Introduction

Gangly, self-conscious, and taller than average, Abraham Lincoln stood out in any crowd. Friends knew him to be brimming with both funny stories and bouts of self-doubt; his adversaries in law and politics knew him as a crafty lawyer and a formidable political opponent. To his children and his wife, Lincoln was indulgent and tolerant. Lincoln's unique combination of political skills and personal strengths had a tremendous impact on U.S. history as he led the United States through the turmoil of the Civil War (1861–65).