In Lincoln's Hand: His Original Manuscripts with Commentary by Distinguished Americans

by Joshua Wolf Shenk and Harold Holzer

On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth and in conjunction with the Library of Congress 2009 Bicentennial Exhibition, In Lincoln's Hand offers an unprecedented look at... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553807420
• ISBN13: 9780553807424
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Bantam
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 2.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 8.5" x 10.9"

Customer Reviews

Wonderfully done book

I couldn't believe how well made this book was. Especially for the price. Definitely a labor of love. A wonderful book for a pemananent library collection.

Must See Exhibit

This book supports the LOC exhibit which will be in Sacramento, CA this summer......wonder lead in to that exhibit.

Gives great immediacy to Lincoln's presence

It is scarcely possible to imagine Nineteenth century American history -- or perhaps even presentday America -- without the figure of Abraham Lincoln. "In Lincoln's Hand" reproduces in facsmile copy dozens of Lincoln's writings -- speeches, letters, and private memoranda -- together with standard print transcriptions for ease of reading and commentaries by a galaxy of historians, writers, and others. The facsimile copies allow us to peer over Lincoln's shoulder to seem something of his writing process as he crossed out some words and phrases to substitute others to sharpen his focus and increase the power and grace of his delivery (these authorial revisions are reproduced in the print transcriptions as well). The result is a wonderfully vivid look at one of the true masters of English prose at work. The commentaries accompanying the excerpts illuminate sometimes unexpected aspects of Lincoln (including Conan O'Brien' assessment of Lincoln as a comic writer). All in all, this volume is a visual pleasure, promising many hours of pleasurable browsing and contemplation. In this bicentennial year of Lincoln's birth, bringing forth a flood of relevant publications, "In Lincoln's Hand" is surely among the most attractive and engaging.

Handsome

A good purchase for both newcomers to Mr. Lincoln and veteran readers about this great man. It was an inspired thought to publish facsimiles of important hand-written letters, speeches and other such documents to illustrate Mr. Lincoln's career and have them accompanied by short statements by noted scholars, literary figures, and politicians of the present day. To see the crossed-out word or the change of phrase is important and brings one closer to understanding that these documents were once the actual work products of one man's mind and not merely the final typed and clean texts we have all seen so often in history books. While I think almost all the contributors did a good or excellent job (including, surprisingly, Conan O'Brien), I did not like Andrew Solomon's use of his opportunity in making a political statement directed at our immediate past president. I also think President Carter reveled more about himself than about President Lincoln in his commentary.

Wonderful look at President Abraham Lincoln

Occasionally a book will cross my desk that takes my breath away. In Lincoln's Hand is one of those books. It's a rare, "close up and personal" look at Abraham Lincoln's handwritten speeches, letters and other childhood notebooks. There are about forty examples of Lincoln's writings displayed, and each is accompanied by a commentary from people in literature, film and politics. This is a partial list of contributors: Ken Burns, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Liam Neeson, Sandra Day O'Connor, Steven Spielberg, Sam Waterston, Mario M. Cuomo, Newt Gingrich, Kathryn Harrison, William Safire, and John Updike. It's quite a list! There are numerous examples of Lincoln's writings that will garner a reader's attention. I kept returning to the poignant letter to Mary Todd Lincoln dated April 16, 1848. One feels privy to the marital relationship and it gives the reader a deeper look into the public man's life. Lincoln's letter about Stephen Douglas attests to the humanness of a man who sometimes feels inferior. There are many more stunning and startling examples of a great man's writings, but my heart beat fast to see the preliminary emancipation proclamation. It was a view of history that set our nation on a new course. The photographic copies are such that one can read the actual handwriting, but it is wonderful that they are also replicated in type for even easier reading. The photos of pertinent places and people also add to the richness of In Lincoln's Hand. The Library of Congress will celebrate the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth and In Lincoln's Hand will coincide with the opening of the exhibit. The two editors of In Lincoln's Hand add to the prestige of this celebration edition. Harold Holzer is a leading authority on Abraham Lincoln. Joshua Wolf Shenk is the author of Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a Presided and Fueled His Greatness. Armchair Interviews says: A must read, must have for the reader's personal library and every school and library in America should have available In Lincoln's Hand.