Book Review: Abraham Lincoln, by Lloyd Ostendorf

Abraham Lincoln, The Boy The Man by Lloyd Ostendorf

This book, illustrated by the author and enhanced with photographs, tells the story of Lincoln's life through pictures and brief narratives. As noted in the acknowledgments, it targets younger readers. (First published in 1962.)

When I write a historical novel, I find books aimed at younger readers invaluable. They provide three benefits. First, books for youths tell history as a story, just as a historical novel does. Second, they focus on highlights which can provide an outline for a more extensive narrative. Third, they present the popular view and mythology of historic events. This is valuable because a historical novelist must know when he or she is diverting away from common perceptions. Without proper setup, running counter to general belief can jar the reader out of the story, and the cardinal rule for storytelling is never pull the audience out of the story.

Abraham Lincoln: The Boy The Man accurately portrays Lincoln's life. The book naturally emphasizes highlights and tidbits while simplifying relationships. The smiling people in the illustrations sometimes frowned or scowled.

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