Out of the Wilderness

In Out of Darkness William Hanchett, a leading Lincoln Scholar,

        follows Abraham Lincoln from his birth and chronicles his thirst for education,

        his achievements as a lawyer and congressman, his presidency, and his

        assassination.

      Hanchett gives readers a deeper understanding of how Lincoln's self-directed

        study and clear thinking offset his lack of a formal education, enabling

        him to become a respected and successful attorney. He also shows how Lincoln's

        uncanny leadership helped him to end slavery and still keep the divided

        North sufficiently united to win the Civil War. By focusing on a variety

        of roles and settings, Hanchett invites readers to get to know Lincoln

        as a president, as well as a lover, husband, father, and friend.

      "Excellent! Hanchett is a fine writer, and his biography of Lincoln

        is succinct and thought-provoking."

        -- Frank J. Williams, president, Abraham Lincoln Association