1988 Newberry Medal Winner
By Russell Freedman
New York: Clarion Books
1987
ISBN 0-89919-380-3
Ages 9-12
The title makes it sound as if it is primarily photographs, but it has 137 pages of biographical text, too. As I read it and looked at photographs of President Lincoln-- most of which I had never seen-- and read about the things connected to his life, he became much more real to me. The book has even included pictures of documents that are actually written in his own handwriting, including The Gettysburg Address, an autobiographical sketch of himself, and a quote about slavery.
The book did not paint a rosy picture of Lincoln's life. It shared the good, the bad, and the ugly, including some very derogatory editorial cartoons from U.S. and British newspapers. The Civil War was tragic and brutal, and I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for President Lincoln to make those hard decisions, especially when the war claimed over 600,000 lives-- more than combined losses from all the wars the U.S. has fought. It was an interesting parallel to note that the Democrats in that day and time launched a peace movement to bring the boys home, too. They attacked Lincoln's policies right down the line-- from the draft and the military arrests, the use of Negro troops, and above all, the Emancipation Proclamation. I wonder where our country would be today if they had gotten their way.
I have known about the Lincoln-Douglas Debate through the UIL competition that goes by that name, but I actually knew little about the original L-D Debates in 1858. The contrasts between Lincoln and Douglas concerning issues were as different as their physical appearances. Lincoln was tall and lanky; Douglas was short and stocky. Lincoln had an easy-going demeanor; Douglas was aggressive and fiery. Lincoln dressed plainly; Douglas dressed like a wealthy plantation owner. Lincoln was against slavery; Douglas was for states' sovereignty and allowing slavery. Douglas defeated him in a Senate race, but later Lincoln defeated Douglas in the presidential race. Surprisingly, though, Douglas later supported Lincoln in the new administration in an effort to keep the country from dividing.
As for accuracy, this book has been under tremendous scrutiny as a contender for a number of reputable awards, which it received: Newberry Medal, Jefferson Cup, Golden Kite, and School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. Amazon.com says this work is perhaps the most complete and enjoyable children's book ever written about one of the nation's most fascinating and important figures, Abraham Lincoln. Russell Freedman covers Lincoln's life and career in a balanced treatment that is enhanced by period photographs and drawings. As for organization, Freedman's choices of photographs, posters, scans of actual documents, and editorial cartoons amidst the text brings history alive. The aftermath of battle scenes were graphic and heartrending. I have visited Appomattax, and the history was so thick in that place you could feel it. I've also visited Washington D.C. and the U.S. Capitol, and it was even more meaningful to see the picture of President Lincoln at his inauguration in one of the very spots on which we stood. The book also has a table of contents and an index, which allows readers to locate certain items of interest at a glance.
The book was written factually and objectively, but because it allowed me to get to know Lincoln better, I cried at the end of the book. I felt Lincoln's loss as I had never felt before. And I realized, too, that it just affirmed that Abraham Lincoln will continue to be at that table of five people I would choose to have dinner with.
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