William Gienapp's Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America answers a longstanding need for a biography of Lincoln manageable in size, accessible in style, and wise and balanced in content. Lincoln appers on every page of the book and is never lost sight of in the welter of events. He emerges from the text a real believable person, an individual and persuasive assessment of Lincoln's leadership abilities, the finest such appraisal avilable anywhere.

This book is a welcome addition ot the already crowded Lincolnia bookself. The author is the presumed successor to the retired David Herbert Donald at Harvard University. Gienapp has produced a highly readable and concise version of a Lincoln biography that can be completed on a moderately long airplane trip(and it's quite portable unlike most hardcover books). While relatively short,this book is a sufficiently thorough treatment of the Civil War Lincoln. I especially enjoyed the author's analysis of the politician Lincoln who mastered his rivals, both Republican and Democrat. This a good book for either a new Lincoln /Civil War "buff" or a good refresher for a scholar of the times.

This short book examines the value of the popular saying, "In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity." It is specifically examined in light of the controversies within the United Methodist Church, although the insights found in this book would apply to any Christian. This book has given me a greater appreciation for this vital saying, while also expanding my understanding of how it is not as easily applied as one might think. What are essentials? What are non-essentials? How do we love those who do not hold to essentials? How do we decide? These are great questions to ponder in light of our Lord's call to unity. This book is a good start to the discussion.