He was unique: And Then There Was Light by Jon Meacham

#AndThereWasLight #NetGalley

Jon Meacham is the highly regarded author of a number of biographies; among these are books on Jefferson, John Lewis and Andrew Jackson. Now Meacham has turned his attention to one of the country’s best known presidents. Here is a fascinating look back at Lincoln and his divisive times. Oh, so many, wish that we had a leader like him now.

This book is long and one that a reader may approach in a slow and steady manner. There is so much to savor here. There are many Lincolns within these pages; thre is a public man of strong morals who got to the presidency from what many saw as inauspicious beginnings. Lincoln was also a private man; his wife was a complex woman and so was his marriage. In addition, Lincoln knew private grief through the death of his son. Lincoln was a leader in wartime, a man who kept a battered country together. There is so much that can be learned from him. I am aware that I am just skimming the surface here. Read this book to learn more for yourself.

Those who enjoy autobiography and those who want to reflect on other troubled times in U.S. history, will want to have this book on their shelves.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 18 October 2022

720 pages

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

“In his captivating new book, Jon Meacham has given us the Lincoln for our time. And There Was Light brilliantly interweaves the best of gripping narrative history with a deeper search for the complex interplay among morality, politics, and power in a life, in a democracy, and in an America ripped apart over slavery. Here Meacham takes us to the heart of the president who shaped events at ‘the existential hour.’ In doing so, he fortifies us to meet our own.”—Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

“Biography at its best, the great historian Barbara Tuchman wrote, paints an intimate portrait of an individual which simultaneously provides a sweeping view of history. With this deep, compelling work, Jon Meacham has achieved this gold standard. Written with wisdom and grace, his story of Lincoln’s complex moral journey to Emancipation mirrors America’s long quest to live up to its founding ideals.”—Doris Kearns Goodwin