Saturday, June 23, 2007

Abe Lincoln Gets His Chance

by Frances Cavanah

One week before we leave China and I am reduced to reading the extra books my kids have brought from home. The English library on campus is closed; all the books we've been able to borrow from friends have been returned. We certainly don't want to buy any of the simplistic tomes we can obtain in our town here, because we have quite enough to pack. So I'm reading books like this one. I should say rereading, because I actually first read this back around when I was in grade school. (I grew up in Illinois, where one can't avoid reading about Lincoln.) I had pretty much forgotten everything about it except for the footprint incident, so I could approach it afresh. It was nice enough to read, for a kids' book. It focuses mostly on Lincoln's childhood and young adulthood. Once he gets to Springfield the book picks up the pace and starts to skim over his political career, ending when he heads to the White House. I don't know how accurate it is, but instead of the biography of a great man, it comes across more like the biography of a likable fellow who just manages to become President. But as far as waiting room material is concerned, you could do a lot worse.
LibraryThing link

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