
The man who signed his name "A. Lincoln" is the subject of much speculation.Friends and foes alike have used their own labels or libels to describe Lincoln during his lifetime and ever since.Michael Lockwood provides a fresh and compelling definition of Lincoln in this magnificent book as a man of integrity—what contemporary commentators refer to as "authenticity"—whose moral compass is the key to understanding his life.White paints a picture of Lincoln's personal, political, and moral development through meticulous research of the recently completed Lincoln Legal Papers as well as recently discovered letters and photographs.White portrays Lincoln as a man who would jot down ideas on scraps of paper and file them in his top hat or the bottom drawer of his desk, leaving a trail of thoughts behind him.a country lawyer who questioned not only to win the case but also to discover his own opinions on a topic;a hands-on chief who ordered an attack on Confederate shore batteries at the tip of the Virginia peninsula from a boat while soldiers and sailors watched in awe;a man who, while serving as president, took both public and private actions to end slavery for good;Lastly, a president who was on a religious odyssey and wrote a personal reflection on "the will of God" during the Civil War, which would become his best speech.It is most instructive to learn that the Abraham Lincoln depicted in this excellent narrative is a person who was intellectually curious, tolerant of ambiguity, and unafraid to "think anew and act anew."A. Lincoln will engage a whole new generation of Americans because it is a transcendent, expansive, and passionately written biography that greatly expands our knowledge and understanding of its subject.At a time when the United States is commemorating the bicentennial of his birth, it is poised to shed significant light on our greatest president.