Historian Reynolds (Mightier Than the Sword) unpacks the diverse cultural influences that shaped the intellect, morals, and politics of Abraham Lincoln in this magisterial and authoritative biography. Reynolds's wide-angled view includes frontier social events, such as logrolls and cabin raisings, that marked Lincoln's early years; cultural moments including French acrobat Charles Blondin's tightrope walks over Niagara Falls in 1859, which Lincoln saw as a potent metaphor for his handling of the slavery issue; and humorist David Ross Locke's "wholesale assault on racial prejudice" through the persona of "the quintessential Copperhead," Petroleum V. Nasby. Reynolds also profiles drillmaster Elmer Ellsworth and pamphleteer Anna Ella Carroll, both of whom played outsized, if little remembered, roles in shaping Lincoln's approach to the Civil War. Close readings of Lincoln's own writings bring insights into his character and thinking, and Reynolds's analysis of the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural Address offer a deeper understanding of those near-sacred political texts, noting, for instance, allusions to the Bible and Euclidean geometry in the Gettysburg speech. With a knack for drawing unexpected but persuasive conclusions, and impressive command of his source material, Reynolds provides a portrait rich in texture and context, not only of Lincoln but of the America he inhabited and helped redefine. The result is a must-read addition to the canon of Lincoln biographies. Agent: Lynn Nesbit, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Sept.)

In his latest work, Reynolds (Walt Whitman's America) examines another giant of the 19th century: Abraham Lincoln (1809--65). While several biographies have been published about the 16th president, a full-scale cultural biography has not yet been written, an omission Reynolds addresses in this work. In doing so, he delves deep into the environment and culture of Lincoln's time, including how he was shaped by his era, one of great flux in the United States, and not solely due to the north-south divide. Other contributing factors included a weak central government, strong assertions of individualism, extreme viewpoints, and mob violence. Against this backdrop, Lincoln was able to manifest humility, compassion, and responsiveness. In addition, Reynolds underscores his subject's ability to navigate and even influence the culture of his times. For example, he knew the people of his era well and could relate to the common man as well as the intellectual. Lincoln also understood how to strike a balance during a time of division and he knew how to move cautiously. Overall, Reynolds succeeds in bringing Lincoln and his times to life and in revealing why, even today, he remains an endearing figure. VERDICT Ambitious, comprehensive, and highly recommended for public and academic libraries.--Dave Pugl, Ela Area P.L., Lake Zurich, IL

The figure of Abraham Lincoln forever towers over American history, and whenever the nation seems hopelessly divided, Lincoln's leadership is invoked as a model to be admired and followed. Reynolds' (John Brown, Abolitionist, 2005) magisterial biography focuses on the dozens of different influences and experiences that fortuitously coalesced to turn Lincoln into the icon he's become. Beyond Lincoln's frontier upbringing, Reynolds identifies deep historic differences in the American character deriving from English emigrant Puritans and Cavaliers, each struggling to define American polity. Lincoln's 1860 nomination owed much to his apparent ability to walk a tightrope between abolitionists and nullification partisans, until events forced both him and the nation to publicly choose a side. Reynolds pulls together cultural, geographic, religious, social, psychological, military, and literary sources of Lincoln's remarkable strengths as president. He brings to light some often-overlooked heroes such as Maryland's gifted Anna Carroll, who devised a military strategy to strike decisively at the Confederacy. Reynolds' biography moves Lincoln's life ever forward, inserting digressions without slowing the narrative pace. Even readers who think they know Lincoln's life deeply will find new insights here. This is sure to win a wide audience. Includes period photos and extensive bibliographic notes.

A premier scholar of American culture and literature tackles the vast, seething currents that make up the life and times of Abraham Lincoln. The winner of the Bancroft Prize, among many other honors, Reynolds is one of our most significant historians, and he is up to the enormous task of creating a cultural biography of the man who would become America's most recognizable president. As the author engagingly shows, Lincoln's character was greatly influenced by the many "roiling" conflicts of the mid-19th century. Unlike David Herbert Donald's Lincoln (1995), among numerous other biographies, in which Lincoln is portrayed as the "quintessential self‑made man," Reynolds offers a different take, one that is consistently fun to read. "Lincoln, far from distanced from his time, was thoroughly immersed in it," he writes. "When he entered the presidency, he was neither inexperienced nor unprepared. To the contrary, he rede-fined democracy precisely because he had experienced culture in all its dimensions--from high to low, sacred to profane, conservative to radi-cal, sentimental to subversive." The author moves fluidly through the eras of Lincoln's life, providing countless telling details that help readers understand how his surroundings shaped his extraordinary character--e.g., his frontier roots, voracious reading, love of mimicry, phenomenal memory, and delight in language, from rough jokes to Shakespeare. According to Reynolds, whose research is staggering, Lincoln was an intellectual sponge, and he made use of his broad knowledge and experiences to help his law clients; in his speeches, which were often met with uproarious laughter; and in his basic respect for and honesty in dealing with people of different backgrounds. Reynolds believes that Lincoln was fully prepared for the presidency--his life's ambition, as well as his wife's--and due to his immersion in contemporary culture ("navigating the isms" of his time), he was able to take on the many conflicts of his day and unite the nation. Long but never boring. A fine cultural history and biography that is accessible to all readers, especially students. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.