A review by cornmaven
Rise to Greatness: Abraham Lincoln and America's Most Perilous Year by David von Drehle

5.0

Von Drehle's theme for this book is one year can make or break a country. An amazing account of the political successes, battleground failures, and collage of personalities that walked across 1862's stage. Great distillation of Lincoln's personality, both the strengths and the weaknesses. Readers will come away with a firm belief in the notion that all things are connected. But I never did figure out why anyone could have thought McClellan was a great military leader, nor why his troops adored him.