The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery

Very well-researched and -referenced study of Lincoln’s views of slavery from his early adult years to the time of his assassination.It includes fascinating details about American history, politics, economic trends, population changes, market transformations, technological developments, antebellum Constitutional law, and social movements that prevailed during Lincoln’s life and places him squarely within the context of his times.The genius and success of the work is that—to paraphrase the words of the book’s introduction—Foner does not “read history backwards” but uses contemporaneous accounts of all kinds (letters, speeches, personal stories and observations about Lincoln, newspaper articles, editorials, etc.) to chronologically trace Lincoln’s sentiments about slavery from beginning to end. There are also interesting biographical vignettes of many of Lincoln’s contemporaries which are indispensable to understanding the legal and political landscape of that era.Lincoln was a product of his times as much as he was a creative force, and the author treats both with insight, objectivity, and scholarly skill.This is a highly readable and highly recommended book.

This is a great book. I decided to read it because I felt I should know more about Lincoln's attitude towards slavery, but it turned out to need no "should" justification. It was difficult to put down. Some of the great things about the book: (i) the picture of slavery itself -- particularly at the start, we get a reminder glimpse of the deep horror of the reality of the institution, and throughout the book we get an understanding of the depth and breadth of its impact on national politics through most of the 19th century; (ii) an understanding of the many different positions on slavery and race in general in that era -- the simple pro and anti that we normally see now looking back 150 years doesn't even begin to describe it; (iii) the radicalness of abolition at the time it occurred and, even more so, the 14th Amendment; sad to say but, had the South not gone all in regarding right-to-have slavery, badly misplaying the hand, slavery in the South might have continued for many more decades, and the great foundation for advancement laid by the 14th Amendment might not have been laid (though, to be sure, the Andrew Johnson presidency largely buried it for nearly a century); (iv) a glimpse at many other fascinating and important figures of the time --- Seward, Sumner, Chase, Clay, and, above all, Frederick Douglass; (v) so much about Lincoln, including his moderate and deliberate leadership style (attacked on both sides at the time--can't help but see parallels with President Obama) and how his experiences and interactions affected his views over time; (vi) the decisive role blacks played in the outcome of the Civil War and the critical motivation that potential provided for advancing emancipation. All in all, this was a great book; I'm glad it won the Pulitzer. I couldn't help but think of it in comparison to the much talked about Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. In that comparison, it's a Picasso next to a child's drawing, Peyton Manning next to Ryan Leaf, or Thinking, Fast and Slow next to Outliers: The Story of Success (sorry Malcom, actually Outliers is pretty good, it just pales next to Kahnman's great book). This is everything a history book for the public should be. If I had one negative comment, it would be that the perspective of black folks on these roiling times is largely absent, as absent as it was from Lincoln's experience. That makes sense since the book is about Lincoln, but it is the hole the book leaves that calls for another book. I myself have added "Frederick Douglas biography" to my future reading list.

The theme of the book is summed up succinctly near the end: “Lincoln had changed enormously during the war.” But more than that, Lincoln had changed enormously during his lifetime. Some would-be “historians” ignore or give him scant if any credit for that, but “cherry pick” things Lincoln said throughout his lifetime to portray him as ambivalent or worse on slavery and/or race, temporally compressing Lincoln to always be whatever he was at any given time. But as Foner says, the “essence of Lincoln’s greatness” was his “capacity for growth.” This excellent book outlines when and how he grew and is well worth the read.

A book that grows in stature as Lincoln did, with panache of exquisitely written prose, emancipated from bias and equal to rival celebrated Lincoln biographies.

Foner, Hofstadter and Bailyn; three great writers on American history who influenced me greatly.

A rare book for my son, which he obviously enjoyed as he kept telling me about it

could'nt put it down, a book for the serious scholar or casual reader.

"The Fiery Trial" delves deeply into Lincoln's views on slavery, and traces his attitudes as they evolve from his early years right up through his last speech as President. As it is often assumed that Lincoln was an abolitionist, this book shows clearly that he was not. In fact, his views on African Americans would shock most Americans today. But Foner also clearly shows that Lincoln was a man of growth and he was not afraid to change his views as reality presented itself.The book will surprise most of us whose history of the Civil War goes no further than what we've learned in grade school. For example, the famous Emancipation Proclamation surprisingly did not free all the slaves in the Union at once. Those in the border states who had not seceded from the Union (as well as some isolated places elsewhere) got to keep their slaves. It was only late in the War that Lincoln realized this would not work and advocated for an amendment to end slavery completely.For anyone interested in Civil War history, this book is a must in understanding the complicated role slavery played in the Civil War and Lincoln's thoughts."The Fiery Trial," however, is written as a popular history book. It is not written in the fashionable narrative style that so many authors use today. It is well written and well-researched, but it will not flow like a novel, if that is what you are looking for. However, it is extremely informative and well worth the effort of reading. I would definitely recommend if you have an interest in American history and race relations. I think this book should be essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the unique history that has brought the United States to where it is today.