What I found Interesting about Lincoln: The Presidential Archives was that for the person who know just what was taught in school; this is an excellent source of information on the Life of Abe Lincoln. Perhaps not for the Lincoln Scholar it does offer a some insights into Lincoln's life and Presidency. I found the reproducitons of documents intersting, informative, and captured his life and times very well. I recommend this book to anyone looking to start an examination of Abraham Lincoln.

This recent book on Abraham Lincoln attempts to personalize, or at least concretize, the legendary president. In addition to lots of photographs throughout the book, there are sections that contain reproductions of various Lincoln artifacts, including letters and other documents, such as the Lincoln's marriage license.

These reproduced artifacts are helpful, I think, for people to realize how history is preserved and then studied. We gather relevant "things" from the past, photographs, letters, diaries, legal documents, household items, etc. and then try to understand how they fit together into a comprehensible story. Putting this part of history in peoples hands can help them understand how people who write books work.

On the other hand, the rest of the book is rather lacking. This means to be a rather general introduction to Lincoln, written roughly at a high school level. But rather than working through primary historical sources, the author simply summarizes the work of a few famous historians, like David Donald and Doris Kearns Goodwin.

For people who might not have time to read lengthier books on Lincoln, this might be helpful, but in the end, the finished product is too brief and second-hand. As such, most other Lincoln biographies would be more highly recommended than this one.

It should also be noted that there are occasional factual mistakes in the book, both in the narrative and in the photo descriptions. None of these are overly dramatic, but they again point to the rather hurried and cursory nature of this project, at least to those pretty familiar with the subject matter.These reproduced artifacts are helpful, I think, for people to realize how history is preserved and then studied. We gather relevant "things" from the past, photographs, letters, diaries, legal documents, household items, etc. and then try to understand how they fit together into a comprehensible story. Putting this part of history in peoples hands can help them understand how people who write books work.

On the other hand, the rest of the book is rather lacking. This means to be a rather general introduction to Lincoln, written roughly at a high school level. But rather than working through primary historical sources, the author simply summarizes the work of a few famous historians, like David Donald and Doris Kearns Goodwin.

For people who might not have time to read lengthier books on Lincoln, this might be helpful, but in the end, the finished product is too brief and second-hand. As such, most other Lincoln biographies would be more highly recommended than this one.

It should also be noted that there are occasional factual mistakes in the book, both in the narrative and in the photo descriptions. None of these are overly dramatic, but they again point to the rather hurried and cursory nature of this project, at least to those pretty familiar with the subject matter. ( )

A wonderfully researched and illustrated introduction to the Life and Times of our sixteenth President. The Presidential Archives, perhaps aimed at a younger audience, but enjoyable to all, is lifted to a new level of experiential delight by including removable reproductions of contemporary documents: letters, campaign materials, handbills, posters, and other ephemera. As is typical with books published by DK Books, the design is compelling and the visual well is deep. ( )

A Note on Production

The cover is handsome, with a stately portrait of Lincoln and an elegant script of his name. The back cover text is a little hard to read on the black background, but otherwise clean. However, the binding is loose and it feels like cheap paper. My copy’s spine was wrinkled and ripped near the bottom. Whether the binding itself or the packaging is faulty, it doesn’t look good. Perhaps printing in China was not the best idea. For $40—and this is a book you’d want to display in your home—DK could have done better.

That said, the interior design is elegant and clean. The endpaper and stock are of good quality, and the text is easy to read and laid out consistently and well. The 132 photos, maps, illustrations, and document reproductions are presented in various layouts, most of which blend seamlessly with the text. The eight pullout sections, featuring reproductions of important speeches, letters, and other Lincoln paraphernalia, were easy to use and do not make the volume too bulky.

The Book

Lincoln scholars will find little value in this bricolage of Lincoln’s life—except for the fascinating reproductions that give one a glimpse into the language and temperament of the era. There are no footnotes and quotations are spare; in addition, Wills doesn’t have a chance to study any aspect of Lincoln’s life deeply in a 159-page book with well over 100 images. Still, I found the book to be surprisingly—and pleasingly—balanced for a work that is intended to impart the basic facts of Lincoln’s life and presidency and his impact on the United States to high school students. This book may be for younger readers (the word “shit” is politely spelled with an asterisk for the benefit of teachers and young minds alike, perhaps), but one will not find a glossy, god-like Lincoln in these pages.

Instead, Wills takes care to point out Lincoln’s flaws while also highlighting his achievements and strengths. At various points in the work, Lincoln comes across as reckless, awkward, an atrocious parent, soft and indecisive in wartime, and even racist. Yet Wills also paints the 16th president as virtuous, possessing immense strength and resolve, loving, generous, intelligent, extremely humorous, and one of the most gifted and brilliant speechwriters and orators in U.S. history. In his final judgment, Wills casts a respectful and admiring eye on Lincoln as a man uniquely capable of turning his political enemies into friends and steadying the nation in its most difficult and tragic historical period.

Interesting tidbits about Lincoln and his contemporaries abound. These will no doubt serve to keep young readers interested while also providing entertainment and food for thought to all audiences. One learns, for example, that Lincoln loved hardly any food except bacon, and that the brother of John Wilkes Booth saved Robert (Abraham Lincoln’s son) Lincoln’s life during the Civil War.

I noticed only four typographical errors in the entire book, all falling within the final three chapters. I edit and proofread books for a living, and to have fewer than five major (or not major if you are the common reader who doesn’t notice these things) errors in a book that takes a lot of effort and time to produce is impressive.

If you can find a copy with better binding than mine, this book would make an excellent gift. DK generally does fine work, and this volume is no exception. ( )

This is an wonderful book. It would be an excellent addition to a classroom library. The author provides more than a general overview of a complex life. He deals with difficult issues, such as, Lincoln's relation with Mary Todd, his struggle with the issue of slavery and politics, and his relationship with his father. Althought the issues are not dealt with indepth it is the right balance for a student in grades 8 through 12. The documents that are included to highlife the stages of his life add clarity to the his biography. I passed this book around among serveral of my students for their response and all were very positive. ( )