Much more than a biography of Lincoln or a history of the Civil War, this portrait of Lincoln makes our sixteenth president accessible to young readers as a human being, rather than as a historic icon or paragon of virtue. The author, renowned for his award-winning books on great leaders, shows how a principled but imperfect man -- full of intelligence but also of sorrow,logical and determined but also cautious and prejudiced grew under the pressure of personal tragedy and national crisis to become our greatest president.The book is written in a quick-flowing, engaging style, detailed but easy to read. The author effortlessly uses eyewitness accounts -- letters, speeches,diaries, newspapers, poems, songs, memoirs -- to create setting, to show personality, political climate, to give voice to the attitudes and hopes of everyday Americans. The treatment of slavery is especially vivid. All the important events of the war are here, but the emphasis is on people, personalities, human feelings and behavior.As the historian Barbara Fields made clear in the Ken Burns documentary on the Civil War, the issues of that war are still with us. Perhaps never more than now do young people need to be exposed to the unfailing humanity, honesty, and political sagacity that allowed Lincoln to hold together a country racked by secession, racial hatred, and other divisions. Lincoln had that most uy76precious of all human qualities -- the capacity for growth. His life reminds us that any person can learn from experience and rise above poverty, prejudice, and limitation; and that a political leader can and must embody a profound respect for the plain people and the democratic processes that elevate us all. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Gr 6 Up‘Marrin's study of Lincoln matches, if not surpasses, his outstanding Unconditional Surrender: Ulysses S. Grant and the Civil War. While staying close to his theme of Lincoln as war leader, the book covers its subject from birth to death, depicting him as very much a part of his era, a man who, the author believes, was "our greatest President" and "the one person without whom it is impossible to imagine those trying times." Enhanced throughout with period photographs, reproductions, and direct quotations, and with a fine layout and typography, the narrative is skillfully constructed and expressed in a strong, compelling style. The descriptions of Lincoln's gradual mastery of military strategy and tactics, and his often tense relations with his officers, are riveting, as is Marrin's careful foreshadowing of his subject's assassination. Readers will appreciate the frequent explanations of differences between mid-19th-century political and social mores and those of today. The extensive "Notes" and "More Books About Abraham Lincoln" sections will be useful for further research. Commander in Chief is more focused than Milton Melzer's Lincoln, in His Own Words (Harcourt, 1993) and far more comprehensive than Edward Lindop's summary in the "Presidents Who Dared" series (TFC Bks., 1995). It is the best book on Lincoln for young people since Russell Freedman's Newbery-winning Lincoln (Clarion, 1987).‘Starr E. Smith, Marymount University Library, Arlington, VA From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr. 7-12. Although there is no shortage of books on Abraham Lincoln, libraries will still want to make room for this one. Marrin, who established solid credentials with books about Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, and others, once again demonstrates his ability to write substantive books that never bore and that give readers new insights into much-explored historical figures. After touching briefly on Lincoln's early life, Marrin continues with a vivid depiction of slavery in America, assembling an impressive, multifaceted portrait of Lincoln as both fervent slavery foe and racist and discussing many other important figures of the time, among them John Brown. He also gives a chronological history of the Civil War, provides scintillating portrayals of the various generals on both sides, and shows Lincoln in the role of overly lenient father, loving husband, keen strategist, agonized leader, shrewd politician, and most of all, as a funny, humble, and forgiving man. Period photographs and drawings with substantial captions add to the overall picture. Marrin occasionally offers personal commentary on historical figures or events (he calls General McClellan "the worst general ever to command an American army in wartime") and backs up his convictions with facts and a bibliography containing more than 120 titles. Use Russell Freedman's fine Lincoln: A Photobiography (1987) with younger readers; choose this one to satisfy older students. (Reviewed December 15, 1997)0525458220Susan Dove Lempke From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.