Paul Angle, the noted Lincoln scholar, selected passages from the works on contemporaries, later biographers & even Lincoln himself, to form a composite portrait of one of the wisest & most beloved American presidents. These passages, interwoven by Angle's running commentary, blend into a single vivid narrative of Lincoln's life, from his boyhood in Indiana to his assassination & funeral. First published in 1947, The Lincoln Reader has long been considered the most definitive, complete & authentic retelling of the life of Abraham Lincoln.Preface Kentucky childhoodYouth in IndianaNew Salem The DeWitt Clinton of IllinoisAttorney & Counsellor at LawRomance & marriage Mr. Lincoln of Illinois Leader of the Illinois bar The house of eighth street Rebirth in politics: 1854-58The great debates "The taste is in my mouth a little": nomination, 1860 Candidate & president electThe new president The momentous issueThe war begins Search for a generalEmancipation Life in the White House Gettysburg Years of victory The second electionPeace Death & a people's grief Epilogue