Synopses & Reviews
“Fred Kaplans
Lincoln offers penetrating insights on Lincolns ability to explain complex ideas in language accessible to a broad range of readers and listeners.” — James M. McPherson,
The New York Review of Books “A fine, invaluable book. . . . Certain to become essential to our understanding of the 16th president. . . . Kaplan meticulously analyzes how Lincolns steadily maturing prose style enabled him to come to grips with slavery and, as his own views evolved, to express his deepening opposition to it.” — Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post Book World
Fascinating. . . . persuasive [and] highly perceptive.” — Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
From acclaimed biographer Fred Kaplan comes an illuminating look at the life of Abraham Lincoln that chronicles his genius with language.
Review
“Lively. . . . Kaplan does a good job of tracing the young mans reading habits, identifying favorite books and noting their influence on the mature politician. . . . Powerful and convincing. . . . Kaplan is a biographer on a mission.” The Los Angeles Times
Review
“Absorbing.” Leon Wieseltier, The New Republic
Synopsis
Acclaimed biographer Kaplan explores the life of America's 16th president through his use of language as a vehicle both to express complex ideas and feelings and as an instrument of persuasion and empowerment.
Synopsis
"Group ads in Journal of American History, American Historical Review, and PS: Political Science; feature in conference program of American Historical Assn. (January)
Finished book mailing to top professors: speech writing
Promote, with galley, at APSA (Sept), American Historical Association (January), and Modern Language Association (Dec.)
--Leon Wieseltier, The New Republic
Synopsis
"A fine, invaluable book. . . . Certain to become essential to our understanding of the 16th president. . . . Kaplan meticulously analyzes how Lincoln's steadily maturing prose style enabled him to come to grips with slavery and, as his own views evolved, to express his deepening opposition to it." -- Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post Book World
For Abraham Lincoln, whether he was composing love letters, speeches, or legal arguments, words mattered. In Lincoln, acclaimed biographer Fred Kaplan explores the life of America's sixteenth president through his use of language both as a vehicle to express complex ideas and feelings and as an instrument of persuasion and empowerment.
This unique and engrossing account of Lincoln's life and career highlights the shortcomings of the modern presidency, reminding us, through Lincoln's legacy and appreciation for language, that the careful and honest use of words is a necessity for successful democracy.
Synopsis
For Abraham Lincoln, whether he was composing love letters, speeches, or legal arguments, words mattered. In
Lincoln, acclaimed biographer Fred Kaplan explores the life of America's sixteenth president through his use of language both as a vehicle to express complex ideas and feelings and as an instrument of persuasion and empowerment. This unique account of Lincoln's life and career highlights the shortcomings of the modern presidency, reminding us, through Lincoln's legacy and appreciation for language, that the careful and honest use of words is a necessity for successful democracy.
Illuminating and engrossing, Lincoln brilliantly chronicles Abraham Lincoln's genius with language.
About the Author
Fred Kaplan is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English at Queens College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He is the author of several biographies, including The Singular Mark Twain; Gore Vidal; Henry James: The Imagination of Genius; Charles Dickens; and Thomas Carlyle, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize. He lives in Boothbay, Maine.