Shortlistedforthe2018LincolnPrizePreviousbiographiesofAbrahamLincoln--universallyacknowledgedasoneofAmerica’sgreatestpresidents--havetypicallyfocusedonhisexperiencesintheWhiteHouse.InBecomingLincoln,renownedhistorianWilliamFreehlinginsteademphasizestheprewaryears,revealinghowLincolncametobetheextraordinaryleaderwhowouldguidethenationthroughitsmostbitterchapter.Freehling’sengagingnarrativefocusesanewonLincoln’sjourney.TheepichighlightsLincoln’sdifficultfamilylife,firstwithhisfatherandlaterwithhiswife.WelearnaboutthestaggeringnumberofsetbacksandrecoveriesLincolnexperienced.WewitnessLincoln’sfamousembodimentoftheself-mademan(althoughhesoughtandreceivedcriticalhelpfromothers).ThebooktracesLincolnfromhistoughchildhoodthroughincarnationsasabankruptwithfewprospects,asuperblawyer,acannytwo-partypolitician,agreatorator,afailedstatelegislator,andalosingsenatorialcandidate,toawinningpresidentialcontenderandabesiegedsixweeksasapre-warpresident.AsLincoln’sindividuallifeunfolds,sodoestheAmericannineteenthcentury.FewgreatAmericanshaveenduredsuchpainbutbeenrewardedwithsuchsuccess.Fewliveshaveseensomuchcoloranddrama.Fewmirrorsouncannilythegreatthemesoftheirownsociety.NoonesowellillustratestheemergenceofournationaleconomyandthecausesoftheCivilWar.ThebookconcludeswithasubstantialepilogueinwhichFreehlingturnstoLincoln’swartimepresidencytoassesshowtheprecedingfifty-oneyearsofexperienceshapedtheGreatEmancipator’sfinalfouryears.Extensivelyillustrated,nuancedbutswiftlypaced,andfullofexamplesthatvividlybringLincolntolifeforthemodernreader,thisnewbiographyshowshowanordinaryyoungmanfromtheMidwestpreparedtobecome,againstalmostabsurdodds,ourmosttestedandsuccessfulpresident.
