The Case of Abraham Lincoln, Julie M. Fenster
The Case of Abraham Lincoln, Julie M. Fenster
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The Case of Abraham Lincoln
A Story of Adultery, Murder, and the Making of a Great President

Author: Julie M. Fenster, Douglas Brinkley

Narrator: Hillary Huber

Unabridged: 8 hr 14 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/01/2007

Synopsis

In 1856, Abraham Lincoln was at a difficult point, personally. Depressed, edgy, and often despondent, he had grown bored with his work as a lawyer. He saw himself as a former congressman with little future in politics. Then in May of 1856, he became drawn to the case of the gruesome murder of a blacksmith named George Anderson. Lincoln was asked to take part in the case, and he did so with zeal. The Anderson case reflected a dark world hidden within the optimism and innocence of the young Illinois city of Springfield. With the Anderson murder, Lincoln’s legal skills were challenged as never before, and it became the case that defined his legal career.This book takes one from the mystery of the Anderson case, as investigated by Abraham Lincoln, to the mystery of Lincoln, as investigated by the author.

About Julie M. Fenster

Julie M. Fenster is a New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and historian. Her books include Packard, The Pride and Ether Day, The Strange Tale of America’s Greatest Medical Discovery, and the Haunted Men Who Made It, among others. She has written for American Heritage, the New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times.

About Douglas Brinkley

Douglas Brinkley is an acclaimed historian and award-winning author of many books, including six New York Times bestsellers. The Chicago Tribune dubbed him “America’s New Past Master.” His book The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast received the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award. He was awarded a Grammy for Presidential Suite and his two-volume, annotated Nixon Tapes recently won the Arthur S. Link–Warren F. Kuehl Prize. Other awards he has won include the Frances K. Hutchison Medal, Robin W. Winks Award for Enhancing Public Understanding of National Parks, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Lifetime Heritage Award. He is the recipient of seven honorary doctorates in American studies.

About Hillary Huber

Hillary Huber is one of the most successful voice talents in Los Angeles. Recent books read for Blackstone Audio include Him, Her, Him Again, the End of Him by Patricia Marx, A Field of Darkness by Cornelia Read, and A Map of Glass by Jane Urquhart.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Nathan on June 22, 2017

It should go without saying that there are a lot of books about Abraham Lincoln [1], many of which I have read and reviewed.  Perhaps some might argue that there are far too many, but I have generally found the books to be worthwhile and this book is no exception.  The author here follows a familiar......more

Goodreads review by Jrobertus on August 19, 2012

The cover blurb suggests that Abe was involved in a sensational murder case, and indeed this is ultimately true. However, the book is really about his wide range of legal cases and his role in building the Republican party in Illinois. It was interesting in its own right, but clearly the author felt......more

Goodreads review by Paul on May 28, 2024

The title--The Case of Abraham Lincoln: A Story of Adultery, Murder, and the Making of a Great President--is misleading. I thought the book was going to be about a legal case that propelled Lincoln to the Presidency. Perhaps a better title would have been 1856: A Year in the Life of Abraham Lincoln.......more

Goodreads review by dejah_thoris on September 28, 2017

Read as an audiobook. I never learned much about Lincoln's earlier years before he starting running for President and his years as a lawyer are barely touched upon in most history courses, so this book was great for filling that gap. It also includes a sensational and potentially scandalous trial of......more

Goodreads review by History7teacher on March 04, 2022

I love reading about Abraham Lincoln! This book centers on Lincoln during the birth of the Republican Party in Illinois and the campaign of 1856. The author deftly follows Lincoln from Whig to Republican, from locally known to nationally known, and from lawyer to party spokesman. The transition was......more

Quotes

“[A] meticulous and intimate look at the legendary Lincoln.” Publishers Weekly

“Fenster’s rhythms have Twain-like timing…Grandiloquent statements, dark adumbrations of the president-to-be, or the tragedies with which his name is now inescapably entwined are not necessary. Fenster knows that.” Library Journal (starred review, editor’s pick)

“Narrator Hillary Huber pays attention to facts and detail as she’s reading but still injects some conversational personality into the narration. Fenster’s portrait of a principled ‘master lawyer’ who put those principles into action as a foe of slavery is a fascinating new look at one of our country’s most important figures.” AudioFile

“Fenster illustrates Lincoln’s emergence as a cagey politician and eloquent antislavery voice with an enhanced national reputation. This is a worthy addition to our ever-expanding knowledge concerting America’s secular saint.” Booklist

“An unexpected, odd-angle approach to Lincoln that proves marvelously insightful.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“The microview Fenster offers of both Lincoln's life and the daily experience in mid-19th century Springfield is fascinating...Fenster does an excellent job of allowing us to watch [Lincoln] grow, almost as if by time-lapse photography...a gem indeed.” Christian Science Monitor

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