches 1990. The chapters in the second half of the book are quite uneven. Some are as brilliant and informative as the material on the 1970s. In other chapters; Patterson fails to support his thesis. His citations are often missing and fail to support his arguments. At times; Patterson comes across as little more than a journalist reporting on the news of the day. To use a baseball term; this book is a hit and a miss. A .500 batting average is pretty good in baseball; in history it gets a four-star rating; but just barely.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Very Useful; If Not DefinitiveBy Anne MillsThis is the last of the Oxford history of the U.S. --- chronologically; though not in order of publication -- and provides a helpful overview of the period from 1975 to 2000. It does not; however; provide the sweep or narrative strength of some of the other volumes in the series. In large part; that may the inevitable result of attempting an historical approach so recent a period. With so many of the key issues of the period still very much unresolved; and so many of its effects still unfolding; it may not be possible to form a compellingly coherent view of what was "really" going on.But this is still a very valuable book. It traces events on a presidency-by-presidency basis; while sticking with several underlying themes -- cultural confrontation at home; the collapse of communism abroad; and increasing political rancor across the board. It treats the very different presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton in an impressively even handed manner; exploring the strengths and failures of each man without evident bias. And it clarifies what too often seems the jumble of recent events. For example; the foreign policy effects of Vietnam are made clear (no troops at risk); as is the gradual move back to military activism. I think that it is too soon for a definitive history of this period to be written. In the meantime; "Restless Giant" serves very well.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Why We are the Way We AreBy D. DOMINGUEBeing a U.S. History teacher; I feel the duty to learn more; in order to teach myself to teach. This book was clearly researched so well and is presented in an interesting manner. Reading this; I was reminded of how every event in our past leads us to our present situations. I wish every politician would be advised to read this book. Apparently; too many of them refuse to study the mistakes of our past to prevent them from reoccurring in our future. After reading this; I developed a lot of respect for James T. Patterson. He has given me an excellent perspective to show my students on how to understand our current state of affairs.
