Burlingame v. Thomas on New Salem

[Rob Wick]

Started reading Benjamin Thomas's small book Lincoln's New Salem last night, alongside the relevant chapter from Burlingame's two-volume biography. As anyone who knows me is already aware of, I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Thomas's work (I still classify his single-volume life of Lincoln as the best of its kind). That said, I think Burlingame comes closer to what life was actually like, warts and all, in the region. It seems Thomas is following other biographers in showing the region as rough and crude, but Burlingame gives more in the way of concrete examples and detail. Of course, Burlingame's is far more graphic, which Thomas could not have been in his day.

Would be interested in other reactions to either account..

Not sure if the embedded links worked, so here they are.

http://www.knox.edu/academics/distinctiv...-life.html

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln2/0566928.0001.001

Best
Rob