Did Lincoln Own Slaves?

Sometimes the best way to learn about history is to ask questions. Most history books present narratives, but this book is a series of questions and answers about our most popular president, Abraham Lincoln. With a touch of humor, Prokopowicz provides a book for those who want to learn if Abe really was honest, among other things. Norman Dietz's tongue-in-cheek delivery adds to the flippant yet serious tone of the book, making this an entertaining listen. While Lincoln buffs won't learn anything new, those less familiar who want to know more about the president will encounter the details in enjoyable bite-sized pieces. K.M. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

November 19, 2007
East Carolina University history professor Prokopowicz has created a Lincoln trivia book, answering dozens of questions about the 16th president of the United States. Did he write his own speeches? (Yes, though sometimes he “borrowed” from other writers—the conclusion of the Gettysburg Address echoes abolitionist Theodore Parker.) Do we celebrate Thanksgiving because of Lincoln? (Lincoln declared a national day of thanksgiving on the urging of writer and editor Sarah Josepha Hale.) Did Mary Lincoln hold séances in the White House? (Yes; she was trying to contact her dead son.) How tall was Abe? (Six feet and “nearly” four inches.) Prokopowicz addresses some trendy topics, such as the two depressive episodes Lincoln experienced in the 1830s and 1840s and the debate about Lincoln's sexual orientation. As for the titular question, Prokopowicz insists that people keep asking whether Lincoln owned slaves: he did not, but he “may have rented one.” Although the irksome q&a format necessarily lends itself to a certain superficiality, Prokopowicz is learned, his tone is engaging and his suggestions for further reading at the end of each thematic chapter are also a helpful resource.

May 1, 2008
Although organized in a point-by-point, question-and-answer format, this unusual book works as a full narrative biography of Lincoln. Beginning with questions about Lincoln's genealogy and birth, historian Prokopowicz ("All for the Regiment") covers Lincoln's entire life in chronological order, answering the kinds of questions visitors most often asked while he worked at the Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, IN. The result is a surprisingly rich biography that never flinches from addressing uncomfortable issues while dispelling popular myths and misconceptions with solid scholarship in lucid and often witty prose. A remarkable book that makes delightful listening, thanks, also, to Norman Dietz's commanding but warm narration. Highly recommended.R. Kent Rasmussen, Thousand Oaks, CA

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