Tag: book collection

No comments

A Few New Abraham Lincoln Books

  By ,

Lincoln Forum CakeI’ve just returned from the annual Lincoln Forum conference in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This was the 20th anniversary event, complete with cake. The Forum fills two and a half days with presentations by renowned Abraham Lincoln scholars, great camaraderie, and books. A lot of books. As usual, my bag coming home is filled with new books picked up at the conference bookstore.

This year I tried to restrict my book buying, so the total was only six (yes, only). In addition to all the new books there are opportunities to buy older tomes from Chuck Hand, collector extraordinaire. And then there is the unparalleled Dan Weinberg of the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop, who always has an amazing showing of Lincoln photos, signed documents, and other artifacts. To this elite group we can add the beautiful sculptures of John McClarey.

Villainous CompoundsNow the books. New additions to my collection include an essay compilation book edited by Frank Williams and a second similar book edited by Joseph Fornieri. I also picked up an edition of Reck’s A Lincoln: His Last 24 Hours and a book on the lost whaling fleet (which had battled the confederate navy and the Arctic during the Civil War). Perhaps the most unique acquisition is a book called Villainous Compounds: Chemical Weapons & The American Civil War by Guy R. Hasegawa. With my scientific background it would almost be blasphemous if I hadn’t bought it (he tells himself, in a rationalizing sort of way).

Just and Generous NationHaving already bought it beforehand, I took advantage of the conference to bring my copy of Harold Holzer’s new book A Just and Generous Nation and had him inscribe it for me. As always, Harold was gracious and generous with his time and expertise. He noted that he wrote the first section of the book (seven chapters) and his co-author, economist Norton Garfinkle, wrote the second section (five chapters) on Lincoln’s economic improvement focus and influence on modern America. I’ll have a review of the book as soon as I finish reading it.

At the end of the year I’ll update on new Lincoln book acquisitions for 2015. And now…it’s on to writing!

David J. Kent has been a scientist for thirty-five years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (now in its 5th printing) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His book on Thomas Edison is due in Barnes and Noble stores in spring 2016.

Follow me by subscribing by email on the home page.  And feel free to “Like” my Facebook author’s page and connect on LinkedIn.  Share with your friends using the buttons below.

4 Comments

Abraham Lincoln Book Acquisitions for 2014

  By ,

Lincoln book towerI’m lucky to have a growing collection of books about Abraham Lincoln. Nowhere near the 15,000 books reportedly written about our 16th President, but my sagging bookshelves now hold over 900 titles. The number of actual books is well over 1000 when one figures that some “titles” are 3 or 6 or 10-book sets.

This year I obtained just over 60 new titles, far short of what I obtained in 2013. While I haven’t done a comparison, I may have obtained more books this year directly from the authors, along with their signatures and inscriptions. Forty-three of the newly obtained books are first editions, 14 are signed, 11 are inscribed, and seven are signed and inscribed to me personally. One book, in fact, was signed and inscribed to me by all three of its authors at the recent Lincoln Forum in Gettysburg, where I had the privilege of meeting Tom Horrocks, Harold Holzer, and Frank Williams.

I took on the role of VP of Outreach and Education for the Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia in 2014, and LGDC has presented many opportunities to meet outstanding Lincoln scholars and authors. John Barr, Jonathan W. White, James Conroy and Tom Horrocks all gave presentations this year. Joseph Fornieri, whom I met at the Forum in Gettysburg, will be our Lincoln’s birthday speaker in February 2015.

The oldest book on the 2014 list of acquisitions is a 1909 “centennial” edition of Lincoln’s first and second inaugural speeches. The newest book is Harold Holzer’s Lincoln and the Power of the Press, published this fall and signed to me by Harold at the Lincoln Forum in November. I’m currently reading it so stay tuned for a book review when I’m finished.

Other special books this year include a book about Mentor Graham, who was mentor in both name and function during Lincoln’s early manhood in New Salem, Illinois. I also obtained a copy of Kirkham’s Grammar, the textbook Lincoln used to learn basic writing skills. Another favorite is Jonathan W. White’s new book Emancipation, The Union Army, and the Reelection of Abraham Lincoln. I’m looking forward to trekking down to Newport News, where Jonathan has volunteered to show me around the USS Monitor exhibit the Mariner’s Museum.

While writing this I realized I actually have obtained many more books than are currently listed. As I continue the research for my forthcoming book I’ve been downloading PDF files of several books that helped shape Lincoln’s education over his lifetime. I’ll have to catalog them and do a separate post in the future.

Much more to come…2015 looks to be an exciting year. See the list of books below.

David J. Kent has been a scientist for over 30 years, is a lifelong Lincolnophile, and is currently working on a book about Abraham Lincoln’s interest in science and technology. He is also the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and an ebook Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time.

Follow me by subscribing by email on the home page.  And feel free to “Like” my Facebook author’s page and connect on LinkedIn.  Share with your friends using the buttons below.

Here’s the 2014 list:

Abraham Lincoln: First and Second Inaugural Addresses (and other speeches) 1909
Lincoln’s Last Speech in Springfield in the Campaign of 1858 1925
Ambrose, Stephen E. Nothing Like It In The World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869 2000
Angle, Paul M. A Shelf of Lincoln Books: A Critical Bibliography of Lincolniana 1946
Bacon, Benjamin W. Sinews of War: How Technology, Industry, and Transportation Won the Civil War 1997
Baringer, William E. Lincoln Day by Day: A Chronology 1809-1865, Volume I: 1809-1848; Volume II: 1849-1860; Volume II: 1861-1865 1960
Barr, John McKee Loathing Lincoln: An American Tradition From the Civil War to the Present 2014
Barton, William E. Abraham Lincoln And His Books 1920
Bauer, Charles J. The Odd Couple Who Hanged Mary Surratt! (Preston King and Jim Lane) 1980
Bishop, Jim The Day Lincoln Was Shot 1955
Borritt, Gabor (ed) The Gettysburg Nobody Knows 1999
Boritt, Gabor S. (ed) Lincoln The War President 1992
Bray, Robert Reading with Lincoln 2010
Brown University Books at Brown 1960
Bruce, Robert V. The Launching of Modern American Science 1987
Burkhimer, Michael 100 Essential Lincoln Books 2003
Burlingame, Michael Honest Abe, Dishonest Mary 1994
Conroy, James B. Our One Common Country: Abraham Lincoln and the Hampton Roads Peace Conference of 1865 2014
Corry, John A. Lincoln at Cooper Union: The Speech That Made Him President 2003
Denenberg, Barry Lincoln Shot: A President’s Life Remembered 2008
Dennett, Tyler (Ed) Lincoln and the Civil War in the Diaries and Letters of John Hay 1988
Duncan, Kunigunde and D.F. Nickols Mentor Graham: The Man Who Taught Lincoln 1944
Fairfax County Civil War Centennial Commission Fairfax County and the War Between the States 1987
Fletcher, George P. Our Secret Constitution: How Lincoln Redefined American Democracy 2001
Fornieri, Joseph R. Abraham Lincoln: Philosopher Statesman 2014
Gary, Ralph Following in Lincoln’s Footsteps: A Complete Annotated Reference to Hundreds of Historical Sites Visited by Abraham Lincoln 2001
Goodheart, Adam 1861: The Civil War Awakening 2011
Grant, Ulysses S. Personal Memoirs 1999
Haydon, F. Stansbury Military Ballooning during the Early Civil War 2000
Herdon, William H. and Weik, Jesse William Herndon’s Life of Lincoln 1942
Holzer, Harold Lincoln and the Power of the Press 2014
Holzer, Harold Lincoln: How Abraham Lincoln Ended Slavery in America 2012
Horrocks, Thomas A. Lincoln’s Campaign Biographies 2014
Horrocks, Thomas A., Holzer, Harold, and Williams, Frank J. (Editors) The Living Lincoln 2011
Humes, James C. The Wit & Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln: A Treasury of Quotations, Anecdotes, and Observations 1999
Jorgenson, Tim Mrs. Keckly Sends Her Regards 2007
Katcher, Philip The Civil War Day By Day 201
Kirkham, Samuel Kirkham’s Grammar: The Book That Shaped Lincoln’s Prose 1999
Martin, Iain C. Worthy of Their Esteem: The Timeless Words and Sage Advice of Abraham Lincoln, America’s Greatest President 2009
Mead, Franklin B. Heroic Statues in Bronze of Abraham Lincoln 1932
Miller, Richard Lawrence Lincoln and his World: Prairie Politician 1834-1842 2008
Mills, Eric Chesapeake Bay in the Civil War 1996
O’Reilly, Bill and Zimmerman, Dwight Jon Lincoln’s Last Days: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever 2012
Percoco, James A. Summers with Lincoln: Looking For The Man in the Monuments 2008
Poleskie, Stephen The Balloonist: The Story of T.S.C. Lowe – Inventor, Scientist, Magician, and Father of the U.S. Air Force 2007
Randall, J.G. Mr. Lincoln 1957
Rice, Wallace The Lincoln Year Book ?
Riddle, Donald W. Lincoln Runs for Congress 1948
Ross, Charles Trial by Fire: Science, Technology and the Civil War 2000
Sandburg, Carl Abe Lincoln Grows Up 1956
Stashower, Daniel The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War 2013
Steiner, Mark E. An Honest Calling: The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln 2006
Stoddard, William O. Inside the White House in War Times: Memoirs and Reports of Lincoln’s Secretary 2000
Thomas, Benjamin P. Lincoln’s New Salem 1987
Thompson, Frank Abraham Lincoln: Twentieth Century Portrayals 1999
Tyrner-Tyrnauer, A.R. Lincoln and the Emperors 1962
Waugh, John C. One Man Great Enough: Abraham Lincoln’s Road to the Civil War 2007
Waugh, John C. One Man Great Enough: Abraham Lincoln’s Road to the Civil War 2007
White, Jonathan W. Emancipation, The Union Army, and the Reelection of Abraham Lincoln 2014
Widmer, Ted (Ed) The New York Times Disunion 2013
Wilson, Douglas L. Lincoln before Washington: New Perspectives on the Illinois Years 1997
Wilson, Douglas L. Lincoln’s Sword: The Presidency and the Power of Words 2006
Zeitz, Joshua Lincoln’s Boys: John Hay, John Nicolay, and the War for Lincoln’s Image 2014
Lincoln Takes Norfolk 1983
Lincoln Herald Fall 1966 1966
4 Comments

Abraham Lincoln Book Acquisitions – January to June 2014

  By

Lincoln book towerI have a lot of Abraham Lincoln books. Too many for my shelves, it seems. While I read a dozen (or two) books about our 16th President every year, the fact remains that my collection outpaces my available time. Still, it remains a joy.

I’ve previously listed the Lincoln books I acquired in 2013. In this post I’ll list the books I’ve acquired in the first half of this year. And yes, I know that June still has a couple of weeks to go, but I’ve put myself on a moratorium (of sorts), at least until the end of the month. Check out the list below.

David J. Kent is currently working on a book about Abraham Lincoln’s interest in science and technology. He is also the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and a soon-to-be-released ebook on Tesla and Renewable Energy. 

Here’s the list!

Ambrose, Stephen E. Nothing Like It In The World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad 1863-1869 2000
Bacon, Benjamin W. Sinews of War: How Technology, Industry, and Transportation Won the Civil War 1997
Barton, William E. Abraham Lincoln And His Books 1920
Borritt, Gabor (ed) The Gettysburg Nobody Knows 1999
Boritt, Gabor S. (ed) Lincoln The War President 1992
Denenberg, Barry Lincoln Shot: A President’s Life Remembered 2008
Fletcher, George P. Our Secret Constitution: How Lincoln Redefined American Democracy 2001
Gary, Ralph Following in Lincoln’s Footsteps: A Complete Annotated Reference to Hundreds of Historical Sites Visited by Abraham Lincoln 2001
Goodheart, Adam 1861: The Civil War Awakening 2011
Grant, Ulysses S. Personal Memoirs 1999
Haydon, F. Stansbury Military Ballooning during the Early Civil War 2000
Herdon, William H. and Weik, Jesse William Herndon’s Life of Lincoln 1942
Holzer, Harold Lincoln: How Abraham Lincoln Ended Slavery in America 2012
Katcher, Philip The Civil War Day By Day 201
Martin, Iain C. Worthy of Their Esteem: The Timeless Words and Sage Advice of Abraham Lincoln, America’s Greatest President 2009
Miller, Richard Lawrence Lincoln and his World: Prairie Politician 1834-1842 2008
Mills, Eric Chesapeake Bay in the Civil War 1996
Poleskie, Stephen The Balloonist: The Story of T.S.C. Lowe – Inventor, Scientist, Magician, and Father of the U.S. Air Force 2007
Randall, J.G. Mr. Lincoln 1957
Ross, Charles Trial by Fire: Science, Technology and the Civil War 2000
Sandburg, Carl Abe Lincoln Grows Up 1956
Stashower, Daniel The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War 2013
Stoddard, William O. Inside the White House in War Times: Memoirs and Reports of Lincoln’s Secretary 2000
Thomas, Benjamin P. Lincoln’s New Salem 1987
Thompson, Frank Abraham Lincoln: Twentieth Century Portrayals 1999
Waugh, John C. One Man Great Enough: Abraham Lincoln’s Road to the Civil War 2007
Widmer, Ted (Ed) The New York Times Disunion 2013
Wilson, Douglas L. Lincoln before Washington: New Perspectives on the Illinois Years 1997
Wilson, Douglas L. Lincoln’s Sword: The Presidency and the Power of Words 2006
Zeitz, Joshua Lincoln’s Boys: John Hay, John Nicolay, and the War for Lincoln’s Image 2014
Lincoln Takes Norfolk 1983
4 Comments

Abraham Lincoln Book Acquisitions for 2013

  By

Ford's Theatre Lincoln book towerThere are over 15,000 books that have been written about Abraham Lincoln. At least that’s the number that is bandied about whenever someone talks about Lincoln books. Whether that number includes books about the Civil War or just books focused on Lincoln himself is also in question. In any case, I have over 800 titles, with more than 95% specific to the man, not the war.

Over the course of this past year I’ve obtained 98 titles. A few more than usual are Civil War-centric because of research I’ve been doing for a forthcoming book, along with random availability. The books represent a wide range of publication dates and topics of study. General Halleck’s definitive 1862 treatise, Elements of Military Art and Science, which Lincoln rabidly consulted, and an 1895 edition of John A. Logan’s The Great Conspiracy (in which he argues the South had long planned secession), are both new acquisitions this year. More recent tomes include the 2013 books: Lincoln ‘by littles,’ by Lewis E. Lehrman; Lincoln Unbound, by Rich Lowry; and Congressman Lincoln, by Chris DeRose.

Classic Lincoln scholars like William Herndon, Herbert Mitgang, Ida Tarbell, and Carl Sandburg are represented, as are modern experts like Harold Holzer, Gabor Boritt, Catherine Clinton, and Douglas L. Wilson.

The latter, Douglas L. Wilson, and his colleague Rodney O. Davis, have done Abraham Lincoln scholars an invaluable service by editing Herndon’s Lincoln. Along with their companion works, Herndon’s Informants and a forthcoming book on Herndon’s letters, Wilson and Davis have not only presented the classic book by Lincoln’s law partner, they’ve enhanced its value as a research tool. Herndon’s Lincoln is the subject of our Lincoln Group of the District of Columbia book club reading right now, so I’ll have more on this topic later.

I have plans for a major undertaking that I’ll discuss in the future, but for now I’ve appended the full list of 2013 acquisitions to the bottom of this post for those who want to take a look.

David J. Kent is currently working on a book about Abraham Lincoln’s interest in science and technology. He is also the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. You can order a signed copy directly from me, download the ebook at barnesandnoble.com, and find hard copies exclusively at Barnes and Noble bookstores.

Here’s the list!

Anderson, Dwight G. Abraham Lincoln: The Quest for Immortality 1982
Barber, Lucius W. Army Memoirs of Lucius W. Barber, Company “D,” 15th Illinois Volunteer Infantrym May 24, 1861 to Sept. 30, 1865 1894
Berg, Scott W. 38 Nooses: Lincoln, Little Crow, and the Beginning of the Frontier’s End 2012
Boritt, Gabor The Gettysburg Gospel: The Lincoln Speech That Nobody Knows 2006
Boritt, Gabor S. (ed) The Lincoln Enigma: The Changing Faces of an American Icon 2001
Boothe, F. Norton Great Generals of the Civil War and Their Battles 1986
Bowman, John S. The Civil War Day By Day: An Illustrated Almanac of America’s Bloodiest War 1989
Brandt, Nat The Town That Started the Civil War 1990
Briggs, John Channing Lincoln’s Speeches Reconsidered 2005
Brown, William Wells The Negro in the American Rebellion: His Heroism and His Fidelity 1971
Brownstein, Elizabeth Smith If This House Could Talk 1999
Brownstein, Elizabeth Smith Lincoln’s Other White House: The Untold Story of the Man and His Presidency 2005
Bush, Bryan S. Lincoln and the Speeds: The Untol Story of a Devoted and Enduring Friendship 2008
Cannan, John The Crater: Burnside’s Assault on the Confederate Trenches, June 30, 1864 2002
Campbell, R. Thomas Gray Thunder: Exploits of the Confederate States Navy 1996
Catton, Bruce The American Heritage Picture History of the Civil War 1960
Catton, Bruce The Army of the Potomac: Mr. Lincoln’s Army 1962
Catton, Bruce The Army of the Potomac: Glory Road 1952
Catton, Bruce The Army of the Potomac: A Stillness at Appomattox 1953
Catton, Bruce Gettysburg: The Final Fury 1974
Clinton, Catherine Mrs. Lincoln: A Life 2009
Cooling, Benjamin Franklin, III and Walton H. Owen, II Mr. Lincoln’s Forts: A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington 1988
Cornwell, Bernard Battle Flag 1995
Cromie, Alice A Tour Guide to the Civil War: The Complete State-by-State Guide to Battlegrounds, Landmarks, Museums, Relics, and Sites (3rd Edition, Revised) 1990
Davis, William C. Rebels & Yankees: The Commanders of the Civil War 1990
Delbanco, Andrew (Ed) The Portable Abraham Lincoln 1992
DeRose, Chris Congressman Lincoln: The Making of America’s Greatest President 2013
Deutsch, Kenneth L. and Fornieri, Joseph R. (Eds) Lincoln’s American Dream: Clashing Political Perspectives 2005
Duffy, James P. Lincoln’s Admiral: The Civil War Campaigns of David Farragut 2006
Ecelbarger, Gary The Great Comeback: How Abraham Lincoln Beat the Odds to Win the 1860 Republican Nomination 2008
Eliot, Alexander Abraham Lincoln: An Illustrated Biography 1985
Eliot, Alexander Abraham Lincoln: An Illustrated Biography 1985
Epstein, Daniel Mark The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage 2008
Findley, Paul A. Lincoln: The Crucible of Congress 1979
Fletcher, George P. Our Secret Constitution: How Lincoln Redefined American Democracy 2001
Gary W. Gallagher (Ed) Fighting for the Confederacy: The Personal Recollections of General Edward Porter Alexander 1989
Gary, Ralph Following in Lincoln’s Footsteps: A Complete Annotated Reference to Hundreds of Historical Sites Visited by Abraham Lincoln 2001
Halleck, Henry Wager Elements of Military Art and Science 1862
Hartwig, D. Scott To Antietam Creek: The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 2012
Haythornthwaite, Philip Unforms of the Civil War in Color 1990
Henderson, G.F.R., C.B. Stonewall Jackson and the American Civil War 1993
Henig, Gerald S. and Niderost, Eric Civil War Firsts: The Legacies of America’s Bloodiest Conflict 2001
Herndon, William H. and Weik, Jesse William Herndon’s Life of Lincoln 1943
Hicks, Brian and Kropf, Schuyler Raising the Hunley: The Remarkable History and Recovery of the Lost Confederate Submarine 2002
Hirsch, David and Van Haften, Dan Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, and the Structure of Reason 2012
Holzer, Harold Lincoln: President-Elect: Abraham Lincoln and the Great Secession Winter 1860-1861 2008
Holzer, Harold and the New York Historical Society The Civil War in 50 Objects 2013
Illinois Central Railroad Company Abraham Lincoln As Attorney for the Illinois Central Railroad Company 1905
Jahns, Patricia Matthew Fontaine Maury & Joseph Henry: Scientists of the Civil War 1961
Jahns, Patricia Joseph Henry: Father of American Electronics 1970
Jordan, Robert Paul The Civil War 1969
Keneally, Thomas Abraham Lincoln 2003
Knauer, Kelly (Ed) Abraham Lincoln An Illustrated History of His Life and Times 2012
Kostyal, K.M. Field of Battle: The Civil War Letters of Major Thomas J. Halsey 1996
Kushner, Tony Lincoln: The Screenplay 2012
Lachman, Charles The Last Lincolns: The Rise & Fall of a Great American Family 2008
Lamon, Ward H. The Life of Abraham Lincoln; From His Birth to his Inauguration as President (Illustrated Edition) 2013
Lee, Richard M. Mr. Lincoln’s City: An Illustrated Guide to the Civil War Sites of Washington 1981
Lehrman, Lewis E. Lincoln “by littles” 2013
Lewis, Lloyd The Assassination of Lincoln: History and Myth 1994
Lind, Michael What Lincoln Believed: The Values and Convictions of America’s Greatest President 2004
Livingston, Mary P. (Ed) A Civil War Marine at Sea: The Diary of Medal of Honor Recipient Miles M. Oviatt 1998
Logan, John A. The Great Conspiracy: Its Origin and History 1895
Long, E.B. with Barbara Long The Civil War Day By Day: An Almanac: 1861-1865 1971
Lowry, Rich Lincoln Unbound: How an Ambitious Young Railsplitter Save the American Dream – And How We Can Do It Again 2013
Marvel, William (ed) The Monitor Chronicles: One Sailor’s Account: Today’s Campaign to Recover the Civil War Wreck 2000
MCPherson, James M. Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era 1988
McPherson, James M. The Negro’s Civil War: How American Blacks Felt and Acted During the War for the Union 1991
Menge, W. Springer and Shimrak, J. August The Civil War Notebook of Daniel Chisholm: A Chronicle of Daily Life in the Union Army 1864-1865 1989
Meredith, Roy Mr. Lincoln’s Camera Man: Mathew B. Brady 1974
Milton, George Fort Abraham Lincoln and the Fifth Column 1942
Mitgang, Herbert The Fiery Trial: A Life of Lincoln 1974
Mitgang, Herbert (ed) Abraham Lincoln: A Press Portrait 1971
Monaghan, Jay The Man Who Elected Lincoln 1956
Moore, Edward A. The Story of a Cannoneer Under Stonewall Jackson 1907
Morse, John T. On Becoming Abraham Lincoln: From the 1893 Biography 2008
Musicant, Ivan Divided Waters: The Naval History of the Civil War 1995
Neely, Mark E. Jr. The Last Best Hope of Earth: Abraham Lincoln and the Promise of America 1993
Nesbitt, Mark Ghosts of Gettysburg: Spirits, Apparitions and Haunted Places of the Battlefield 1991
Nofi, Albert A. (Compiler) A Civil War Journal: A Fascinating Collection of Facts, Episodes & Anecdotes 1995
Prokopowicz, Gerald J. Did Lincoln Own Slaves? And Other Frequently Asked Questions About Abraham Lincoln 2008
Redkey, Edwin S. (Ed) A Grand Army of Black Men 1992
Sandburg, Carl Abraham Lincoln: The Prairie Years and the War Years 1954
Sandburg, Carl Storm Over the Land: A Profile of the Civil War 1939, 1942
Schwartz, Gerald (Ed) A Woman Doctor’s Civil War: Esther Hill Hawks’ Diary 1984
Scripps, John Locke Vote Lincoln! The Presidential Campaign Biography of Abraham Lincoln, 1860 2010
Simson, Jay W. Naval Strategies of the Civil War: Confederate Innovations and Federal Opportunism 2001
Spiegel, Allen D. A. Lincoln: Esquire: A Shrewd, Sophisticated Lawyer in His Time 2002
Splaine, John A Companion to the Lincoln Douglas Debates 1994
Still, William N., Jr., Taylor, John M., and Delaney, Norman C. Raiders and Blockaders: The American Civil War Afloat 1998
Styple, William B. (Ed) Tell Me of Lincoln: Memories of Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War & Life in Old New York by James E. Kelly 2009
Swanson, James L. Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer 2006
Tarbell, Ida M. The Life of Abraham Lincoln 1924
Wert, Jeffry D. The Sword of Lincoln: The Army of the Potomac 2005
Wideman, John C. Naval Warfare: Courage and Combat on the Water 1997
Wilson, Douglas L. Herndon’s Informants: Letters, Interviews, and Statements about Abraham Lincoln 1998
Winkler, H. Donald Lincoln’s Ladies: The Women in the Life of the Sixteenth President 2004
Wynalda, Stephen A. 366 Days in Abraham Lincoln’s Presidency: The Private, Political, and Military Decisions of America’s Greatest President 2010
One Comment

Recent Abraham Lincoln book acquisitions

  By

Abraham LincolnJust this year alone (so far) I have acquired 19 books on Abraham Lincoln, plus two magazines focused on specific aspects of the Civil War. Most of these are recent copyrights. The seemingly old ones in the list that follows are actually more recent reprints (e.g., Halleck 1862 is not really a first edition from that era, much to my chagrin; and the Illinois Central Railroad Company 1905 is a modern disappointment).

The other dates reflect the actual age of the books. About half are confirmed first editions. Only one of the books in the list is signed, but ah, what a gem it is. Tony Kushner is the screenwriter for the Steven Spielberg Lincoln movie that won Daniel Day-Lewis his unprecedented third Best Actor Oscar. He signed a limited number of a special cloth edition (i.e., hardcover) at the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago. And I have one.

Okay, enjoy the list while I work on my proposal. Will be back soon.

Anderson, Dwight G. Abraham Lincoln: The Quest for Immortality 1982
Berg, Scott W. 38 Nooses: Lincoln, Little Crow, and the Beginning of the Frontier’s End 2012
Boritt, Gabor S. (ed) The Lincoln Enigma: The Changing Faces of an American Icon 2001
Cromie, Alice A Tour Guide to the Civil War: The Complete State-by-State Guide to Battlegrounds, Landmarks, Museums, Relics, and Sites (3rd Edition, Revised) 1990
Eliot, Alexander Abraham Lincoln: An Illustrated Biography 1985
Gary, Ralph Following in Lincoln’s Footsteps: A Complete Annotated Reference to Hundreds of Historical Sites Visited by Abraham Lincoln 2001
Halleck, Henry Wager Elements of Military Art and Science 1862
Hartwig, D. Scott To Antietam Creek: The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 2012
Hirsch, David and Van Haften, Dan Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, and the Structure of Reason 2012
Holzer, Harold Lincoln: President-Elect: Abraham Lincoln and the Great Secession Winter 1860-1861 2008
Illinois Central Railroad Company Abraham Lincoln As Attorney for the Illinois Central Railroad Company 1905
Kushner, Tony Lincoln: The Screenplay 2012
Lamon, Ward H. The Life of Abraham Lincoln; From His Birth to his Inauguration as President (Illustrated Edition) 2013
Marvel, William (ed) The Monitor Chronicles: One Sailor’s Account: Today’s Campaign to Recover the Civil War Wreck 2000
Nesbitt, Mark Ghosts of Gettysburg: Spirits, Apparitions and Haunted Places of the Battlefield 1991
Redkey, Edwin S. (Ed) A Grand Army of Black Men 1992
Spiegel, Allen D. A. Lincoln: Esquire: A Shrewd, Sophisticated Lawyer in His Time 2002
Still, William N., Jr., Taylor, John M., and Delaney, Norman C. Raiders and Blockaders: The American Civil War Afloat 1998
Wideman, John C. Naval Warfare: Courage and Combat on the Water 1997
Railroads in the War (magazine) 1991
The Hunter Becomes the Prey (magazine) 2004

More about Abraham Lincoln.

Follow me by subscribing by email on the home page.  And feel free to “Like” my Facebook author’s page and connect on LinkedIn.  Share with your friends using the buttons below.

4 Comments

Collecting Abraham Lincoln Books – A Never Ending Joy

  By

Abraham LincolnOver the years I’ve collected hundreds of books about Abraham Lincoln, though with thousands of books written about him I have a long way to go before I run out of options.  Having the money to collect more and the shelf space to store more, well, those are different questions altogether.  As of this writing (5/25/12) I have 644 titles in my collection. However, a title could be multiple volumes. For example, my 10-volume set of Nicolay and Hay’s “Abraham Lincoln: A History” published in 1890 counts only as one “title.”

Some quick numbers:

111    =     Number of books signed by the author (many directly to me)

273    =    Number of confirmed first editions

80      =    Number of first editions that are signed by the author

62      =    Number of books that have pre-1900 copyright dates

1834  =    Oldest copyright date in my collection

Of course, others have a bigger collection than I do.  Recently the Ford’s Theatre Center for Education and Leadership unveiled its 34-foot tower of Lincoln books.  While the tower repeats 205 actual titles, it holds about 6,800 books – a fraction of the estimated 15,000 books written about Lincoln.

Ford's Theatre Lincoln book tower

Clearly I need to step up the pace of my book collecting.

Check out my Abraham Lincoln page.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the feed on the top right of the home page.