The Case of Abraham Lincoln: A Story of Adultery, Murder, and the Making of a Great President

I heard Julie Fenster on the radio during her tour of Indiana, and something about her clever, no-nonsense way of speaking sparked my interest in her book - the first "political" book I've bought since I don't know when. The book didn't disappoint. It's highly readable, in the style of Walter Lord or Barbara Tuchman. And it's not overwhelming. It follows Lincoln through the course of five or six months, simultaneously recording the events of a murder case which culminates his year. I got what I wanted...a taste of Lincoln's moods and his reactions to unusual situations. I highly recommend the book, and not just to Lincoln-o-philes. It's a treat for anyone who likes history served up with a distinctive literary voice.

The key is "the making of a great president". The book shifts gears regularly in each and every chapter and you want to learn more about this amazing person who would soon become swept up on a train that could not be stopped: the presidency. I couldn't put it down. I was enthralled by the level of research put in as well as the writing style, which at first was confusing to me, but it all began to make sense as it becomes a book within a book. He was politically savvy, motivated, and quick to move through trial if he saw a way to do so. Julie Fenster paints this picture of the future president and you could only gain more of an understanding and respect for how he did his business. He was also a family man and although rarely home, so down home in his ways that you could almost dismiss him - until he spoke. This man had vision and was somewhat awkward but brilliant in every way possible. The key and important speeches, the trial that is an interesting part of this book, and the life of Abraham Lincoln as he, himself worked his way around the circuit courts and made all of the important rallies. Well written and gets one to think that the right man was being brought up and educated along the way who would eventually save this union. The making of a great President, indeed! This is worth the time in reading.

The Case of Abraham Lincoln is a delightfully easy book to read. It is insightful as it delivers facts through amusing anecdotes that keep the time-dependent culture in tact. Through the life stories you can get a sense of the true Lincoln, his internal dilemmas as well as the way he chose to present himself to the external world. What I found truly amazing is that this book not only gives the reader a feeling of what Lincoln was going through and what his trials and tribulations were but also what others in his time were going through at the same time. This is not a one side distorted view of the world but an evenly distributed account of events during the selected time that Ms. Fenster researched. I would highly recommend this read to anyone interested in the man, Abraham Lincoln.

Shakespeare observed "some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em". Abraham Lincoln, I think, had at least those last two. "The Case of Abraham Lincoln" tells the story as Lincoln's path to greatness passed through 1856. During that year he had one foot in his law practice and was placing another in the political ring with the emerging Republican Party (the "Grand New Party" back then). It's fascinating to see Lincoln in both worlds. And knowing what was to come, fascinating to see his leadership tested so far in advance of the tragedy of the Civil War. We know so much about Lincoln. The story of his childhood in a log cabin through to his presidency and assassination is such a powerful narrative. "The Case of Abraham Lincoln" looks closely at a pivotal point in Lincoln's life and gives us fresh insight into how a good man achieved greatness.

Fenster's book relates the events of Abraham Lincoln's life from March to November, 1856. It is remarkable how much of great importance happened to him or around him in that generally overlooked span. His legal career was burgeoning and the author offers accounts of cases big and small, none of which had I ever heard about before. The book leaves a clear depiction of his legal work, day in and day out. At the same time, it weaves in his growing political influence. Lincoln threw his lot in with the Republican Party in May of that year and sealed the deal in a speech at the first state convention that Fenster recreates with all the excitement of the moment. The world around Lincoln is well-rounded, including his fellow lawyers (Stuart, Edwards, Linder, etc.), fellow politicians ("dashing" William Bissell, also Browning, Koerner, etc.) the people of Springfield, his family, even his animals. The subtitle ("Adultery, Murder") refers to the Anderson murder case, a mystery worthy of "Law and Order." Lincoln had the chance to be on the prosecution side, but he turned it down and worked for the defense. THE CASE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN was recommended to me by a retired professor, a Lincoln scholar. I read it over the course of a day-and-a-half. For non-fiction, the storytelling ability is incredible and in conclusion, this is the first Lincoln book I've read in a while that's definitely not the S.O.S. (Same old s-).