Two Lincoln Books

[RobertLC]

I have read Ed Steers’ book, Lincoln Legends: Myths, Hoaxes, and Confabulations Associated with Our Greatest President. However, I have not yet bought or read his latest book, Getting Right with Lincoln: Correcting Misconceptions about Our Greatest President.

Can someone, who has read both, describe how they differ and/or are similar?

Thanks.

Bob

[Rob Wick]

While I've read Ed's Lincoln Legends book, I have only read the Google preview of his latest. I think the difference between the two can be summed up this way. Lincoln Legends tells of myths that seemingly have invaded the public's mind and popular myths about Lincoln. Getting Right with Lincoln seems to me more aimed at Lincoln biographers and historians and what Ed considers to be their either mistaken or outright misrepresentation of the evidence surrounding Lincoln's life. In the first chapter on Lincoln's father Ed heavily criticizes Michael Burlingame and Sidney Blumenthal. So far in the second chapter on the authorship of the Bixby letter, Ed again criticizes Burlingame.

In summary, I would say that the present book is more of a historiographical examination, but I have to add that I haven't read the whole thing yet. So far I would say it's definitely worth having in one's library.

Best
Rob

[RJNorton]

(04-23-2021 12:56 PM)Rob Wick Wrote:  Lincoln Legends tells of myths that seemingly have invaded the public's mind and popular myths about Lincoln.

I second Rob. If you have not read this book here are some of the questions that are researched and answered:

1. Was Thomas Lincoln the real father of Abraham Lincoln?
2. Was Abraham Lincoln baptized?
3. Did President Lincoln appear personally before the Congressional Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War to defend his wife's loyalty to the Union?
4. What about those missing pages from John Wilkes Booth's diary?
5. Was it really Peanut John Burroughs who held Booth's horse the night of the assassination?

[RobertLC]

Thanks, Rob and Roger.

Your responses are helpful and appreciated.

Bob