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4.4 AVERAGE
4.4 AVERAGE
An absolutely incandescent, transcendent biography of "Father Abraham," the "Great Emancipator." Meacham's book is stirring, moving, heart-breaking, and utterly terrifying. Terrifying, because the brilliant Professor Meacham leads the reader, inexorably, to the realization and the understanding that the MAGAt right-wing extremists exclusively populating today's Republican Party are EXACTLY the same people who governed the South in the decades leading up to Secession, who betrayed their lawful government and their fellow citizens, who occupied the offices of the treasonous Confederate States' Government, first in Montgomery, then in Richmond. The same sorts of Constitutional shenanigans, the same sorts of extralegal authoritarian legislation, the same CHRISTO-FASCISM, that are today employed to defend mass murder with assault rifles, genocide against LGBTQ people, the subjugation of women and non-males; all of it was used in just the same ways to support and defend race-based slavery, white supremacy, and secession. May Honest Abe's God help us all, cause we need it!
Powerfully written account of Lincoln’s life, the role he played in America’s darkest hour, and the role his faith played in his actions on earth.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the latest Jon Meacham Presidential Biography, And There was Light: Abraham Lincoln and The American Struggle. This book encompasses the life of the 16th US President Abraham Lincoln from his birth in Kentucky in 1809 until his assassinstion in 1865, but it is so much more than a biography. It not only tells of the events in his life but explores his moral, religious and political views and the development of his beliefs concerning slavery. I found the progression of his faith to be an interesting piece of the puzzle. We can indeed learn from how he lead a literally divided country today.
We heard Jon Meachem speak in November right after the book was released. He is an excellent and entertaining speaker. We appreciated the publisher providing a copy of the book for all in attendance. Reading the book changed my thoughts about Lincoln and his attitude toward slavery. Also putting his thoughts into the context of the times and existing culture.
Thank you to Libro FM for an audio arc of Jon Meacham’s And There was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle.
Historian and journalist Jon Meacham does a deep-dive into the life of the sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Meacham details how a man of humble beginnings was able to make inroads with power circles, including marrying the upper-class Mary Todd Lincoln, and gaining the esteem of important people to boost his political aspirations.
And There is Light is an absolutely fascinating presidential biography. Prior to reading Meacham’s work, I knew a fair bit about Lincoln. I think most American’s do, as we spend a lot of time learning about the Civil War in school. However, I think the timing of this book is very relevant, as there are clear parallels to the state of the country during Lincoln’s time and our present situation. Lincoln’s greatest presidential challenge was to try to bring together a country divided on ideological lines and even more so, after the war had ended.
We may be at a precipice right now. I actually listened to this book months ago and have not had time to write the review. I didn’t even realize, until typing this paragraph, that former President Trump is hours away from his arraignment in Florida. This is historic, yet also deepening the divide. And There was Light made me consider how we move forward after a major event, such as the Civil War, when tensions are still high and people still don’t agree. Is it even possible?
I had not previously known about Mary Todd Lincoln’s heath struggles, especially with mental health. The intimate details about Lincoln’s family life added an interesting layer to the biography. And There was Light is a well-rounded portrait of a man, who just happened to go on to make history. I recommend this for anyone interested in presidential biographies or American History.
Historian and journalist Jon Meacham does a deep-dive into the life of the sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Meacham details how a man of humble beginnings was able to make inroads with power circles, including marrying the upper-class Mary Todd Lincoln, and gaining the esteem of important people to boost his political aspirations.
And There is Light is an absolutely fascinating presidential biography. Prior to reading Meacham’s work, I knew a fair bit about Lincoln. I think most American’s do, as we spend a lot of time learning about the Civil War in school. However, I think the timing of this book is very relevant, as there are clear parallels to the state of the country during Lincoln’s time and our present situation. Lincoln’s greatest presidential challenge was to try to bring together a country divided on ideological lines and even more so, after the war had ended.
We may be at a precipice right now. I actually listened to this book months ago and have not had time to write the review. I didn’t even realize, until typing this paragraph, that former President Trump is hours away from his arraignment in Florida. This is historic, yet also deepening the divide. And There was Light made me consider how we move forward after a major event, such as the Civil War, when tensions are still high and people still don’t agree. Is it even possible?
I had not previously known about Mary Todd Lincoln’s heath struggles, especially with mental health. The intimate details about Lincoln’s family life added an interesting layer to the biography. And There was Light is a well-rounded portrait of a man, who just happened to go on to make history. I recommend this for anyone interested in presidential biographies or American History.
I'll read pretty much anything Jon Meacham writes, so it wasn't a stretch to pick this one up. I loved how And There Was Light shows us the personal side of Lincoln and his struggles he experienced as a young man and as president. This gave an intimate portrait of who Lincoln was and how his experiences shaped who he became. Of course the story was familiar - his debates with Stephen Douglas, his race to the presidency, his struggles to pass the 13th amendment, and his evolution on slavery. And There Was Light shows a human Lincoln and really makes you appreciate Lincoln as a human and not just as a president.
Audiobook- To me, the Lincoln years were emphasized in history classes, but I've never learned so much about the life and times of this president. Again, Meacham exhaustively and beautifully guides the reader through.
It took 5 months to read this (I read many others in between), but I'm so glad I stuck with it. I have even more admiration for Lincoln and a better understanding of what forces shaped his beliefs and actions.
Very inspiring!
One of the best books I have ever read.
Very inspiring!
One of the best books I have ever read.
This book restored my faith in humanity. I have been searching for a historical "role-model," and this book may have completed my search.
The author provides compelling evidence that Abraham Lincoln personally opposed slavery and waged the civil war from a moral perspective.
The author presents the material in a mostly unbiased fashion. He acknowledges and discusses the pitfalls in historical writing and stated that he was not attempting to idealize Lincoln. And he did not, from my perspective. Insead, the author relies almost exclusivley on first-hand sources to prove his thesis, which I found extremely compelling.
Understanding that the Civil War cannot be simplied to a binary equation, this book provides the best analyis/commentary that I have read to-date.
The author provides compelling evidence that Abraham Lincoln personally opposed slavery and waged the civil war from a moral perspective.
The author presents the material in a mostly unbiased fashion. He acknowledges and discusses the pitfalls in historical writing and stated that he was not attempting to idealize Lincoln. And he did not, from my perspective. Insead, the author relies almost exclusivley on first-hand sources to prove his thesis, which I found extremely compelling.
Understanding that the Civil War cannot be simplied to a binary equation, this book provides the best analyis/commentary that I have read to-date.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced