A. Lincoln: A Biography by Ronald C. White Jr., published by Random House Trade Paperbacks in 2010, offers a fresh perspective on the life of one of America’s most revered presidents. This comprehensive 816-page work is named among the best books of the year by The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Christian Science Monitor, and St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and it was also a New York Times Bestseller and winner of the Christopher Award.

Through meticulous research, including new findings from the Lincoln Legal Papers and recently discovered letters and photographs, White provides an in-depth examination of Abraham Lincoln’s personal, political, and moral development. The author presents Lincoln as a man of integrity—what today’s commentators might call “authenticity”—whose moral compass guided his life.

The book showcases Lincoln as:

• A person who recorded his thoughts on scraps of paper and kept them in his top hat or desk drawer.
• A country lawyer who questioned issues deeply to understand his own position before arguing cases.
• A hands-on commander-in-chief who personally led military actions, surprising soldiers by commandeering a boat and ordering an attack on Confederate shore batteries.
• A man grappling with the immorality of slavery, who acted both publicly and privately to abolish it forever as president.
• A president undergoing a religious journey that culminated in writing a profound meditation on “the will of God” during the Civil War, which would form the basis for his famous Gettysburg Address.

The author emphasizes Lincoln’s intellectual curiosity and ability to embrace ambiguity. This biography is described as transcendent and sweeping, providing a deeply enlightening portrayal that significantly expands our understanding of this iconic figure.