FATHER ABRAHAM: Lincoln’s Relentless Struggle to End Slavery

"No one can come away from this book without being deeply affected by it.  The writing is forceful and the narrative gripping. . . . It is as if one passes directly through the first grand arc of American history. . . . The claim here is specific, strong, and bracing in its unapologetic admiration: namely, that Lincoln proved endlessly resourceful in his dedication to removing the incubus of slavery from his beloved republic.  Lincoln, on Striner's estimation, was great in as full a measure as this nation has ever seen.  This reviewer, for one, was quite won over."

— Richard M. Vallely, Swarthmore College, American Historical Review, April 2007

"Striner's may be one of the most spirited portrayals of Lincoln yet to hit our shelves. . . . Readers who find themselves frustrated by the academic's fondness for equivocation will find relief in Striner's book:  he has a very clear idea and argues it forcefully throughout.  It is crisply written, well-documented, and likely to appeal to a wide audience."

— Amy Murrell Taylor, University at Albany, SUNY, Reviews in American History, December 2006

"The fresh and provocative insights in this book demonstrate that despite all that has been written about Lincoln, there is still something new to learn."

— pre-publication endorsement by James M. McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom