Rise to Greatness: Abraham Lincoln and America's Most Perilous Year [FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING]

Von Drehle, David

Published by Henry Holt and Company, New York, 2012

About this Item

Fine unread condition black boards with gold spine lettering contained in a fine condition non price-clipped photographic dust jacket. Includes List of Other Books by David Von Drehle; Author Dedication; Prologue: "So Much Was All Compressed"; Epilogue: "A New Birth of Freedom"; Notes; Bibliography; Acknowledgments; Index and About the Author. Illustrated with a section of black-and-white photographic plates and map. "The electrifying story of Abraham Lincoln's rise to greatness during the most perilous year in our nation's history. As 1862 dawned, the American republic was at death's door. The federal government appeared overwhelmed, the U.S. Treasury was broke, and the Union's top general was gravely ill. The Confederacy -- with its booming economy, expert military leadership, and commanding position on the battlefield -- had a clear view to victory. To a remarkable extent, the survival of the country depended on the judgment, cunning, and resilience of the unschooled frontier lawyer who had recently been elected president. Twelve months later, the Civil War had become a cataclyusm but the tide had turned. The Union generals who would win the war had at last emerged, and the Confederate army had suffered the key losses that would lead to its doom. The blueprint for modern America -- an expanding colossus of industrial and financial might -- had been indelibly linked. And the man who brought the nation through its darkest hour, Abraham Lincoln, had signed the Emancipation Proclamation and emerged as a singular leader. In Rise to Greatness, acclaimed author David Von Drehle has created both a deeply human portrait of America's greatest president and a rich, dramatic narrative about our most fateful year." -- from the inner front jacket flap. "With his keen journalist's eye for detail and the sure-footed feel of a historian, David Von Drehle has produced an enthralling book. Rise to Greatness is a marvelous and important story, marvelously told." - Jay Winik, author of APril 1865. "Rise to Greateness is a terrific read packed with fascinating facts that add color to a powerful depiction of the Civil War's second year. The narrative is driven by Lincoln's movement toward freedom for the slaves and his growing disenchantment with General McClellan, climaxed by the general's removal from command and the president's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation." -- James M. McPherson, author. In the perilous year leading up to the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, Abraham Lincoln had to maneuver against his own generals and cabinet officers while fending off dark forces desiring dis-union or dictatorship. By succeeding, as David Von Drehle shows in this fascinating narrative, Lincoln saved the Union and redefined the American presidency. This is not only an important work of history but also a valuable manual on leadership." -- Walter Isaacson, author. "With his great gift for stirring portraiture and historical narrative, David Von Drehle takes us int othe world of the Civil War and 1862 so convincingly that you almost wonder how it will all turn out." -- Michael Beschloss, author. Seller Inventory # 007201

Bibliographic Details

Title: Rise to Greatness: Abraham Lincoln and ...

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company, New York

Publication Date: 2012

Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: Pracher, Rick (jacket design)

Condition: Fine

Dust Jacket Condition: Fine

Edition: 1st Edition