5 comments about Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Execution.

1. This is more of a picture book than a text-laden history book, but it's the appeal of the many photos, pictures, illustrations, and even cartoons that make this book a fascinating one to read. The book includes photos of all the conspirators, in life as well as death, along with other interesting details such as a letter Booth wrote as a teenager. Today few remember that John Wilkes Booth was the teenage heart-throb of his day, making it all the more shocking when he was involved in the assassination.
   
   The details of the trial sound like something from some fantastic kangaroo court, not the U.S. For example, the defense had no time to marshall their case, interview or call witnesses, or even to meet much with their clients. The jury was composed of generals and military men, not civilians, and their decision would be final, with no right of appeal.There were indeed judges in the courtroom, but they were watching from the audience.
   
   The public and the press constantly talked about their favorite conspirators, of which the young, handsome and dashing looking Lewis Powell was the favorite, who attempted to kill secretary of state William Seward with a Bowie knife on the night of the assassination, rather than the president, but was foiled. Even the decision of who to prosecute left many questions unanswered, as several suspects with far more incriminating evidence weren't even brought to trial, whereas others with less evidence were tried and executed. The authors suggest that this might have had more to do with who actually plotted the murder vs. who was involved with post-assassination attempts to shelter Booth.
   
   However, it's the stunning visual presentation here rather than the now well known history that is the star here. This book will be enjoyed by any history or Americana buffs or anyone interested in a well done presentation of a unique event in our history.



2. James Swanson has done a super job at presenting Lincoln's assassins thru the the use of pictures of the individuals as well as documents of the time. An excellent source for teachers dealing with the capture, trial, and execution of those associated with Lincoln's assassination.



3. This text dovetails nicely with Swanson's recent effort "Manhunt", but more from an artifact perspective than a written one. Many of the pictures are one-of-a-kind, especially Alexander Gardner's entire collection from the courtyard at the D.C. prison where the conspirators were hung. Again, this is not a complete text (nor does it aspire to be), but a great addition to any historical collection regarding the Lincoln assasination.



4. I saw James Swanson giving a speech about his other book "Manhunt" and found him fascinating to listen to. he knew facts that I had never heard before and could describe them with such detail I felt like I was watching it happen. I read "Manhunt" and was thrilled to have the details of those twelve days come to life. When I saw this book I snatched it up as quickly as I could. It is the perfect book for both the avid reader and for those who like to look at artifacts and photographs of the era. This is by far my new favorite Civil War book (and I have many). James and Daniel did an excellent job of laying out the story then showing artifacts and pictures from the event. I've looked at this book for hours and am only through the second chapter! Not that it's hard to get through, just fun to look at and read.



5. 
   This has to be one of the most fascinating ,interesting ,and probably the most factual treatment of the trial and execution of the assassins of President Lincoln.
   There are several reasons that this book is so outstanding.It's large size,9 1/2 X 12 inches is required to do the photographs justice.The paper, quality,printing ,color reproduction and overall construction are supurb.The two authors are outstanding in their knowledge and long time interest in the subject.It has a selected bibliography that must be as good as one will find on the subject.The organization of the book makes it a clear ,concise and easily absorbed chronology of events that was probably even more captivating in its day than the period after the Assassination of President Kennedy.
   The book also shows, as a besides, the difference in the art of photography in 1865 compared to what we have come to take for granted today or in the time of Kennedy's assassination. The fact that newspapers did not even have the ability to print a photograph. Photographs were not even available until several days after taken,and forget about color photography then. Come the advances in 100 years and we watched events live and in our living rooms with the assassination of JFK.
   Compare this advancement in recording and speedy dissipating of information with the regression of and the drawn out, convoluting that takes place in the legal and justice that has become the norm today. Absolutely amazing in both cases.A few weeks and negligable expense in the case of Lincoln and years and untold millions with Kennedy.There has been great advances in the information processes and just the opposite in the legal and justice process.
   Getting back to how the assassination is covered in this book. The authors have been able to make the reader feel that they were living at the time the event took place and convey what it might have felt to witness those great events taking place.There have been many books on the subject,and it was complicated;but the authors have boiled it down to the essentials.The hundreds of photographs,illustrations,reproductions and illustrations are a real treasure trove that have been collected and assembled in a way that obviously must have talen taken lot of time ,knowledge and contacts.
   If you want a book that details the capture,trial and execution of President Lincoln,in a clear,concise way;look no further --this is the book you are looking for.

5 comments about With Malice Toward None: A Life of Abraham Lincoln.

1. Professor Oates in my opinion did an outstanding job in the biography he did on Lincoln. While it is not as verbose as Donald's, it was well written and to be honest I could not set the book down. For anyone who does not have the time to read a larger volumn on Lincoln I suggest Oates. If you have time then I suggest you read both and also read "Team of Rivals. They are all outstanding volumns. This biography though is articulate, a good length and at times you can see the great passions in Lincoln the boy from Kentucky, the youth in Illnois and the 16 President of the United States. I give it a 5 stars a must read for any history student and I think a must for every American.



2. Consider the great biographies of Lincoln: Nicolay and Hay,[10 volumes] his secretaries, Carl Sandburg's Abraham Licoln [6 volumes], Benjamin's single volume and all those that preceed and follow this, you must conclude this is the best single volume biography of Abraham Lincoln, indeeed the best general biography of the President and the man. The closest rival is Carwardine's Lincoln which deals in depth in one aspect of his life. WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE IS THE BEST INTRODUCTION TO THAT COMPLEX MAN AND HIS TIME AND ACHEIVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO DATE.



3. This book generated controversy among Lincoln scholars. The general reading public, however, will probably enjoy both the book's prose and its story. Regardless of whether there is much, or anything, new in the volume, its account of Lincoln is told with flair. Points that disturbed some Lincoln scholars will probably not be noticed by general readers. I read the book before I knew about the dispute, and found the volume enchanting.



4. Will anyone dare to write an accurate assessment of the 16th President or are the myths that surround him just to strong to penetrate? I await a writer willing to discuss the wholesale destruction of property in the South that left thousands of civilians to starve, destruction sanctioned by Lincoln. I await a discussion on the hostage taking and the indiscriminate killing of Southern civilians. I await a thorough discussion of the Dahlgren Raid and its implications, I await a real assessment of the Lincoln/Seward relationship, and I await a real judgement on Lincoln's lack of religious belief. This book, like all the others ignores anything that might be the slightest cotroversial and that might dent the aura surrounding Abraham Lincoln.
   Alan Lowe. BA. Manchester Metropolitan University.



5. This reviewer is fortunate to be a former student of Stephen B. Oates, both in his History of the American Civil War and in his seminar on biography writing. WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE gives what Mr. Oates calls "a portrait" of Abraham Lincoln. Oates cautioned students about presuming that any portrait was "definitive." His classes in biography writing were thorough and strict (illustrated by his own index cards and reams of notes), so of course when bogus plagiarism charges were slung at him, his students knew he would run them down with a truckload of substantiation of his work. How sad that he had to defend himself against "academia at its pissiest."
   
   What I particularly enjoyed about reading WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE was the sense of again being in his Civil War classroom. Mr. Oates has an uncanny ability to create a scene in the mind of the listener. His description of Abraham Lincoln's assassination plot took two classes -- and he managed to end the first class at the point where John Wilkes Booth drilled a hole in the door of the private seating area in Ford's Theater. Needless to say, every student attended every class! And reading the book gave a sense of that classroom presence.
   
   I do take exception to the reader who criticizes Oates on "psychoanalyzing" Lincoln, when in fact Oates clearly and masterfully is combining a series of documented facts to arrange the portrait in a story form. There is no guessing other than where it is admitted.
   
   All in all, WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE is a worthwhile and accessible biography of a complex and fascinating man, and I enthusiastically recommend it.

1 comments about Lincoln and His Admirals.

1. It is difficult to imagine that some aspect of Lincoln and the Civil War has not been covered in detail, but until now that was the case with Lincoln's role as commander in chief of the Navy. Craig Symonds has not only filled that void but has done it masterfully. In the tradition of the finest Civil War authors, he has created what will surely become a classic that will be treasured by scholars and buffs alike. Could not have been done better.

5 comments about Lincoln Unmasked: What You're Not Supposed to Know About Dishonest Abe.

1. DiLorenzo offers nothing new: no new facts; no new argument. Rather he regurates poorly reasoned attacks on Lincoln that have been advanced by the Lost Causers for years and that have be soundly discredited by every serious scholar.



2. Very good reading. It reiterates much of what I had learned in school many years ago, before society, as a whole, changed history books in order to become more "politically correct."



3. I am an Australian who has admired Mr Lincoln from afar for most of my life. Mr DiLorenzo is not a Historian but a bare-faced apologist for a failed ideology from a putrid system that existed in the Southern States of the USA before the Civil War. Slavery.
   There are racists everywhere, even today and to assert that the 16th President was a despot and a centralist is to ignore several historical facts. For instance, DiLorenzo contends that the US was a 'loose association' of States that could come and go as they please and that Lincoln destroyed Jeffersonism and was anathema to the wishes of the founding fathers. Well, funny about that. If that is the case, why did the founding fathers start the 1787 Constitution with "We, the people of the United States, In order to FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION...??? Surely if it was loose association of States they would have said "to form an enduring free association..."
   Lincoln is accused of being rascist and that he strongly supported slavery yet there are numerous quotes throughout his political career "...as I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master...". "It is the same tyrannical principal throughout the world, that says you work and toil and earn bread and I'll eat it...", etc. Lincoln made it quite clear throughout his career that he was anti-slavery - for god's sake, that was one of the principal reasons for the South entering rebellion!!! Because an 'abolishonist' had been elected President!!!
   The sad thing is that if you read a little bit about this author, away from his books, you soon discover he is a Southern Independence Supporter (in this day and age) and advocates the dissolution of the United States and the creation/re-instatement of the CSA - A nation that never 'technically' existed.
   I would not waste my money.



4. Kudos to DiLorenzo for systematically presenting well researched arguments about the true nature of the Lincoln presidency. This book stands tall, especially when viewed in contrast to such works as Doris Kearns Goodwin' "Team of Rivals". "Team of Rivals" focuses almost exclusively on Lincoln's personality and political prowess, and misses essential points of the cause of the war (tarifs - not slavery) and Lincoln's desire to centalize power and authority (suspension of habeous corpus, shutting down of newspapers). This book focuses on Lincoln's actions, his political strategy, and unabashed use of Presidential power - at the expense of Congress, personal freedom, and ultimately thousands of lives. If you want to challenge your long standing understanding of the Lincoln presidency, this is the book!



5. Well worth the time to read. Break free from the State-run history taught in public schools!

5 comments about Mr. Lincoln's Way.

1. Ms. Spinger's Fourth Grade Class
   
   Mr. Lincoln is a nice and playful principal. There is a bully in the school who doesn't like the principal, children and teachers. Eugene is the bully; he likes birds. If you read this book, you won't end up like Eugene. Mr. Lincoln was helpful to Eugene by helping him be nice to other people.



2. This book is about a bad kid and he is a bulie and a teacher whow show's him
   to be a good person. This book is realy amosama it will keep you thinking
   all day will that really hapen to me or someone ellsa.



3. My teacher read this book to us in class. It was the usual case of a white person disrespecting people of color and the people of color being peaceful and understanding. I'm so sick of reading books about how mean white people still can receive love and understanding. Why aren't white people nice to blacks if they're mean. It's just one more book telling people of color to continue to let whites walk all over them.



4. Mr. Lincoln was the greatest principle ever. He dressed cool and he acted cool. He would do all sorts of things with his students. He seemed to really light up his school. Well not so much to mean gene. Gene is mean and he is not afraid to show it. He doesn't like people that are different from him. He picks on them and even calls them mean names. All the teachers felt as if they have had enough of old gene. Well Mr Lincoln thinks different of this kid. He brings him under his wing and soon Gene is a normal nice kid again. He introduces him to the atruim that needed new birds in it and it opens up a new world for Gene. He just needed to be shown that all people are different but we all share many things also.
   WOW!! I have never read a book like this. Race was a big issue to this kid Gene. He went home and his father would tell him mean things about other races and he would come back to school and say them out loud to all his fellow classmates. I was so amazed at the way Mr. Lincoln handeled this situation. He slowly turned Gene onto other things that he liked and got away from the race issue. Gene was not a bad kid he just was copying what his parent told him. All kids do this everyday. I was so shocked to read this book. I have never read a book like this in elementary school. I feel left out in a way. Like my teachers tried to shield me from the bad books and give me only the good ones. I really liked this book a lot. It was GREAT!! It told the truth, made the characters come to life and had it's own twist. This book had great qualities that make up a GREAT book. There are many ways that you could use this book. If you wanted to talk about discrimination you could use this book. You could bring up many topics on discrimination with this book. If you wanted to talk about differences you could use this book also.You could have your whole class draw or paint somebody of a different race that they really admire. You could have you students come up with all the mean words that they have heard from other people and put them on a big piece of paper in front of the room. Then you could tell them that these words will no longer be used in my classroom or by any of my students. This book had it all lessons, great pictures, and a great read. Mrs. Polacco just like Eleanora Tate, and Christopher Paul Curtis, and Mildred Taylor all write books about change and people's differences. This book was great and it will help all students to see race and people in a new light.



5. This book is fantastic. Not only is the story itself great, but it is also great for bringing up a multitude of topics for discussion with your child; bullying, prejudice, intolerance, low self esteem, fairness, etc...
   
   My children both loved this book. While the book carries a message, it is not dry or hard to read. On the contrary, the book flows beautifully and whether or not you choose to make the book a discussion piece, it is well worth reading just for the wonderful book that it is.

5 comments about Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution.

1. This thin book which contains series of essays on how Abraham Lincoln revolutionized our nation during one of the most important periods of our nation proves to be well written and amazingly easy to understand. James McPherson writes clearly how the American Civil War was truly a revolutionary moment in our nation's history and how Lincoln took steps to ensure these changes. How we lived, our political/racial/social norms that are part of our society today took form during the Civil War. Even the way we waged war, have it roots in the Civil War, all have Lincoln's fingerprints all over it.

   The book proves to be easy to follow and read. But in its simple prose, lies amazing insights and perception of Lincoln's influence during the war and his abilities to effect changes in our nation. I would say that this book is a "must read" for anyone interested in American history.




2. ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND THE SECOND AMERICAN REVOLUTION by James M. McPherson is a thin juicy volume. You feel energized as you read and absorb its deep insights. Each of six essays shows that it was Lincoln's reality anchored character and powerful intellect that transformed the United States to the country it is today. One essay shows how Lincoln's use of metaphor, culled from Aesop's Fables, the works of Shakespeare, and the Bible made him a consummate communicator. His metaphors resonated to the deepest layers of mind of the average American in way that instilled motivation and purpose to a war that seemed impossible to manage or win. Compared to Jefferson Davis who was so highly educated and abstract but was unable to connect with ordinary folk. But it is McPherson who too is able to convey to us this president's great powers with his own metaphors i.e. "barnyard philosophy," and his essay, "The hedgehog and the fox," which compares and contrasts Lincoln's abilities with the "smartest contemporaries." ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND THE SECOND AMERICAN REVOLUTION is a great distillate of the voluminous Civil War Literature. You must have it for your library.



3. James McPherson (Battle Cry of Freedom) is the preeminent Civil War author and scholar of our time. The Princeton University professor provides fresh insight into A. Lincoln in these seven essays.
   
   McPherson demonstrates conclusively that the Civil War was indeed the Second American Revolution - it abolished slavery and smashed the political, economic, and social status quo. Before the War, southerners dominated American politics - after the war it was decades before a son of the south could be elected President. The absence of the south from the national legislature during the war allowed the passage of the great progressive and modernizing legislation; the Homestead Act, enabled a continental railroad, and land-grant colleges. After the war, blacks made great (if far from complete) progress in education, politics, and economics.
   
   Unfortunately, the reactionary forces led a counter-revolution that attempted to turn back the massive changes in society with much success. That counter-revolution eventually yielded to a Second Reconstruction in the mid-20th century.
   
   McPherson repeatedly returns to Lincoln's political evolution as the War changed from a limited war for limited ends to a total war for revolutionary ends. In the end Lincoln insisted on unconditional surrender.
   
   I particularly enjoyed the essays entitled 'How Lincoln Won the War with Metaphors', which contrasts the communication abilities of Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, and 'The Hedgehog and the Foxes', in which McPherson favors us with a description of Lincoln as the single-minded hedgehog outlasting the multifarious foxes such as Horace Greeley and William Seward.
   
   My only small quibble is that similar points are made using the same quotes in multiple essays (perhaps unavoidable in a collection of previously published essays), but the quotes are so evocative of Lincoln's thinking that the repetition is not only forgiven, but enjoyed.
   
   Highly recommended for anyone interested in US history, Lincoln, or the Civil War era.



4. Absolutely outstanding book on the complicated second American revolution that occured as a result of the American Civil War and the startling reversals that took place not ten years later. McPherson's essays are masterful.
   
   First rate.



5. This well-argued collection of James McPherson's occasional pieces focuses primarily on what the author sees as the fundamental changes that the Civil War brought to America's polity, economics, culture, and self-identity. The first, second, third, and seventh of the essays deal especially with this theme. The middle fourth, fifth, and sixth essays are less directly related to it, but nonetheless offer fascinating explorations of Lincoln the total war president, Lincoln the wordsmith, and Lincoln the "hedgehog."
   
   Many of the people who lived through the Civil War thought of it as a revolution. Many historians since have agreed, although for varying reasons. McPherson's main project in this book is to figure out whether and how the Civil War can be considered the "second American Revolution."
   He believes that the war was in fact revolutionary on several counts.
   
   First, the war shifted the economic and political power balance in the United States. The war's devastation of southern property and demographics, especially after it evolved from a limited to a total conflict, shifted economic superiority to northern industry and agriculture. Moreover, the southern states' virtual antebellum monopoly of the White House, as well as their immense congressional power, was broken for the next half century. This is what McPherson (and others) refer to as the "external" revolution.
   
   But there was an "internal" revolution too in the realm of legal rights and national self-identity. Four million slaves were freed and granted civil and political rights, and the southern aristocracy, along with the entire way of life and set of values it maintained, disappeared (or at least went underground). Moreover, argues McPherson, the war brought about a shift from early Republic concentration on liberty as "freedom from" (negative liberty), which distrusted strong central government, to liberty as "freedom to" (positive liberty), which emphasized the responsibility of the federal government to guarantee civil rights. This shift helped create a new sense of national identity that focused on the nation rather than the region: hence McPherson's claim that the Civil War moved the country from a "union" to a "nation."
   
   The influence of the political philosopher Isaiah Berlin is present throughout much of McPherson's thinking about liberty, and McPherson also draws on one of Berlin's most famous essays in designating Lincoln (Chapter VI) as a hedgehog in his single-minded devotion to preserving the union. McPherson might be drawing on the work of philosophers of language in his fascinating discussion (Chapter V) of Lincoln's influential talent for creating and manipulating "live" as opposed to "dead" metaphors in expressing his opinions and seeking support for his policies. In both these cases, McPherson nicely weaves some philosophical analysis into his historical interpretations.
   
   Where I find McPherson less helpful is his rather uncritical discussion of Lincoln's suspension of habeas corpus (Chapter III). He rehearses the well-worn argument that the suspension was simply necessary from a pragmatic perspective--end of discussion. As Lincoln said in another context, "often a limb must be sacrificed to save a life." But this interpretation begs for a discussion of the moral and political short- and longterm trauma that the amputation inflicted on the body politic. How far can one go in suspending liberties in order to preserve liberty?
   
   Nonetheless, the essays collected in Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution are exactly what readers have come to expect from McPherson: illuminating, gracefully written, well-researched. They aren't the final word, and I suspect McPherson doesn't expect them to be. But they wonderfully enrich the on-going conversation.

5 comments about Lincoln: A Photobiography (Houghton Mifflin social studies).

1. I'm sure that there are plenty of biographies out there on President Lincoln, but I have not seen any that give us as good a kid-friendly view on him until this one. The photos add an unparalleled personality that draws in the reader, and they truly are beautiful. The book presents a great summary of Lincoln's life and-- most impressively-- even tackles some of the darker moments, as is approriate for the target elementary/middle school audience. It is informatve and an easy, educational read that should prove great for research.



2. This biography on Abraham Lincoln is balanced perfectly, a great blend of basic information and detailed facts, without ever becoming irrelevant or too deep. Photographs enhance this effect, including a page that shows the effects of age on Lincoln's face throughout his presidency, and historical artifacts like posters and handwriting samples. This is the perfect Lincoln primer for someone just starting research, or for a middle school student with an assignment.



3. This is a great book for young readers however, be advised I had to order it twice because the pages were falling out of the first book. There is a problem with the glue used in the binding process. The second book arrived and the same problem occured. Because the book was required summer reading for my son who is going into 8th grade, I went to kinkos and spent another $10.00 to have it re-bound. Good luck!



4. My husband and I were reading this book over each other's shoulders. The book is so well written that you get a feeling that you now know Lincoln after you are done reading. The author fleshed out who Lincoln was and how he became this extremely famous president. I liked that the author wrote about the war and surrounding events so we could see how they affected Lincoln and vice versa. One note, the soft cover edition is falling apart even after one reading... get a big rubber band to go with the book! But don't let that dissuade you from buying this book.



5. It is too bad that such a wonderful book is so poorly constructed. Mine fell apart the first time I read it! The text and pictures are wonderful, but the book itself is a waste of money.

5 comments about The Impending Crisis, 1848-1861.

1. Potter's insightful history leading up to the Civil War is a must. He explains the culture, the split, the issue of slavery in easy to understand language to edify the reader's understanding of the things leading up to the secession as soon as Lincoln was nominated yet before he took office. Anyone interested in the history of this time period, it is the best book I have read on the subject. Potter not only discusses the politics, but also gives us a look into Lincoln and his actions to prevent the war.



2. This is without a doubt, one of the greatest books on the Ante-bellum period. I read this book when I was in college in 1991 and was impressed with it. It remains one of my favorite books to this day on the Ante-bellum period. Your library is truly not complete without this work.



3. Abraham Lincoln's 1860 election as President of the United States was the catalyst that set off the American Civil War, but this book traces the political processes that led to that result during the just over a decade between the end of the Mexican War in 1848 and the start of the Civil War with the firing on Fort Sumner in 1861.
   
   Today it is easy to look back and regard the entire process as inevitable. What David Potter does in this classic, first published in 1976, is present the politics behind each step that pushed the sections of the country apart over the slavery issue. One apparent mystery has been what drove the astute politician Stephen Douglas to force through legislation tearing up the Compromise of 1820, which had extended a line from Missouri westward, north of which slavery would not be permitted. It was a colossal blunder that opened what had been a more or less settled issue, fanning the flames of sectionalism needlessly.
   
   His Kansas-Nebraska Act opened those territories, north of the line, to a concept of popular sovereignty, in which those supposedly living in the territories would be allowed to vote on the issue. This may have sounded democratic, but it led to a wave of Abolitionist settlers from New England, and pro-slavery visitors from neighboring Missouri, resulting in "Bleeding Kansas", with attacks and massacres from both sides, and very little democracy. Potter shows that Douglas started from a powerful need to organize the territories so a Pacific railroad could be built, preferably from Chicago in his home state of Illinois. That simple point of departure led him into a series of moves that only deepened the sectional divide.
   
   Potter describes how the southern slaveholders won a whole series of meaningless victories that did nothing to extend the slave territories but did intensify feelings against slavery in the North, from the Mexican War and Kansas-Nebraska to the Dred Scott decision and the hanging of John Brown. He traces the rise of the Republican party out of the ruins of the Whigs and the Freesoil Party, and exposes the latter not as advocates of rights for black people, but driven rather by a deep-seated racism aimed at keeping blacks out of the territories. Complicating the 1850's political map of America was the American, or "Know Nothing" party, dedicated to stopping the recent flood of mainly Catholic immigrants from Europe.
   
   He also demonstrates that the Unionist candidates did better than generally believed in the four-sided presidential election of 1860, and that the voting system itself gave the secessionists of late 1860 and early 1861 far greater strength than their actual numbers.
   
   If you want to get deep into the politics that split the powerful Democratic Party and ultimately the nation, this book has what you are looking for.



4. This is the best account I have ever read about the events leading up to the Civil War. Mr. Potter does an excellent job presenting the information and carefully analyzing it without taking sides. Whether you sympathize with the Union or the Confederacy, if you have an interest in the Civil War, you will enjoy this book.



5. Written in the 1970's, and finished by a colleague, David Potter's depiction of the 1848-1861 timeframe is a finely researched book on the subject. Most importantly though, unlike other writers and historians (in particular James McPherson) who look back on this time with modern day hindsight, Potter writes a book which follows this time as it was, with all the issues and ebbs and flows of that era. Potter gives us refreshing perspectives such as:
   
   - The Republican Party, upon rising to prominence in the mid-1850's, were fellow travellers in many ways with the nativist "Know-Nothing" Party.
   
   - Not only was 1860 a sectionally divided presidential election, but so was the 1856 contest. The Republican John Fremont was a non-factor in the southern states, while Millard Fillmore (with the Know-Nothings) ran strongly in that region. The opposite was true in the northern states (which allowed James Buchanan to win the election).
   
   - The reputations of Buchanan and Stephen Douglas fare much better in this book. Douglas in particular is portrayed as one of the few people who could see how the electoral divisions were going to lead to secession, unlike the Lincoln/Seward Republicans.
   
   - The South's tactical victories in the Compromise of 1850, Kansas-Nebraska Act and Dred Scott decisions were actually strategic defeats. The South became more isolated as a result of these events, and less powerful.
   
   Many books on this subject present the Civil War as an inevitable result of the 1850's, yet Potter illustrates many examples where the middle ground may have prevailed and possibly prevented the conflict. Other issues were important in this day, particularly the tariff issue which created the same sectional rivalries that slavery did.
   
   Overall it's a refreshing, well-researched book that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in this era.

5 comments about Alphonse Mucha.

1. This book has it all lots of pictures as well as interesting information on Mucha and his work. I feel that it shows how he and his work became an icon of Art Nouveau. It is not just posters and panels that are covered it goes into every aspect of Mucha's work. There is information and pictures on "The Slav Epic", jewellery, lead light pastels, drawings and more. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves Mucha or Art Nouveau.



2. This book is great for those who do not have a great book on Mucha. The book contains a superior history of Mucha's life and intro the Art Neuvou period(Art Nuvo). Mucha should be credited with the entire period in my opinion.
   
   There is wide sampling of his works, beyond that in other books. There are examples of jewelry, metal works, paintings, prints, furniture, and architecture. The images are printed very well.
   
   All in all, this is the second best book; The best book was purchased in Prague at his museum (can't find in US...or remember name). This book had mostly paintings but I miss the superior color quality and few pictures run across two pages (a pet peeve of mine and occasional issue in this book)...this book seems to be as good as it gets here.



3. I was extremely happy with this. The only negative thing I have to say about this book is I wish some of the prints were larger.
   
   This has a great collection of Mucha's artwork, and an in depth look at the mans life; including photo's of models and photo's of his own family.
   
   If you enjoy Alphonse Mucha, this is a must own.



4. Wonderful book, very good bio of the man plus a great many examples of his work. Only downfall to me is i wished the images would have been larger. But thats just me nitpicking, because i absolutely love this book. I think anyone who's a fan of Mucha should own this book. Cheers, enjoy.



5. I concur with everyone else's opinion on this book and want to add what a great value this is for the money. All the reproductions are beautiful. As someone else has said, the book has a fine text and it also shows the breadth of Mucha's work showing sculpture and sketches as well as his famous posters. This book is jam packed with the best of Mucha and I can't recommend it highly enough for true Mucha fans. I sometimes cut up books like this for framing, but there are TOO MANY great pictures to separate them. A marvelous vision of all of his life's work with many hard to find reproductions.

5 comments about Plant Physiology.

1. Well, this is a great beginner's textbook to Plant Physiology, especially when you have very little background in the field. (I major in Physics and took Plant Physiology as an elective.) The text is quite easy to understand, and there are great diagrams to complement the text. However, the text is getting a little bit out of date, as new plant hormones and genes are being discovered at a rapid pace right now. Overall, it was a pretty nice book for someone being introduced to the field.



2. EXCELLENT book! I needed a suppliment to a Plant Phys course I was taking which didn't assign a book, purely lecture based. This book has great graphics and is easy to read!



3. This is a book every plant biologist should have!
   Basic knowledge from basic plant biology, and more...



4. good detailed information. Have 2nd edition, but so much has changed within the last 5-10 years that it was necessary to upgrade. Learned alot from the earlier book, well written, easy to understand, lots of good diagrams on the harder concepts. Am using this text as a review before I take my oral prelims for my dissertation.



5. Even this is a used book, it is quite new. And the delievery rate is fine.... I like it very much.