Preface, Prologue, and I. Peculiar Ambition Summary and Analysis

Preface: Though Lincoln was largely self-educated, his literary ability was extraordinary, and his rhetorical skills have attracted many historians. His writings display a combination of his knowledge of classic texts such as Shakespeare's plays, John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress and the Bible, along with images from his rural upbringing.

Prologue: This section contains an 1859 brief autobiographical sketch Lincoln provided to Jesse Fell, an Illinois newspaperman. It contains just a few facts, and is typical of Lincoln insofar as showing that he led a very public life and was extremely guarded about any private details.

Lincoln was born in 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky. Kentucky was a wild country then which was only beginning the process of entering the United States. Lincoln's family led a very rural existence, and beyond basic grammar school...