Abraham Lincoln: The Observations of John G. Nicolay and John Hay
Editor Michael Burlingame sifted through the original forty-seven-hundred-page work and selected only the personal observations of the secretaries during the Lincoln presidency, placing ten excerpts in chronological order in Abraham Lincoln: The Observations of John G. Nicolay and John Hay. The result is an important collection of Nicolay and Hay's interpretations of Lincoln's character, actions, and reputation, framed by Burlingame's compelling preface, introduction, chapter introductions, and notes. The volume provides vivid descriptions of such events as Election Day in 1860, the crisis at Fort Sumter, the first major battle of the war at Bull Run, and Lincoln's relationship with Edwin Stanton and George McClellan.
In this clear and captivating new work, Burlingame has made key portions of Nicolay and Hay's immense biography available to a wide audience of today's readers.
Earn by promoting books
Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our Affiliate program.
Become an affiliate"[This book] should be marked as a valuable addition to Lincoln studies. . . . Burlingame's masterly editing has transformed the original 'history' written by Nicolay and Hay to the more appropriate status of a primary document."--Richard Hall, H-CivWar
"A distinguished editor and biographer . . . Burlingame displays his usual sensitivity to male relationships . . . there are gems to be found even in this brief distillation."--Michael Chesson, Civil War Book Review
"This is emphatically a work of homage as well as of scholarship, both monumental in its function and its size. . . . [this book] turns up little gems of information about Lincoln not available elsewhere."--Adam I.P. Smith, Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association
"[This book] leaves its final result as what we most need--a nearness to the actual truth of the life and life-lore of possibly America's and the world's greatest man."--Ray B. Browne, The Journal of American Culture
"To those who view every primary source on Lincoln as something precious, Burlingame has once again provided a valuable service."--Michael Burkhimer, The Lincoln Herald
"Burlingame's work provides Lincoln students with a first-hand look at the early years of the Lincoln administration. Readers who decide to tackle this small work will be well rewarded."--Bruce Tap, Journal of Illinois History