Pulitzer prize winning biographer Jon Meacham has chosen Abraham Lincoln as the subject of his newest book "And There Was Light." I am a long time reader of Meacham's books, as they are always well researched and beautifully written.
Much has been written about Lincoln, but Meacham quotes Bram Stoker as saying that no one in the future can ever really know Lincoln. Yet we continue to try.
Meacham's contribution to our continued study of Lincoln the man and the politican shows readers that Lincoln was not a perfect person, but one who had to work within the system he lived in, sometimes acting strictly for political reasons, as politicians have always had to do.
Meacham makes many references to Lincoln's early life and what influenced his moral and religious beliefs. His relationship with his religion and with God evolved throughout Lincoln's life, especially after the death of his son Willie.
Meacham cites W.E.B. DuBois in 1922 saying about Lincoln, " 'I love him not because he was perfect but because he was not and yet triumphed'."

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy for review. "And There Was Light" is a very readable addition to our study of Abraham Lincoln.

This is the second book of Meacham's that I have read. I requested a review copy of this book because I had enjoyed Franklin & Winston so much. That book was an intimate portrait of a friendship between Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, providing a detailed look into the character of each man and how the two became close during World War II. So when I saw he was writing about Abraham Lincoln, I jumped at the chance.

Unlike Franklin & Winston, this book reads more like a philosophical treatise. I did enjoy learning how Lincoln's religious, moral, and political philosophies developed over his lifetime-particularly with respect to the fundamental issue of his time: slavery, and in turn, liberty and equality. From his youth in poverty in the midwest countryside to his career as a lawyer in Illinois, to, of course, the presidency, we are given a painstakingly detailed view of how Lincoln toed the line between his personal religious and moral view of slavery with political expediency. We read about how Lincoln grappled with how to save the Union, and how to bring the American people, who were overwhelmingly (of course) so prejudiced toward the slaves and generally unwilling to sacrifice their lives to end slavery, along with him into concluding that the end of slavery was just, and the realization of the self-evident truths contained in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal was a cause worth dying for.

Where this fell short for me, however, was the length and repetitiveness. Meacham repeats the main premise over, and over, and over again: Lincoln wasn't perfect, he wasn't willing to say that the races were equal, but then he wanted to end slavery, but not while sacrificing peace, he was driven by the words of the Declaration of Independence, and so on and so forth, almost ad nauseum. Yes, Lincoln's religious, moral, and political views changed over time, but we are told some of the same views repeatedly. I think this narrative would have been better served in demonstrating how Lincoln achieved (or failed) in changing the hearts and minds of his fellow Americans. This is touched on in the text, but in my opinion, not enough. And the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment itself is almost glossed over entirely (approximately two or three paragraphs in total!!). But overall I think this an interesting entry into the vast array of writings on Lincoln because of its focus on Lincoln's personal moral philosophy and how he attempted to translate those philosophies into action, even when at times he appeared to stand alone.

Jon Meacham is one of our greatest living historians and this book is a welcome addition to his catalog! With everything going on in the country today, it was refreshing to read about this side of Lincoln.

If you’re ever thinking about reading a history of Abraham Lincoln, Jon Meacham‘s new book is the one you should read. Incredibly well researched and full of details, large and small. This book is quite dense when it comes to facts, and admittedly long, but it is worth it to go through the various stages of Lincoln’s life. It was interesting to see the formative years and experiences that made Lincoln who he was. As time goes on, we view history differently and can interpret it. Meacham’s “And There Was Light” does that well. Of course we know the ultimate end to Lincoln, but he will continue to intrigue and inspire Americans for decades to come.

Every Jon Meacham publication is an event, but this Lincoln bio is one the history lovers in your
life will especially relish. Few figures loom larger than the Kentucky-born 16th president. In the hands of the Pulitzer Prize winning author and storyteller, this intimate portrait of a man who held fast to humane ideals in the most challenging of circumstances feels especially resonant. As Meacham promises: “In him, we can engage not only the possibilities and the limitations of the presidency, but the possibilities and limitations of America itself.” That’s the sound of a book meeting the moment.

I am a history buff. I got into it starting in the fifth grade, and ironically it was reading about the Civil War era that got the ball rolling. I particularly enjoyed reading about Abraham Lincoln, and since then I've read numerous books about his life. For the most part, I've enjoyed what I read. But there are a few that I couldn't get through. Jon Meacham's 'And Then There Was Light' is one I couldn't get through. I have 2 of his other works - one on Jefferson and the other on Jackson - and I couldn't finish them either. Detailed biographies are not a bad thing. It's the writing style that carries the book. Meacham's writing style is just not my cup of tea. I can finally accept this. I wish I could say otherwise.

Jon Meacham is a national treasure. His superbly researched AND THEN THERE WAS LIGHT is a thoughtful, gorgeously written, and even-handed addition to a section of the library/bookstore already groaning with Lincoln biographies. But Meacham's work shines above the rest--history with the color and pacing of fiction. Highly recommended!

My thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for the opportunity and pleasure of an early read.

This is another excellent presidential biography by the author. Lincoln has recently come under attack by both the far left and the far right for wither being a racist or an early woke person. Meacham destroys both sides with his inciteful and interesting biography. It is well written and researched. If you are a fan of Abraham Lincoln or presidential biographies this is a must read.

I received a free ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog

Mr. Meacham has provided us with a biography of Lincoln for our current times. He shines light on the Lincoln story in areas not previously illuminated. It is the first post Trump Era biography and you can tell. He explores the difficulty that occurred in counting the electoral votes in 1860 with more depth than previous biographies. It is not as in depth a biography as previous ones .Ike Ronald White's or David Donald but it's emphasis in other areas makes it a valuable addition to any complete study of Lincoln. His exp.oration of some of the readings that influenced Lincoln’s thought is particularly valuable.

“And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle,” by Jon Meacham (ISBN 9780553393965), publication date 25 October2022, is a riveting book that easily earns five stars.

This is a “can’t put it down” book that reveals Abraham Lincoln in ways that this avid reader has rarely experienced. It almost goes without saying that a life’s influences and story always begin at the beginning. I say “almost” because all too often, a person’s story is presented only via the great events that occurred (often late} in a person’s adult life. In that, much is lost, land that is what too often happens. Happily, with “And There Was Light,” that is definitely not the case, and all is revealed. Here, we learn deeply of Lincoln, and we learn that a person can be both human and great—despite low beginnings, great challenges, and even anguish and tragedy.

We also learn that what seem to be inconsistencies, e.g., regarding emancipation, really reflects the ongoing struggle between his lifelong penchant for being realistic and his heart-felt desire for progress regarding this most difficult of issues. In this, we learn deeply of the influences that shaped his feelings, thinking, and his persona. For example, we are told that the Bible informed him in fundamental ways even though he was not a “church-goer.”

We become aware that other people (e.g., Frederick Douglas) and writings that irrevocably shaped him, e.g., Lindley Murray’s “English Reader” (published in the early 19th Century), about which Lincoln said in his later years, “Murray’s English Reader was the best schoolbook in the hand of American youth.” After reading the author Meacham’s excerpts from it, I now have it (and Lindley’s “English Grammar”) and will read them to learn more of what fundamentally shaped Lincoln. In short, the myth is stripped away, and we learn of Lincoln the man, and we are not disappointed. Jon Meacham has exquisitely revealed Lincoln to us, and we are better for it.

Sincere thanks to the author, and Random House Publishing Group, for granting this reviewer the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy (ARC), and thanks to NetGalley for helping to make that possible.

For those predisposed to admire Abraham Lincoln, this book is like a warm, cozy blanket. It can be appreciated as a reassuring “Great Man of History” Dad book, which makes it destined to appear under many a Christmas tree this year.

But Meacham has a bigger purpose here than simply telling a comforting civic bedtime story. While the book is a throwback of sorts in its veneration of Lincoln, in many ways, this is the Lincoln book that our current times demand - it's a corrective that aims to restore Lincoln to his exalted status, quietly rebuking those on the far left who explicitly reject him, and those on the far right who more implicitly do so.

Much of the book is an argument against the newly-fashionable assertion that Lincoln was really a racist who cared far more about Union than abolition, and whose name and likeness should therefore be removed from places of public prominence. Meacham encourages these critics to understand Lincoln rather than cancel him, by emphasizing his morality, pointing out just how much he was able to accomplish, and how much better off we are today because of it.

“To chart Lincoln's lifelong moral and political course on slavery and equality is not to sing his praises as if he were the hero of an epic poem," Meacham acknowledges. Lincoln was not "otherworldly, or saintly, or savior-like, but... an imperfect man seeking to bring a more perfect Union into being."

After getting these necessary caveats out of the way, though, Meacham doesn’t actually spend much time examining Lincoln’s imperfections. Instead, he confronts and explains Lincoln's most problematic positions, one by one, such as:

● His comments on race that offend our modern sensibilities (these raise “difficult questions,” Meacham allows, before ultimately arguing that Lincoln was a man of his times who sometimes said unfortunate things about racial equality in order to make his antislavery views more palatable to a white, racist public).

● His support for colonizing freed slaves overseas (not because he wanted to be rid of them, but because he feared the races would never be able to peacefully coexist).

● His famous letter to Horace Greeley, in which he seemed to suggest he’d be fine with slavery if it meant the Union would be preserved (the letter “might seem callous but was in fact well calibrated," Meacham writes, since "without Union there could be no emancipation").

● And the selection of the racist Andrew Johnson as his re-election running mate (not Lincoln’s choice, Meacham points out, and it was a purely political calculation and not an endorsement of Johnson’s integrity).

Regardless of Lincoln’s personal views on race or the way he expressed himself, Meacham emphasizes that Lincoln stuck to his antislavery convictions, resisted compromise, and his determination never wavered, only his tactics did in the service of winning the war and preserving the Union.

So there you have it, Lincoln-statue-puller-downers.

But what of those on the other far end of the political spectrum, who lay claim to the party of Lincoln but reject his egalitarianism, embrace the Lost Cause and project a Christian nationalist view of politics and history? Meacham’s response to them is less explicit but no less potent, as he makes the case that such a worldview is, well, not very Christian at all.

While Lincoln was averse to organized religion and expressed skepticism of Christianity, Meacham points out (albeit repeatedly, and perhaps at more length than necessary) that he was a man of faith nonetheless, whose moralism was rooted in the Christian tradition and who increasingly used Biblical allusions to make his moral arguments. It was his moral opposition to slavery that fueled his rise to the presidency. And emancipation, the high point of his presidency, was the epitome of turning those moral beliefs into policy, of “doing the right thing, for practical reasons.”

Those who might turn to religion today to reject what Lincoln stood for - just as many Confederates did at the time - are, Meacham suggests, simply mistaken.

Throughout the book, whether he’s defending Lincoln from the left or from the right, the common thread is an emphasis on the morality behind Lincoln’s decision making. The political, legal and pragmatic calculations that he had to consider are not given as much attention. Generally, Meacham is more interested in Lincoln’s motives than his tactics.

So he’s quick to glide over parts of Lincoln’s life story that don’t directly support his thesis. Stories of Lincoln's youth come straight from William Herndon's telling and are recounted without caveats or question. Lincoln’s entire legal career is summarized in a couple of paragraphs. Meacham touches very lightly on Mary Lincoln’s moods and misdeeds, and only in the context of portraying Lincoln as having the patience of Job and the compassion of Christ himself in dealing with her. And Lincoln’s rise to the presidency is so swift, it ends up appearing inevitable - in one paragraph, he’s considered a dark horse for the Republican nomination; two paragraphs later, he’s the nominee.

This might be more forgiveable if the book’s narrower focus was more apparent up front. Instead, it’s rather less sweeping than its heft and description might suggest. The book does technically fulfill its promise to “chronicle the life of Abraham Lincoln,” in the sense that it hits all the highlights of a standard Lincoln biography, but it does so in a concise and fairly conventional way. That’s partly because the book’s 700+ pages contain only 400+ pages of narrative. Yes, that means there are about 300 pages of end notes and bibliographical material. Which is a lot! So it's certainly thoroughly-researched and well-documented, but that may be the largest source notes-to-narrative page count ratio I’ve ever seen in a book, even for Meacham. All of which is to say, the book is much shorter and more specific in the treatment of its subject than it may first appear.

The book’s introduction states that Lincoln "has much to teach us in a twenty-first-century moment of polarization, passionate disagreement, and differing understandings of reality." I suppose linking historical narratives to modern times is de rigueur for a work of popular history, so as to appeal to a mass readership who might otherwise be turned off by stories about a bunch of old dead guys from dusty old history books. But Meacham avoids making too many then-and-now comparisons, or offering “don’t worry, we’ve come through tough times before and we can do it again” platitudes.

But he does circle back to modern times in his conclusion, with a caution against “politics divorced from conscience.” We are living in very different times today than Lincoln did. But if this book helps to refute and drown out some of the noise from the anti-Lincoln extremes, perhaps there is something our modern-day leaders can learn from Lincoln after all.

The number of books written about Abraham Lincoln are about equal to the sands of the sea. How is it that there’s a new angle? Jon Meacham’s exquisite prose and respect for the subject emanate from every page. His treatment of the spiritual elements of the late President’s life are illuminating and thought-provoking. There are new ways to look at Lincoln and Mecham has done a masterful job of doing just that. This is a must read. Thanks to #RandomHouse and #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this book #AndThereWasLight