A melancholy poet battles tragedy, abuse, and self-doubt to keep a sacred promise.
Included in the Lincoln Collection of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library.
Seven-year-old Abraham Lincoln's boyhood dies when his father drags their family from the relative comfort of Kentucky into an unforgiving Indiana wilderness. While suffering rebuke for teaching himself to read and write, Abraham endures rumors of illegitimate birth, escapes death a half-dozen times, labors to repay his father's debts, and grieves the deaths of his infant brother, angel mother, precious sister, and beloved sweetheart.
By his early thirties, he casts off his parents' religion, becomes estranged from his closest friend, breaks an engagement to marry a woman he doesn't love, and loses faith in his own character. He spirals into life-threatening depression. Unable to keep a pledge made to his dying mother to become someone special, he wrestles with self-doubt, abandons politics, and resigns himself to a life of mediocrity. But when his long-time rival opens the door for slavery's expansion across half the globe, Lincoln faces the greatest challenge of his life--his beloved country is on the brink of collapse.
Grounded in historical record, the story is enriched by insights gleaned from the works of prominent Lincoln biographers.
Excerpt
About noon one day, Mother returns to our cabin—not much more than a skeleton now—exhausted from tending the sick. She nods at Father, and for once he seems to know her thoughts. He takes down a whipsaw from the wall and turns to me. “Come along, Abraham.” I follow him to the log pile and watch as he examines several specimens. He selects one and motions for me to help. We lift it off the stack and set it on the ground.
Next, he picks up the saw and tells me to grab one end. First, I rub my clammy hands on my pants.
As we begin cutting the log into boards, I ask if we need Cousin Dennis’ help.
Father says to let him be.
My throat tightens. “Are Uncle Thomas and Aunt Betsey getting better?”
Father yanks on his end of the saw.
I barely hang on to mine. I don’t repeat my question, not wanting to hear him confirm what I dread to know—they’re already dead and Mother’s time is coming soon.
When we’re done sawing the first log, he chooses another that we cut into more boards. We repeat the process again until Father decides we’ve made enough, and he shows me how to bore holes in the planks. As I proceed, he whittles pegs from scraps he digs out of the trim pile.
Once finished, we assemble the boards into two long, narrow boxes. Tears trickle down my cheeks. The boxes remind me of the one little Tommy was put in to be buried.
I return to the cabin and sit on the bed beside Mother, taking her hands in mine. They’re cool. Her forehead is chilled, more so than the time weeks ago.
“Fetch me a pail.” She winces and clutches her stomach.
Professional Reviews
Midwest Book Reviews
Lincoln Raw is a deftly written biographical novel of extraordinary complexity that will leave the reader fully entertained and reflecting on it long after this outstanding book has been finished and set back upon the shelf. This is the stuff of which block-buster movies are made!
Available Now! Rated 5 ***** by readers and listeners.
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Joli Stewart is raised in the lap of luxury on her father's plantation near Charleston, South Carolina. High spirited, non-traditional and head strong, Joli refuses to accept any interference in her life or her romantic decisions. Follow her life dur
Available Now! Rated 5 ***** by readers and listeners.
Sweet Revenge is a romantic tale of a spirited woman and a lusty bloke. However, can they both fight against their bitterness for each other to free up their passions?
