Originally published in 1922, The Real Lincoln: A Portrait is an in-depth look at Abraham Lincoln the man, not the public figure. Acclaimed at the time as an excellent, impartial source book, author Jesse W. Weik compiled The Real Lincoln through a series of correspondence and interviews with those who knew the sixteenth president personally, as well as their descendents. This is an examination of Lincoln without the weight of history, looking at him as a dynamic individual and relating aspects of his life before he took the White House. His childhood, his marriage to Mary Todd, his law practice, how he spent his free time, and his introduction to politics are just some of the subjects covered. In this latest edition of The Real Lincoln: A Portrait, Michael Burlingame has included dozens of original letters and interviews received by Jesse Weik from 1892-1922 that went into creating this work. Occasionally light-hearted, and always insightful, this is a wonderful book for Lincoln scholars, as well as those with a fascination with our 16th president.
Michael Burlingame is Sadowski Professor of History Emeritus at Connecticut College and the editor of Inside the White House in War Times and A Reporter's Lincoln, both published by the University of Nebraska Press.