As I follow Abraham Lincoln’s life and work on my novel, there is one idea that keeps appearing again and again in his early thinking: the fear that civilization itself could begin to unravel. Lincoln lived during a period of growing instability in the United States. Mob violence, political anger, and deepening sectional divisions wereContinue reading “Why Abraham Lincoln Feared the Breakdown of Civilization”
Tag Archives: books
What Mob Violence Taught Abraham Lincoln
Long before Abraham Lincoln became president, he was already living in a country increasingly shaped by mob violence. The murders of Francies McIntosh in St. louis and Elijah P. Lovejoy in Alton, Illinois were familiar to him. They unfolded within the world in which he lived, traveled, and practiced law. What Lincoln understood was thatContinue reading “What Mob Violence Taught Abraham Lincoln”
Why Abraham Lincoln’s Lyceum Speech Still Matters
One of the moments that I refer to in my study of Abraham Lincoln is the Lyceum Address. At the time, Lincoln was still a new young lawyer and politician in Illinois. He was not yet the national figure history would later remember. But in this speech, it is possible to see the beginnings ofContinue reading “Why Abraham Lincoln’s Lyceum Speech Still Matters”
How Family and Community Shaped Abraham Lincoln’s World
This week I spent time researching through a section of family history, tracing connections between the Pelton, Warren and Mayhew families. What stands out is not a single event but the pattern. These families are connected through marriage, shared Quaker roots, and a migration path from New England into Ohio, Indiana, and the broader Midwest.Continue reading “How Family and Community Shaped Abraham Lincoln’s World”
How Lovejoy Shaped Lincoln’s First Major Speech
In working on Abraham Lincoln and the beginnings of his public life, I have studied his first major address, the Lyceum Address. Lincoln never met Elijah P. Lovejoy, but the events surrounding his death were very much in the news at the time, and they form part of the background to that speech. Lovejoy’s murderContinue reading “How Lovejoy Shaped Lincoln’s First Major Speech”
The Personal Losses and Uncertain Origins Lincoln Carried
In thinking about Abraham Lincoln, it is easy to focus on the public figure–the president, the decisions, and the place he holds in history. But the more I study, the more I am drawn to the personal side of his life–the parts that are less certain, and often more difficult to gauge. Lincoln experienced theContinue reading “The Personal Losses and Uncertain Origins Lincoln Carried”
What the Titanic Reveals About Human Behavior in Crisis
During my recent trip, I visited an immersive Titanic experience, something I had not done before. That alone made it feel like a new kind of encounter with history. I’ve seen the film Titanic and other programs about the disaster, but this experience brought different aspects to life. There were exhibits showing the separation betweenContinue reading “What the Titanic Reveals About Human Behavior in Crisis”
Visiting Edgar Allan Poe’s House and What it Reveals About His Life
I’ve just returned from a trip to Baltimore, where I had the chance to visit the home and grave of Edgar Allan Poe. Both the house and grave impressed me. The house was so small, sad and desperate. Standing inside, it was impossible not to feel how confined life must have been there. The twoContinue reading “Visiting Edgar Allan Poe’s House and What it Reveals About His Life”
The 161st Anniversary of Lincoln’s Death and What Might Have Been
This week marked the 161st anniversary of the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln. There have been a number of posts about it on social media, which has made me think more about the event and the impact it had on our history. In writing about him, I often find myself considering not only what happened, butContinue reading “The 161st Anniversary of Lincoln’s Death and What Might Have Been”
Writing a Lincoln Historical Mystery Series Based on Real Events
This week I began thinking about what lies beyond the current book. I’m revising the current book, so it is actually all written. I want to be able to start my next book immediately when this one is being published. For a number of years, I had planned to make this a series, but IContinue reading “Writing a Lincoln Historical Mystery Series Based on Real Events”
The View From The Imaginarium 