A cogent narrative and nearly 100 photographs document the life of Abraham Lincoln and the times in which he lived. Through frequent use of direct quotes from Lincoln and the people who loved or hated him, Freedman manages to bring a larger-than-life historical legend down to earth, focusing on his personal ambition and sense of failure, his wit and melancholy. (Age 11 and older)

1988 Newbery Medal Winner

Abraham Lincoln stood out in a crowd as much for his wit and rollicking humor as for his height. This Newbery Medal-winning biography of our Civil War president is warm, appealing, and illustrated with dozens of carefully chosen photographs and prints.

Russell Freedman begins with a lively account of Abraham Lincoln's boyhood, his career as a country lawyer, and his courtship and marriage to Mary Todd. Then the author focuses on the presidential years (1861 to 1865), skillfullly explaining the many complex issues Lincoln grappled with as he led a deeply divided nation through the Civil War. The book's final chapter is a moving account of that tragic evening in Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865. Concludes with a sampling of Lincoln writings and a detailed list of Lincoln historical sites.

This title has been selected as a Common Core Text Exemplar (Grades 2-3, Read Aloud Informational Text).