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 To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html