"Abraham Lincoln was not interested in his ancestry. In his mind he was a self-made man, who had no need to care about his family tree." Chapter 1, p. 19

"The years after Abraham Lincoln left his father's household were of critical importance in shaping his future. In 1831 he was essentially unformed." Chapter 2, p. 38

"On April 15, 1837, Lincoln rode into Springfield on a borrowed horse, with all his worldly possessions crammed into the two saddlebags." Chapter 3, p. 66

"After 1842 his turbulent mood swings, which alternated between grandiosity and depression, were greatly moderated." Chapter 4, p. 94

"Lincoln saw his two years in Congress as an opportunity to help the Whig party to find fresh leadership and to adopt a program relevant to the times." Chapter 5, p. 119

"His years in Washington did nothing to undermine his supreme self-confidence, but he could not help observing that he had less education and professional training than most of...