'I think he sort of saw Lincoln as a Clinton figure - buffeted by events, not clear what he stood for. ' sort of sees Lincoln as a person without any deep convictions,' Foner says. Eric Foner, a professor of history at Columbia University and author of The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery, recommends Donald's book as the best one-volume account of Lincoln's life.ĭavid Herbert Donald was an American historian who specialized in the Civil War and Reconstruction.ĭavid Schaefer/Courtesy of Simon & Schusterįoner notes, however, that the book is not without its flaws - notably that Donald's portrayal of Lincoln may have been influenced by current events in the mid-'90s, particularly by President Clinton. Where should a reader begin? Perhaps the most well-known biography is Lincoln, by the late historian David Herbert Donald. But their versions of Lincoln are just drops in a veritable ocean of books - almost 15,000, to be precise - that assay Lincoln's legacy. President Obama and presidential hopefuls Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum each have put forward their own narratives of the life of Lincoln, fine-tuned to their own political purposes. In a new series, Morning Edition will take a fresh look at American political history, beginning with the figure who loomed over the 20 campaign - that tall, well-spoken senator from Illinois, often hailed for his significance in the history of American race relations. But presidential candidates profess to take a longer view: They consciously link their critiques and promises to the influential figures and debates of the past. In a 24-hour, Internet-fueled news cycle, political campaign reporters often seem to be focused on what just happened, and only what just happened. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Close overlay Buy Featured Book Title Lincoln Author David Herbert Donald

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