Lincoln's Quest for Union - A Psychological Profile

[Gene C]

The quote below from the book is the main reason I do not recommend this book. It made me look at every thing else the writer wrote with skepticism.
There are some decent insights into Lincolns character in the book, but this ain't it.
Remember, Abraham was 9 at the time his mother died.

"It would appear from the story that renounced infantile sexual longings toward the mother prompted the sense of guilt Lincoln felt after her death. This sexual theme enters the story by proxy, for Lincoln killed the turkey "in the absence of his father" and with a "rifle gun" that probably belonged to his father and that, according to Dennis Hanks, may have been loaded by his mother. If we take the appropriation of the father's gun as a wish--and the story itself seems dreamlike--then the meaning of the condensed memories expressed in the story becomes more apparent. Lincoln unconsciously wished his father away because he wanted to possess his mother. He could only realize the wish, however by appropriating the magical power of the father's gun as he struggled to beat out his father in competition for the mother. At some point, he must have felt victorious in the struggle, but the gun he appropriated proved more deadly than anticipated, for with it he killed the helpless turkey. Punishment must be extracted: "He has never since pulled a trigger on any larger game." In the confusion of mourning his mother's death, Lincoln thus seemed to construct an unconscious explanation for her loss that "explained" her death in terms of punishment for his own earlier forbidden sexual wishes. As punishment for his love, she died."

Yeah, right!
The author has taken some flak over his opinion, but as far as I know has not retracted his views.

Just what is "infantile sexual longings"? I would post a link that Freud wrote discussing it (from Bartleby.com), but he must be one of the few writers that can make sex boring...plus I don't buy into his theory. There are better things to read.