The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery

Winnerofthe2011PulitzerPrizeforHistoryWinnerofthe2011BancroftPrizeFromamasterhistorian,thestoryofLincoln's—andthenation's—transformationthroughthecrucibleofslaveryandemancipation.Inthislandmarkworkofdeepscholarshipandinsight,EricFonergivesusthedefinitivehistoryofLincolnandtheendofslaveryinAmerica.FonerbeginswithLincoln'syouthinIndianaandIllinoisandfollowsthetrajectoryofhiscareeracrossanincreasinglytenseandshiftingpoliticalterrainfromIllinoistoWashington,D.C.Although"naturallyanti-slavery"foraslongashecanremember,LincolnscrupulouslyholdstothepositionthattheConstitutionprotectstheinstitutionintheoriginalslavestates.Butthepoliticallandscapeistransformedin1854whentheKansas-NebraskaActmakestheexpansionofslaveryanationalissue.Amanofconsideredwordsanddeliberateactions,Lincolnnavigatesthedynamicpoliticsdeftly,takingmeasuredsteps,oftenalongapathforgedbyabolitionistsandradicalsinhisparty.LincolnrisestoleadershipinthenewRepublicanPartybycalibratinghispoliticstothebroadestpossibleantislaverycoalition.Aspresidentofadividednationandcommanderinchiefatwar,displayingasimilarcompoundofpragmatismandprinciple,LincolnfinallyembraceswhathecallstheCivilWar's"fundamentalandastounding"result:theimmediate,uncompensatedabolitionofslaveryandrecognitionofblacksasAmericancitizens.Foner'sLincolnemergesasaleader,onewhosegreatnessliesinhiscapacityformoralandpoliticalgrowththroughrealengagementwithalliesandcriticsalike.Thispowerfulworkwilltransformourunderstandingofthenation'sgreatestpresidentandtheissuethatmatteredmost.