Summary

Abe Lincoln enjoyed reading in Chapter 18. His neighbors noticed how he read books any chance he got, whether at home or on the job. Dennis Hanks described Abe as “‘peculiarsome’” (135). Abe believed that what he was deeply curious about could be explored and answered in books. He loved borrowing books from friends, but not many people owned or cherished books. Conversely, Abe asked hard questions of books that he read, including ones about the conditions of colored people in America. He enjoyed sharing stories with other people. He would read on his breaks, and process the material through conversation on the job. When he wrote letters for neighbors, he spoke the words to hear their tone. Abe pursued mathematics on his own as well. His formal schooling—“altogether about four months”—only motivated him to learn more (137).

Abe traveled tens of miles in a...