The last best hope of earth Book

Competent and well researched history book that dealt with the surrounding history of Lincoln's contemporaries as much as with Lincoln himself. Though the book touches on some aspects of Lincoln's personal philosophies, it's title gives the impression that the reader will be taken into the mind of Lincoln, and that rarely happens here. It sets itself up to be a penetrating biography, but there is little new here. At times Lincoln seems almost incidental to what is being discussed.