Lincoln: A Foreigner’s Quest by Jan Morris

Category: 50 Books

10. Lincoln: A Foreigner’s Quest by Jan Morris

Yes, I am a bit obsessed with Abraham Lincoln at the moment. I did not like this book very much. Ms. Morris is a British author and she writes this book as a sort of quest to find out how she ultimately feels about the glory (i guess) that is given to Abraham Lincoln. On the one hand it’s interesting to see a foreigner’s take on such a huge part of American history, but on the other hand Ms. Morris is kinda bitchy at the beginning of the book, and towards the end when she seems a bit charmed by Lincoln it’s as though the whole journey for her was an annoyance in that she still doesn’t know what to think about Lincoln.

And it’s not that I don’t understand her humor, I do, it just… doesn’t work in this book. She’s pretty insulting at the beginning, when she talks about being in Kentucky (or perhaps it was Indiana) and one of the locals approached her and talked to her. She made a big deal about it like the guy was there to ruin her day or something. When in fact, the very fact that the local came up and talked to her, gave her a story for her book that went on to prove the very point she was making in the book about southern people and the way they talk to anyone/everyone.

The only good thing about the book is that it gives a general overview of Lincoln’s life without getting too detailed in any one part. But at the same time, as books about Abraham Lincoln go, this one is unnecessary. I give it five stinky, arrogant Cansecos.

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