Abraham Lincoln

This self-made man from a log cabin—the great orator, the Emancipator, the savior of the Union, the martyr—was arguably our greatest president; but it takes a master storyteller like Thomas Keneally, author of the award-winning novel that inspired the film Schindler's List, to bring alive the history behind the myth. Keneally's Civil War biography, American Scoundrel, delves into Lincoln's complex persona, depicting his triumphs, insecurities, and defeats, including his early poverty, ambition, and his views shaped by Christianity, slavery, and business. It explores his tempestuous marriage and his love for his family, his election to the presidency, and his leadership during the war, providing a human portrait of this pivotal figure in history.