[.ca] Lincoln's Virtues: An Ethical Biography (ISBN 0375701737)

From Amazon.com:
William Lee Miller's Lincoln's Virtues is less an "event" chronology than the tracing of the moral and ethical core of Abraham Lincoln's beliefs, what Miller calls the man's "unintended preparation for greatness." Miller posits that Lincoln rightly deserves his nonpareil place in American history. But, he continues, Lincoln's greatness is best appreciated only when we realize he was merely mortal and therefore free to follow any number of courses of actions. Miller, through scores of eloquent exegeses of Lincoln's writings and speeches, explores the path--consistent, though evolving--this free agent took. Lincoln chose politics as his work. As a politician he was subject to the very real constraints of collective action. However, such was the man's "moral self-confidence," that the mantle of greatness alit on his shoulders alone. This is a revealing, delicate, and at times soaring work. It also presupposes its readers are much more than casually familiar with Lincoln's life and times. - -H. O'Billovitch

Very good, but not great:
First, let me start off by talking about "the grade inflation" of most reviews on this website. I mean, let's be honest, do you really think there are that many books that deserve five stars? Ok, now that I've gotten that off my chest . . . . On to my review. I won't go into detail about Miller's book as others have done this already, and have done a better job than I could do. So, let me simply make a few observations. THIS BOOK IS NOT HAGIOGRAPHY! Miller does tell the story of what makes Lincoln a good man, and shows how this helped him to become a great President. To benefit from this book, you need to have a fairly good knowledge of Lincoln, otherwise you will be lost. Don't let this scare you off from reading the book. If you don't know much about Lincoln, or need to refresh your memory, read a one volume biography first. The only bone I have to pick with Miller and his views on Lincoln and his era is when it comes to Miller's virtual dismissal of the Abolitionist Movement. I got the impression that Miller viewed the abolitionist movement as a necessary evil: extreme and fanatical. What is surprising about this is that Miller doesn't really spend too much time discussing Lincoln's views of the abolitionists. In closing, let me say that I agree with Miller that Lincoln was a good man, and that this goodness made him a great President. However, I would encourage anyone interested in this era of history to take the time and effort to find and read Henry Mayer's masterful biography of William Garrison: All on Fire. Garrison was also a good man, and a great leader. Without him, slavery would have long continued and there would have been no Lincoln presidency!

Long-winded is an Understatement!:
Okay, I admit it: I am a fan of Lincoln's. I was disposed to like this book. It's really not a BAD book, for it's very well researched, and Miller does know his subject well. However, his prose style is musty, circumlocutious, windy in the extreme, and almost deaf to any coherent narrative of Lincoln's life. The perspective on "virtue"--a subject I find fascintating--is also strained to the maximum. In all due respect, this author has been speaking to star-struck undergrads for a bit too long. A good editor might have saved all this research; as it is, it's a longish, flawed book on a great subject.

Lincoln: From the Inside Out:
In pursuit of a literary project concerning Lincoln myself, this was the book I found most useful - after plowing through many recitations of external events. Mr. Miller has done an exceptional job in showing the landscape of Lincoln's thinking: where it started, how it changed - and stays eminently fair-minded throughout. Plus this book is something of a revelation in non-fictional literary style: conversational in places. But, in other places, conceptually very dense. And a great sense of humor. Highly recommended.

Great for Teaching about Lincoln:
Miller's book has proven to be a valuable resource for me in teaching about Lincoln and the moral issues of his times. The author's unique approach to the ethical development of the politician/president enables students to see the complexities of leadership. An excellent and helpful work.

Great and Kind Human:
This is a very unique biography of Abraham Lincoln. As described in all the other reviews, this book focuses on Lincoln's ethical character. After reading this book, the reader should feel like we have so much more to give to this world that we live in. We should continue to develop ourselves so we can contribute to make this world a better place. Lincoln believed he could do that by proving to the rest of the world that democracy can survive and prosper. Everyone knows Lincoln was a kind and humble man. But the author not only describes Lincoln's ethical nature but provides many examples that proves to us time and time again what a wondersful exceptional man Abraham Lincoln really was. Everyone living in a free country should thank Abraham Lincoln for his ethical dedication.