Lincoln's Mothers

by Dorothy Clarke Wilson

" All that I am" said Lincoln, I" I owe to my angel mother." "Which mother?" he was once asked. "Both, " he replied. A great deal has been written about Abraham Lincoln but little about the two women who were the greatest influences in his His mother Nancy and stepmother Sally. Their story is one of survival on the early American Frontier, and of the unique love they held for their family, especially son Abraham..... Nancy Hanks fell in love with Tom Lincoln at an early age and, after their marriage, followed him uncomplainingly form one farm to another, state to state, enduring many harships. She bore him three children; Sarah, named after her childhood friend Sarah (Sally) Bush; Abraham; and Thomas, who didn't survive infancy. Nancy read to the family from the Bible every night, and encouraged her son't interest in book learning, much to her husband's displeasure. She recognized early on that Abe was destined to be more than a farmer. But the many moves and primitive life of the frontier took its toll. Nancy died when Abed was just nine. A year later Tom Lincoln married Sally Bush, and though she was unable to read or write, she helped her stepson live up to his true potential, and followed with great pride his many achievements, which eventually led to the presidency of the United States. This is an inspiring story of dedication and faith, and a very special love that Abraham Lincoln shared with his two mothers..

Genres: Historical Fiction, American History

423 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Dorothy Clarke Wilson (May 9, 1904 – March 26, 2003) was an American writer, perhaps best known for her novel Prince of Egypt (1949), which was a primary source for the Cecil B. DeMille film, The Ten Commandments (1956).

Source: Wikipedia

Reviews

[Art · Rating 5 out of 5]

At First, I didn't like this book, because the Author writes in the Vernicular of the day.
I thought at first, she is using the wrong dialect for the region she is writing about.
However the more I read the more I seen the direction and gained a better understanding of What I hopped that Ms. Wilson was trying to help us understand about Abe and his two Mothers.
WOW!
My regret is that I didn't have "A. Lincoln" by Ronald C. White Jr. to compare some of the items that I read to his book.
Not an easy life or one filled w/alot of joy, but Praise God for Mothers who see things in us that we don't see and their love is unwavering!
Definitely a Tribute to MOTHERS!!!

[Cindy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't like it. Didn't finish it. Too much liberty in filling in the blanks. I just couldn't make it work.

[E.C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of my absolute favorites of all time.
LINCOLN'S MOTHERS, a biographical novel mainly based on facts, sheds light on not only Lincoln's mother and stepmother but also the events and customs in those times. The writing style is gorgeous, and so were the descriptions. I love how the author shaped Lincoln's mothers' personalities in a way that I could easily picture who they were as people, but without a whole lot of telling.
Truly priceless. Don't let the old-fashioned cover scare you away--or how old this book looks--it's really a beautiful read you will not forget.

[Francie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book, read it about 20 years ago and rereading it now, it’s pretty old and I didn’t know if it would still work for me but it truly does, great story and well told, Lincoln’s family and their history is interesting and told in such a way that is keeping me riveted!! Love it so much.

[Dianne Hoerter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book many years ago but I still remember how much I learned. I have always been fascinated by Lincoln. I love this book.

[Dr.J.G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good book about some very good people, nice to read, and leaves one with a good feeling suffusing one's heart.

Lincoln spoke about his mother, and most people understood it to be about his birth mother who died soon after. The author here questions that automatic assumption, and while makes no dispute about someone who gave life to such a great man, hypothesises that it might in fact have been about his stepmother who influenced him and was responsible for encouraging his aspirations of reading and learning despite the harsh frontier life of Illinois - Indiana - Kentucky border where his future wife was brought up in a mansion in style with slaves while he lived in a log cabin.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and learned a lot about the life of Pres. Lincoln. The first have was slow moving for me, but the second half i enjoyed much more and it moved more quickly. It is a great Historical Biographical fiction. I have never read the Work and the Glory--yet--the writing in this book is much like it. It has truth and fiction intermixed. I fell in love with these great pioneer women and then man they raised.

[Cws]

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