The Unpopular Mr. Lincoln: The Story of the Most Reviled President
It is common knowledge that one needs thick skin to enter politics. The subtitle of this book alludes to that fact. With this in mind it is safe to say that Abraham Lincoln had the skin of a crocodile. Tagg bombards us with 473 pages of text on the most negative aspects of political rhetoric in American history, and he does it in a very systematic manner, using the chronological method of order. This helps to keep the story in perspective and allows the reader to view the results as they occur. I found this helpful in judging the effects and results of the verbiage. I was most interested in the section on the creation of the Committee on the Conduct of the War and its relationship to the Radical Republicans, Lincoln’s policies on waging war and his relationship with Gen. George B. McClellan. Tagg well documents his narrative but unfortunately uses a quote system to footnote his research. I much prefer the old numbered system. Nevertheless, this is a well-written and edited book. Much to its credit, it is devoid of an author’s opinion and presents the information in a straightforward manner. I learned much, in particular how Lincoln’s confidence grew in his policies despite the never- ceasing torrent of criticism, much more of which came from the Republicans as opposed to the Democrats. However, despite all that I took away from this book, it was not an easy read. I found it redundant and kept asking myself “when will it end?” There is much to read, perhaps too much. Although this book is a valuable addition to the Lincoln library, and a must for serious students, my advice is to read it in spurts. Set it aside and come back to it later. It will not affect your overall opinion, as it is not the type of book that requires constant attention. This may help you to savor the story and not be tempted to quit. There is a real danger here of the reader being overwhelmed by the vast quantity of negative commentary detailed within its pages. The information on the effects of political rhetoric is much too important to be ignored. Reviewer: Joseph A. Truglio Joseph A. Truglio is president and business agent for a motion picture film technicians local union and a lifelong student of the Civil War. His memberships include the Lincoln Group of New York and New Jersey Civil War Heritage Assn. He is president of the Phil Kearny Civil War Round Table in Wayne, N.J.
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Illustrated, index, bibliography, 554 pp., 2009. Savas Beatie, P.O. Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762, $32.95 plus shipping.