Lincoln: A Photobiography

Author: Russell Freedman
Publisher: Clarion Books
Copyright Date: 1987
Number of Pages: 144
Reading Level: Ages 9-12






Summary
This book is an in-depth look into the life of Abraham Lincoln. It portrays him in a very real way. The book uses photographs and prints to add to the stories that are contained in this book. At the beginning it talks about the overall view of Lincoln and introduces his character. The book then goes on to talk about his early life, his parents, and his family. It continues to talk about his daily life and the jobs that he procured. Abraham Lincoln was a well-liked young man that was humorous, social-able, and hard-working. The book talks about Lincoln's interest in law and politics. It also talks about his bouts of depression and struggles with the death of loved ones. It also discusses Lincoln's rise to presidency and the war over slavery. It shows Lincoln's goal to keep the North and the South united. In the end, it talks about Lincoln's assassination and his funeral.

Personal Response
I thought that this photo-biography was very well written. It was packed with information about Lincoln that was purely factual and showed very little bias. I really liked how Lincoln was portrayed in a non-idealistic way. Both his strengths and weaknesses were recognized in this book. The photographs and prints added to the quality of the book and made it exceptional.

Potential Problems
Some of the images in this book are gory and could be considered inappropriate for the eyes of children.

Recommended to...
I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in studying the life of Abraham Lincoln. This would be a great book for a child to read as a source for a report on the president.