Through this book, one is able to realize that despite the clamor around this subject, Lincoln was able to forge into a weapon which was used to win the war and how subject eventually became an end in itself.Īccording to McPherson, the war, that is, the Civil War, was aimed at bringing about liberty and ensuring the extension of protection to the citizenry which he had a clue of the fact that the united states of America would be held in the eyes of the world for the ages which would come.

It gives a reflection of how the thought of liberty for all was greatly impressed upon the mind of this great leader and how through wit and leadership acumen, the leader was able to bring it to realization. This book focuses on how the issue of liberty for all was dealt with rightly by the leadership’s ingenuity of Lincoln. This book does not really mention the economic and innovations which were social in nature that were or might have been associated with this time, rather, the focus of this book is on the subject of liberty which is individual in nature. His choices are certainly understandable, but open to debate.This is a book which contains several essays which are picked from lecturers which were delivered by McPherson during various sessions.

In many ways books are like music, people like the music of their formative years better than anything that came before it or after. Not surprisingly, this was pointed out by several younger scholars. It's a biggie.Īll of the historians and books cited by McPherson are outstanding, but they are representative of his generation. In the interview, McPherson stated who he believes are America's top historians, the best book on the Civil War, military history, African American history, the book most responsible for shaping his career, and even the most overrated history book ever. He is best known for his Pulitzer Prize winning book Battle Cry of Freedom which is the best overview of the Civil War. McPherson is considered to be the dean of Civil War historians. In 2014, the New York Times published a brief interview with noted Civil War historian James McPherson, The George Henry Davis 1886 Professor of American History at Princeton University.

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