Henry Ketcham

Henry Ketcham wrote The Life of Abraham Lincoln as a concise historical biography for readers beginning a deeper study of the American president. Completed in Westfield, New Jersey, in 1901, the book moves from Lincoln's frontier childhood through law, electoral politics, the presidency, emancipation, and the preservation of the Union. Ketcham explains in his preface that he selected public events for what they revealed about Lincoln's character, rather than attempting a full history of the period. The result combines chronological narrative with chapters on Lincoln's family, social life, speeches, literary style, and reputation.