A Shelf of Lincoln Books: A Critical, Selective Bibliography of Lincolniana

by Paul M. Angle

Limited edition (1,000 copies)

142 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1972

Reviews

[David Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1946, this volume is necessarily outdated, but should definitely not be overlooked. Paul M. Angle was one of the preeminent Lincoln scholars of his day. He has carefully selected about 80 of the thousands of Lincoln books extant at that time, with an eye for those that offer the greatest contribution to Lincoln scholarship and have stood the test of time. Thus, Angle eliminates those books that "were little better than worthless when they were published," and focuses on those with lasting value.

Despite selecting the best books, Angle is direct in his critiques for any inadequacies he sees in each volume. He notes that many of his comments may reflect a "magisterial tone," but it is exactly that tone and his authoritative evaluation of each book's strengths and weaknesses that make this "Shelf" so valuable in its own right.

There is a need for an updated bibliography of Lincoln books, but such an update should start with this volume by Angle.