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Abraham Lincoln: the Great Emancipator, savior of the Union, and revered national hero. Jefferson Davis: defender of slavery, leader of a lost cause, and forlorn object of scorn. Both Lincoln and Davis remain locked in the American psyche as iconic symbols of victory and defeat. They presided over a terrible war that decided the fate of slavery and severely tested each man's resolve and potential for greatness. But, as Brian Dirck shows, such images tend to obscure the larger visions that compelled both men to pursue policies and actions that resulted in such a devastating national tragedy.Going well beyond most conventional accounts, Dirck examines Lincoln's and Davis's respective ideas concerning national identity, highlighting the strengths and shortcomings of each leader's worldview.



About the Author

Brian R. Dirck

He has since focused most of his attention on Abraham Lincoln. He edited and contributed to a collection of essays entitled "Lincoln Emancipated: The President and the Politics of Race." In 2007 he published "Lincoln the Lawyer," an overview of Lincoln's legal career. "Lincoln the Lawyer" was awarded the Benjamin Barondess Award from the New York Civil War Roundtable for the best book published on Abraham Lincoln in 2007. In 2012 he published "Lincoln and the Constitution," as part of the Concise Lincoln Library Series, and "Lincoln and White America," an analysis of Lincoln's views concerning white supremacy and racism.



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