Of the many presidents and founding figures of the United States, few have garnered more attention than Abraham Lincoln. Much of what we know about Lincoln's life comes from anecdotes providing only brief glimpses of the man. As such, there is great interest in determining the true character of the "Great Emancipator." His life and deeds have been heavily researched, interpreted, and reinterpreted time and again until the multitude of "truths" have become untrustworthy. Because Lincoln is an integral piece to our national belief system and understanding of who we are as a free country, the consequences of such reinterpretation affect not only our imaginings of Lincoln's character, but call into question the character of a nation.  

 

In Getting Right with Lincoln: Correcting Misconceptions about Our Greatest President, Ed Steers sets the record straight, rectifying some of the most prominent misconceptions about Lincoln's life. He seeks to address claims about Lincoln that have little to no basis in historical fact yet have found a foothold in mainstream Lincoln lore. Such erroneous stories range from the portrayal of Lincoln as having a troubled and perhaps scandalous early adulthood on the frontier to more serious attacks on his character, such as the claim that he held racist, white supremacist beliefs. Using his background in health science, Steers refutes claims regarding illnesses -- from endocrine disorders to syphilis -- with which the president was supposedly afflicted. Steers sticks to primary textual evidence to dispel common myths "at the source," and maintains caution when reviewing the potentially biased reminiscences of historic figures close to the president.  

 

Steers puts his vast knowledge of the life of President Lincoln on display for readers in Getting Right with Lincoln. His entertaining writing style and contention with some of the more popular and provocative Lincoln revisionist histories will garner attention from broad audiences who are interested in Lincoln's story and getting to the bottom of the stories that surround him.