The Humorous Mr Lincoln: A Profile in Wit, Courage, and Compassion

by Keith W. Jennison

Describes humorous incidents from President Lincoln's life and shares his witty stories and observations on the world

Genres: Biography, Humor, History, Presidents, Civil War, Politics

177 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1988

About the author

Keith Warren Jennison was a writer, editor and publisher. After writing more than 20 books and holding editing positions with major publishing houses in Manhattan, Mr. Jennison opened his own publishing firm, Keith Jennison Books, which was devoted to printing books in large type. A sixth-generation Vermonter, Mr. Jennison's first success was as an author of books on the humor and lore of his native region.

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like to grab anything I can on Lincoln to read. He is a fascinating man who often used humour to make points in debates and to deal with the troubled times he lived through. This book is supposed to be a collection of humourous anecdotes about Lincoln and writings by him. I don't know if it was the way it was presented, or if humour has changed a lot since 1965 when this was written or 1865 when Lincoln lived, but I really didn't find the book that humourous. It did have it's interesting moments, and it makes a unique contribution to my Lincoln library. But it was just OK.

[Mark Luongo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simply put, to deal with the stress of life Lincoln was a master of telling jokes and anecdotes that more often than not were apropos to the moment. Much to the chagrin of others in his company this behavior is a key to understanding the man and his dealings with a civil war, the death of friends and children, obstreperous Cabinet members, hesitant generals and a shrewish wife.

[Jordan Bethea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I nice light read, just a series of anecdotes about Lincoln and all of his various jokes and tales that he would tell to people. It seems like they were his own form of parables, using a homespun tale in response to a tough question.

[Auntie Greed · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good resource to hold keep in your library. I laughed out loud regularly. I was disappointed that there was so little information about Elizabeth Rutledge, the love of his early adulthood, and nothing mentioned of Frederick Douglas. Frederick Douglas might be considered the singular most important hero of the Civil War, prompting Lincoln to see his way through to drafting the Emancipation Proclamation, rather than considering Blacks as second-class or to be candidates for mass emigration.

My favorite story from the book was when Mr. Billy Brown. the Springfield storekeeper came to visit Mr. Lincoln as a surprise. They visited for some of the afternoon, dined with Mary and concluded their talk and gossip during the night. When Billy asked to be excused to go to an Inn to stay, Lincoln stopped him: "...You ain't asked me for anything, Billy. What is it? Out with it. Want a post office?' he said, giggling, for he knowed I didn't.
"'No. Mr. Lincoln, just wanted to see you -- felt kind of lonesome -- been so long since I'd seen you, and I was afraid I'd forget some of them yarns if I didn't unload soon.'
"Well, sir, You ought to seen his face as he looked at me.
"'Billy Brown,' he says, slow-like, 'do you mean to tell me you came all the way from Springfield, Illinois, just to have a visit with me; that you ain't got no complaints in your pockets, nor any advice up your sleeve?'
"'Yes sir,' I says, 'That's about it, and I'll be durned if I wouldn't go to Europe to see you , if I couldn't do it no other way, Mr. Lincoln.'
"Well, Sir, I was never so astonished in all my life. He just grabbed my hand and shook it nearly off, and the tears just poured down his face and he says:
"'Billy, you'll never know just what good you've done me. I'm homesick, Billy, just plumb homesick, and it seems as if this war would never be over. Many a night I can see the boys dying on the fields and can hear their mother crying for them at home, and I can't help it. Billy, I have to send them down there. We've got to save the Union, Billy, we've got to.'"

And he, championed by all those around him, did save the Union!

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love how Lincoln can relate stories to situations.