I've concluded that the epic of Mr. Lovejoy, a contemporary of Abraham Lincoln, is about a man who didn't know when to quit. Former U.S. Senator from Illinois, Paul Simon, has formulated a fast reading, riveting rendition of the way too brief life of this "glutton for punishment." Simon's account coincides well with the embarrassing story presented in Alton,IL these days. Still, I was left with questions, like "Why didn't Reverend Lovejoy move on?" "Was Lovejoy the catalyst for the American Civil War rather than John Brown?" and "Why was Abraham Lincoln's duel in Alton cancelled?" I found the answers by visiting the city where the final months of this anti-slavery newspaper editor's life transpired. The tale of Elijah P. Lovejoy, although 165 years old, gave me plenty of food for thought. If you want to know more there are other books. If you want the gist, this volume will serve you well.