Commander in Chief: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War (Hardcover)

by Albert Marrin (Author) "It had happened eighty years earlier, but Dennis Hanks remembered it as clearly as if it were yesterday..." (more)
Key Phrases: White House, United States, First Lady (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 6 Up?Marrin's study of Lincoln matches, if not surpasses, his outstanding Unconditional Surrender: Ulysses S. Grant and the Civil War. While staying close to his theme of Lincoln as war leader, the book covers its subject from birth to death, depicting him as very much a part of his era, a man who, the author believes, was "our greatest President" and "the one person without whom it is impossible to imagine those trying times." Enhanced throughout with period photographs, reproductions, and direct quotations, and with a fine layout and typography, the narrative is skillfully constructed and expressed in a strong, compelling style. The descriptions of Lincoln's gradual mastery of military strategy and tactics, and his often tense relations with his officers, are riveting, as is Marrin's careful foreshadowing of his subject's assassination. Readers will appreciate the frequent explanations of differences between mid-19th-century political and social mores and those of today. The extensive "Notes" and "More Books About Abraham Lincoln" sections will be useful for further research. Commander in Chief is more focused than Milton Melzer's Lincoln, in His Own Words (Harcourt, 1993) and far more comprehensive than Edward Lindop's summary in the "Presidents Who Dared" series (TFC Bks., 1995). It is the best book on Lincoln for young people since Russell Freedman's Newbery-winning Lincoln (Clarion, 1987).?Starr E. Smith, Marymount University Library, Arlington, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"One would have to look far and wide to find a better biography of [Lincoln]. . . . This book is a must. . . ." -- Voice of Youth Advocate --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525458220
• ISBN-13: 978-0525458227
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,154,331 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars History made easy, June 26, 2007

By	T. L. Weiner (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Commander in Chief: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War (Paperback)

A Marrin is a wonderful author. He makes history come alive. He writes in an interesting manner and doesn't have a lot of excess verbage. I have several of his books and have enjoyed each one of them.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Human Side of Lincoln, December 11, 1999

By A Customer

For the first time, I came to know Lincoln not as an iconified hero, but as a funny, direct, engaging and committed human being as I read this book. The author has thorough notes of very detailed research and tells a story that others omitted or overlooked. It made me want to read much more about Lincoln, especially more of the piercing wit and emotional perseverance shared in this book.