There are numerous good, acedmically solid books on Lincoln.
Neither of the ones mentioned below, however, can be described
as "definitive."

If you want to read good, academically respected, solidly and
responsibly argued analyses of Lincoln's political and
constitutional thought, written by rock solid contemporary
conservatives, I'd recommend the work of Herman Belz and Harry
Jaffa.  No one can accuse Belz or Jaffa of being leftist. 
Neither of them has any patience for the notion that Lincoln
was unprincipled, let alone a traitor to the Constitution.

I should note that I based my earlier defense of Lincoln's
constitutionalism largely on Belz' scholarship.  

All best,
Kevin

---- Original message ----
>Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2007 09:50:06 -0600
>From: John Philip Adams <[log in to unmask]>  
>Subject: Re: Lincoln  
>To: [log in to unmask]
>
>Try these books
>The definitive Lincoln texts are twofold:  
>Ward Hill Lamon's original biography of Lincoln and the 
>Albert Taylor Bledsoe Treatise.
>
>John Philip Adams
>Texas 
Kevin R. Hardwick, Ph.D.
Department of History
James Madison University

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