Perspective

Stephen B. Oates' biography, published in 1977, is part of a quartet of books examining the Civil War. He seeks to bring Lincoln to life again in the eyes of his reader, and attempts to blend Lincoln's political and personal lives into an accurate portrait of the man. He portrays Lincoln as a man rich with humanity, not just the cold, factual historic figure. Oates is a professional biographer and historian whose body of work focuses on American history from the Civil War, antebellum, and Western expansion periods. He is dedicated to the idea that biographies can be both factual histories, and important pieces of literature. He gives the reader insight on Lincoln the man, not the President, during the atrocities of the Civil War. He has an obvious regard for the President, taking time to meticulously explain Lincoln's political and personal moves: the whens, wheres, whys, and hows...