Memories of Lincoln and the Splintering of American Political Thought

“This well-written and interesting book develops a new way of looking at citizenship and how it is constructed and enacted in the United States, making a valuable and potentially important contribution to the history of the era, to the conversations on citizenship, and to the methods of rhetorical criticism more broadly.”

—Mary E. Stuckey, author of Voting Deliberatively: FDR and the 1936 Presidential Campaign

“This book is a welcome contribution to the literature on Abraham Lincoln’s public memory. It establishes a historical ground that scholars can use for future studies, and offers a distinctive contribution by framing its interpretations within the broader horizon of the tension between republicanism and democratic populism. It is ambitious in its scope and conclusion.”

—Kirt H. Wilson, author of The Reconstruction Desegregation Debate: The Politics of Equality and the Rhetoric of Place, 1870–1875

“Offers an extensive compilation that adds significant value to the scholarship on Lincoln, on presidential memory, and on citizen ideals. This book can be used to trace these same themes through subsequent texts to assess consistencies and changes across generations, specifically uncovering contemporary notions about Republican and Democratic U.S. citizenship. Scholars will greatly appreciate the extensive notes and detailed index. Recommended.”

—K. L. Majocha Choice

“Shawn Parry-Giles and David Kaufer give colleagues in the fıelds of rhetoric and communication, history, and collective memory tools to widen and deepen their understanding of any historical person, whatever his or her renown and reputation. For these scholars and for anyone seriously interested in the life of any historical person, this book does not merely deserve to be read; it is one that must be read.”

—Barry Schwartz Rhetoric & Public Affairs

“A large portion of what we know about Abraham Lincoln derives from these reminiscences, and the sheer variety of memories—from those of fellow politicians to common folk—democratizes his memory like no president before him.”

—American Literature

“This diverse assemblage [of ‘Lincoln reminiscences’] affords the authors a range of critical vantages on how the representation of Abraham Lincoln via personal memories published after his death shaped conceptions of US citizenship and the US presidency in ways that remain influential to contemporary experience.”

—Elizabeth Rodrigues Biography