Rise to Greatness Abraham Lincoln and America's Most Perilous Year [Paperback]

Author of Triangle:The Fire That Changed America
New York Times Bestseller

As 1862 dawned, the American republic was at death's door. The government appeared overwhelmed, the U.S. Treasury was broke, and the Union's top general was gravely ill. The Confederacywith its booming economy and commanding position on the battlefieldhad a clear view to victory. The survival of the country depended on the judgment and resilience of the unschooled frontier lawyer who had recently been elected president.

Twelve months later, the Civil War had become a cataclysm but the tide had turned. The Union generals who would win the war had emerged, while the Confederate Army had suffered the key losses that would lead to its doom. The blueprint of modern America had been indelibly inked, and Abraham Lincolnthe man who brought the nation through its darkest hourhad been forged into a singular leader. InRise to Greatness, acclaimed author David Von Drehle has created both a deeply human portrait of America's greatest president and a dramatic narrative about our most fateful year.

David von Drehleis the author of three previous books, including the award-winningTriangle, a history of the Triangle shirtwaist factory fire thatThe New York Timescalled social history at its best. An editor-at-large atTimemagazine, he and his family live in Kansas City, Missouri.

Outstanding...Lean, insightful, and often lyrical. USA Today

These pages crackle with life and energy. James McPherson, The New York Review of Books

Spellbinding...Von Drehle has done a masterful job....He adroitly weaves together the complex military, diplomatic, political, legal, and moral saga of the twelve months of 1862. Harold Holzer, The Washington Post

An invigorating, inspiring, and often heartrending portrait of a great man and a troubled country...Von Drehle's deeply lÓ