LINCOLN A Life of Purpose and Power

One might think that a history of Lincoln's mind wouldn’t be much different from the history of his life, but in narrative terms the distinction makes a world of difference. Carwardine's magisterial history of Lincoln's thinking on politics, religion, race, the Constitution, and a dozen other topics follows the chronology of his life but is a study, rather than an account of time, place, and events. Whereas a print reader might pause to reflect, in audio it is narrator Stefan Rudnicki's task to maintain the pace and rhythm of the whole. That he does so while staying true to the meditative character of the text is a measure of his impressive skill and discipline. For those who know Lincoln’s biography already, this is a book that unlocks many puzzles and seeming contradictions in his record. D.A.W. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2009]