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krishnees's review against another edition
Honestly great, I just was not in the mood for this. Maybe not my year for reading history books….
emjwoods's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
wescovington's review
5.0
An exemplary work of history
Eric Foner is considered the foremost authority on the Civil War and Reconstruction, but I had never read his work until this book. And Foner deserves his reputation.
This book is about the evolution of Lincoln's attitude toward slavery and emancipation. Lincoln came into the White House, opposed to the spread of slavery, but would have been happy for freed slaves to all move somewhere else. Lincoln also at times favored compensating slave owners. He also tried an idea of not fully abolishing slavery until 1900.
In the end, Lincoln realized what was the right thing to do. He was not a perfect man. Like many people, he needed time to realize what was right. Foner shows how Lincoln went from Rail Splitter to Great Enancipator.
Eric Foner is considered the foremost authority on the Civil War and Reconstruction, but I had never read his work until this book. And Foner deserves his reputation.
This book is about the evolution of Lincoln's attitude toward slavery and emancipation. Lincoln came into the White House, opposed to the spread of slavery, but would have been happy for freed slaves to all move somewhere else. Lincoln also at times favored compensating slave owners. He also tried an idea of not fully abolishing slavery until 1900.
In the end, Lincoln realized what was the right thing to do. He was not a perfect man. Like many people, he needed time to realize what was right. Foner shows how Lincoln went from Rail Splitter to Great Enancipator.
highestiqinfresno's review against another edition
3.0
Of all the great historical figures in American history, few (if any) have had as much ink spilled analyzing their accomplishments as Abraham Lincoln. He has been psychologically cross-examined, his every political decision has been scrutinized, and his personal relationships have been discussed ad nauseum in an attempt to understand Lincoln and the choices he made as President of the United States during the Civil War. With so much scholarship to contend with it is puzzling that acclaimed Civil War historic an Eric Foner would attempt a Lincoln biography. Foner, perhaps better than any one else, is familiar with the exhaustive literature on Lincoln and how the force of his personality shaped the Civil War and its cause: black slavery. However, Foner's Lincoln is both an attempt to rediscover the central importance of slavery in Lincoln's thought and also to employ the force of the "Lincoln legacy" in the cause of moderate politics in America today, a sphere increasingly fractious as the recent economic downturn has heightened the stakes of every political decision.
Above all, Foner's Lincoln was a moderate. Borne from the legacy of compromise handed down from his "beau ideal of a statesman" Henry Clay, at every stage of his political career from Springfield to Washington Lincoln sought to build bridges between warring political factions. His early career as a Whig from Illinois was defined by attempts to unite a state split between Northern abolitionist radicalism and Southern pro-slavery traditionalists. As his political influence expanded nationally, Lincoln sought a series of half-measures to assuage Northern abolitionists and pro-slavery Southerners alike such as ending the expansion of slavery into the territories, but allowing it to continue where it was already law and offering to recolonize free blacks outside of the United States. Lincoln's attempts at reconciliation between the North and South ultimately failed and led to a protracted Civil War where Lincoln used his powers as President to push forth the Emancipation Proclamation and establish the Freedman's Bureau to support freed slaves after the Union victory. However, even as Lincoln invoked the powers of the President to free the slaves in the South, Foner is at pains to show that Lincoln attempted every other avenue to carve a via media between Northern and Souther aims regarding slavery. He also credits Lincoln's moderation during the Civil War with keeping slave-holding Union states like Maryland and Kentucky from joining the Confederacy and dooming the Union cause.
Clearly, Foner's primary aim in "The Fiery Trial" is to show the importance of moderate politics during the Sturm und Drang of political crises. His Lincoln is incredibly similar to Barack Obama in both political path and Weltanschauung. Both Lincoln and Obama came from outside Illinois to successfully pursue state political office before moving to Washington and eventually the Presidency. Both were (or is in the case of Obama) gifted orators and masters of political rhetoric. Finally, both men were political moderates eschewing the political radicalism of their times in an attempt to affect meaningful policy change. It is certainly far too early to assess Obama's political career (as James Kloppenberg should have known before writing "Reading Obama"), but "The Fiery Trial" shows how Lincoln's successful path on a single political issue could be duplicated by future leaders. Though another Lincoln book was probably superfluous, Foner's Lincoln is fascinating because of what it says about our current political climate and how strong leadership (but not arrogance) can help a nation weather even the most devastating political turmoil.
Above all, Foner's Lincoln was a moderate. Borne from the legacy of compromise handed down from his "beau ideal of a statesman" Henry Clay, at every stage of his political career from Springfield to Washington Lincoln sought to build bridges between warring political factions. His early career as a Whig from Illinois was defined by attempts to unite a state split between Northern abolitionist radicalism and Southern pro-slavery traditionalists. As his political influence expanded nationally, Lincoln sought a series of half-measures to assuage Northern abolitionists and pro-slavery Southerners alike such as ending the expansion of slavery into the territories, but allowing it to continue where it was already law and offering to recolonize free blacks outside of the United States. Lincoln's attempts at reconciliation between the North and South ultimately failed and led to a protracted Civil War where Lincoln used his powers as President to push forth the Emancipation Proclamation and establish the Freedman's Bureau to support freed slaves after the Union victory. However, even as Lincoln invoked the powers of the President to free the slaves in the South, Foner is at pains to show that Lincoln attempted every other avenue to carve a via media between Northern and Souther aims regarding slavery. He also credits Lincoln's moderation during the Civil War with keeping slave-holding Union states like Maryland and Kentucky from joining the Confederacy and dooming the Union cause.
Clearly, Foner's primary aim in "The Fiery Trial" is to show the importance of moderate politics during the Sturm und Drang of political crises. His Lincoln is incredibly similar to Barack Obama in both political path and Weltanschauung. Both Lincoln and Obama came from outside Illinois to successfully pursue state political office before moving to Washington and eventually the Presidency. Both were (or is in the case of Obama) gifted orators and masters of political rhetoric. Finally, both men were political moderates eschewing the political radicalism of their times in an attempt to affect meaningful policy change. It is certainly far too early to assess Obama's political career (as James Kloppenberg should have known before writing "Reading Obama"), but "The Fiery Trial" shows how Lincoln's successful path on a single political issue could be duplicated by future leaders. Though another Lincoln book was probably superfluous, Foner's Lincoln is fascinating because of what it says about our current political climate and how strong leadership (but not arrogance) can help a nation weather even the most devastating political turmoil.
kecb12's review against another edition
4.0
I chose this book in an attempt to understand some of the layers that make up our currently (and formerly) strained race relations in this country. Hearing about Abe Lincoln's gradual shift in thinking with regards to slavery was fascinating to me. We look back and see him as "The Great Emancipator", but he certainly didn't start out as someone who had the abolishment of slavery in his list of things to do while president. I was interested to hear that Lincoln was primary opposed to slavery from an economic standpoint and from a labor standpoint. He believed that people should get the returns and rewards of their work. His perspective, while naturally affected by religious and moral reasons for abolishing slavery due to the time in which he lived, was primarily a practical and logical one. This fact gave me hope for the current time. People's opinions can be changed and developed from a logical and educational standpoint. I suppose the question now is: How do we bring that education and exposure to logical thought about so that the prejudiced and misinformed people of today who embrace wrong ideas about race can perhaps begin on the same road Lincoln walked during his time on earth.
Just a note: this book was a little dry at points. I listened to it and found that I could drift off from careful listening for a few miles and still get the overall point.
Just a note: this book was a little dry at points. I listened to it and found that I could drift off from careful listening for a few miles and still get the overall point.