Old Abe

Everyone knows about Abe Lincoln, but do you really know Abe Lincoln? Author John Cribb seeks to reveal the man behind the public image in this fictionalised life story of the 16th president of the United States of America.<br /><br />The book begins in 1860, with Lincoln’s first presidential race and ends with his funeral. These last five years of the president’s life are publicly known to be quite difficult what with the Civil War and his personal tragedies. Cribb deftly shows his reimagining of Lincoln’s probable reactions and responses to the daily challenges of his presidency. While the story begins in 1860, the narrative provides enough flashbacks for us to know his humble roots, his family, and the path that led him to politics. There are many popular anecdotes about Lincoln’s life that have been woven into the narrative smoothly.<br /><br />As a non-American, I have no school knowledge of Abraham Lincoln. So I can’t comment much on the accuracy of the events. But it sure felt authentic. You must have a basic knowledge of American history otherwise you'll feel a little lost. I felt that the author might have written this book mainly for the American readers who are already aware of common historical facts. But Lincoln’s appeal goes far beyond American borders and to those who wish to know more about Lincoln, this book is the wrong place to start. The content is interesting but becomes a tad dry at times when it focusses more on the history than on the person in focus. But I loved the glimpse the book provides into Lincoln’s personal life, especially his complicated relationship with his wife Mary and his love for his sons. I also appreciate how the author didn’t milk out the event of the assassination with undue gore or an exaggerated display of emotions. That death scene is beautifully written and I sure hope Lincoln’s last thoughts might have been as peaceful.<br /><br />A special mention is merited to the foreword by William J. Bennett. He sets the tone for the novel beautifully. <br /><br />Where the book experience soured a little for me was in the narration. I heard the audio version of this novel. At 11 hrs. long, the audiobook shouldn’t have been too taxing. But the narrator was so dull and his voice so lulling that I couldn’t keep up my interest in the book. Eventually, I had to crank up the audio speed to 1.75x so that I didn’t end up dozing to his soothing hushed tones. He also voiced most of the characters similarly with the sole exception of Tad, Lincoln’s youngest son. So the audio version was a little disappointing.<br /><br />Lincoln is frequently known as one of the greatest, most ethical and most honest men who ever lived. Politicians today would do well to learn from his moral values and incorporate them. At the same time, this book will better serve those who already have some knowledge about Lincoln and the history of his times. It’s historical fiction for a reason; don’t substitute it for a biography.<br /><br />Thank you, NetGalley and Orange Sky Audio, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.<br /><br /><br /><br />***********************<br />Join me on the Facebook group, <b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeAreReadersForever" rel="nofollow noopener">Readers Forever!</a> </b>, for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.<br />Follow me on Instagram: <b> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/RoshReviews/" rel="nofollow noopener">RoshReviews</a> </b><br /><br /><br />

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!<br /><br />You all know how much I love historical fiction and this may be the best Abraham Lincoln stories I have ever read.<br /><br />John Cribb’s writing of Abraham Lincoln in fiction really brought this amazing life story in a more intimate setting as we see Abraham Lincoln transformed from a distant historical figure, to a living and breathing man of flesh and blood within the pages of this book. <br /><br />This was a truly fascinating read I enjoyed!!

"This nation is the world's best hope for freedom...If we save the Union, we prove that popular government is not an absurdity. We save a government founded to elevate the condition of men- to lift artificial weights from all shoulders, to afford all an unfettered start."<br />Abraham Lincoln<br />Old Abe<br />John Cribb<br /><br />I am picky about my historical fiction, and reading Old Abe over the past week checked off all my boxes. Growing up in Boston gave me an early love of American history, but I was also raised by a father who had me walk the battlefields of Gettysburg at a young age. I might have whined about it then, but I am incredibly grateful now.<br /><br />Cribb's novel brings one of our nation's icons to life and gives us the backstory of what Mr. Lincoln was experiencing on a personal level while also trying to save the country. We learn more about his troubled wife, Mary, the relationships with his sons and the men he chose to help guide him through some of our darkest hours.<br /><br />Old Abe humanizes a man we have all studied and idolized and brings to light the weight that was on Lincoln's shoulders; it is astounding. The physical copy of Old Abe is a booklover's treasure. The cover is antiqued and the pages are thick and deckle edged - I've already purchased my father a copy for Christmas. <br /><br />Old Abe reads like a novel, but is packed with the facts from the years leading up to Lincoln's assassination -- I think this is the most accessible way to process history. It is also a solid reminder that as a nation we have risen from some very dark times and we will rise again. Great book.

Unfortunately! This book wasn’t for me. If you enjoy history then you’ll like it. I liked some parts but I just couldn’t get into it.<br />What I discovered is that Abraham Lincoln had a strong personality and kept his promises to the American people.

"...With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan-to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations."<br /><br />It is mind boggling to think that President Lincoln spoke these words over 150 years ago at his second inauguration and they can still apply to heal our divided nation..."to bind up the nation's wounds."<br /><br />I share today, my birthday, with one of the greatest presidents to serve the office. He is an example of what leadership can be and should be and author John Cribb brings him to life in his remarkably humbling novel Old Abe.<br /><br />With over 15,000 books written about Abraham Lincoln this writer made a very conscious decision to write this as historical fiction so that we could better understand the man, the human behind the legendary stories in the last five years of his life.<br /><br />The author has succeeded in humanizing President Lincoln. We see him as a conscientious lawyer, a hesitant politician, a loving father who grieves the loss of two young sons, and a very devoted husband to a wife who eventually succumbed to severe depression from the death of her children and the pressures of being the First Lady.<br /><br />I have always felt an affinity with Old Abe. We share a birthday, a love of country, and immense pride in our children. My birthday wish this year is that Lincoln's wish for a healed prosperous nation finally comes true and we can all get along and live in peace.<br /><br />I won this book in an Instagram giveaway from the amazing Michelle @nurse_bookie and am giving an honest and fair review. All opinions are my own.

In this fictional account of the last five years of Abraham Lincoln’s life, Cribb draws on copious research to provide an in-depth and personal account of a turbulent time through the eyes of the great man himself. Opening with Lincoln’s presidential bid and subsequent election, Old Abe follows Lincoln as he heads to Washington, D.C. for his inauguration, evades assassination attempts, tries to hold the country together, and ultimately oversees the Union’s defeat of the Confederate forces and the reassembling of a battered and bruised country. The political climate and certain hotly contested issues from the mid-1860s are uncannily similar to what the United States is experiencing now, and Old Abe will make readers long for a leader like Lincoln.<br /><br />Want to hear more about this book from John? Listen to my podcast interview here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com/31">https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com/31</a>. For more of my reviews, check out my Instagram account: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfromapage/">https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfro...</a>.

An incredibly beautiful portrayal of Lincoln. There is a deeper humanity in this literary presentation of Lincoln than the more famous Lincoln by Gore Vidal. The sweet relationship between Lincoln and Tad, and how they all mourned the loss of little Willie are powerful moments of this read. The final spiritual ending as Lincoln's life ebbs away touched me as the great president was reunited with his deceased loved ones. I highly recommend this novel, especially if you read a lot about Lincoln and the Civil War.

DNF<br /><br />Had some good moments but overall not into this :(

Oh Abe Lincoln, you were truly one of the greatest men who’ve ever lived.<br /><br />This fiction by John Cribb read very much like a nonfiction novel because Cribb did not skimp on his research! The historical fiction lover and scholastic nerd in me truly appreciated the amount of work this took and the rich element it added to the story of Lincoln’s time in the presidency. I felt completely immersed in the history and time. Of course, enhancing this is the fact that I’m a distant cousin of many greats to Abe Lincoln- a fun fact I like to flaunt whenever I can. ;)<br /><br />I like that Cribb didn’t portray Lincoln without human flaws because I feel that history sometimes leaves out the fact that Lincoln wasn’t always right and wasn’t always cheerful. He was human. That’s realistic.<br /><br />We all know how Lincoln met his tragic end (no spoilers here) but I found the way Cribb described his passing to be very gentle and forgiving, not to mention, beautiful. I was surprised to find myself getting nervous as I read the moments leading up to his assassination even though I already knew what was coming and the outcome. That’s the mark of a good writer.<br /><br />For all of my history buffs and lovers of American history, I highly recommend this novel because although fiction, I believe much of what was researched became truly engrained in this story and holds true to history.<br /><br />Thank you to UpLit Reads, John Cribb, and Republic Book Publishers for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

<i>Old Abe</i> is a historical fiction work that recounts the final 5 years of Abraham Lincoln's life. It mostly sticks to what we know is true but ventures into what Lincoln might have been thinking, bringing it into the fiction realm. Follow Lincoln from his election campaign until the fateful night he was shot in Ford's Theater.<br /><br />Despite this being a historical fiction book, I felt like we were still held at a distance from Lincoln; I believe the author didn't want to take such a famous and beloved public figure and go too far beyond the bounds of what are known, but the distance kept me from really connecting with the story. I had wondered how Cribb would write the end, when Lincoln gets shot. I thought he did a fabulous part with that job; it was my favorite part of the book. Overall, this was a good book; I just didn't connect with it the way I had hoped to.<br /><br />Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.