Commander in Chief: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War

by Albert Marrin

Offers young adult readers a comprehensive look at the life, times, and accomplishments of this historic figure, from his childhood years through to his presidency. Reprint.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, School, American Civil War

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Albert Marrin is a historian and the author of more than twenty nonfiction books for young people. He has won various awards for his writing, including the 2005 James Madison Book Award and the 2008 National Endowment for Humanities Medal. In 2011, his book Flesh and Blood So Cheap was a National Book Award Finalist. Marrin is the Chairman of the History Department at New York's Yeshiva University.

Reviews

[Arnav · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is amazing in all aspects. The book has a nice start with a good hook. The book also has a nice middle where you start understanding Abe and the civil war. You start learning a lot of facts that you most likely have never known. In the end, you have learned many things and if there was an Abraham Lincoln test you would easily pass. This book contains info about every part of Lincoln's life. The book also informs you about every major action and decision that was made by the legendary president.

[Elijah Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action-packed and historically accurate. Definetly one of my favorite Civil War books I've ever read!

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was at the library yesterday picking up some holds and I decided to stroll through the history section when I spotted this. There was a whole shelf of stuff on Lincoln and the Civil War but I decided on this one. I’ve never really read anything about that whole era so I thought this would be a good read. I knew the basics, but this book did a nice job of filling in the blanks, and had some interesting nuggets, such as the fact that Lincoln never really had anything to do with his father after he left “the old log cabin”. He refused his father’s deathbed request for a visit and didn’t go to the funeral! Lots of other good bits in there, and lots of incredible pictures as well. Pretty fascinating read, and it once again reinforces just how lucky I am to be living as a middle-class American in the 21st century. We have it so easy compared to 99.999% of everyone else who has ever walked the earth.

[Kaylin]

I found this in the children’s nonfiction section - a great place to find introductory books on lots of topics. This book wasn’t dumbed down in any way but provides a surface view at the era and Lincoln’s life. It was a very enjoyable read due to all the anecdotes, often funny, on Lincoln as a person and the people of that time. Those looking for more than a surface look at the civil war will have to look elsewhere (despite the title) but as an introduction it was an engaging read about the bloodiest conflict in American history.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lincoln's main motivation for fighting South Carolina and the other states in 'rebellion' was because he believed so strongly in the rule of law, and that all the states had to be held to obey what they had already legally agreed to, namely, to be a part of the Union. An excellent book on the Civil War and Lincoln's greatness.

[Joe Drogos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for a smart seventh grader-- it's captivating and pulls no punches.

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marrin is a wonderful author. I recommend him to anyone looking for an engaging read that delves into the facts without getting too "name and date-y".