Reviews
"This is a rousing-yet authoritatively researched-account of one of the most dramatic, unlikely, and history-altering presidential conventions ever….Lincoln emerges as a brilliant, determined, and lucky politician, and Gary Ecelbarger as a major force in Lincoln scholarship."-Harold Holzer,Lincoln: President-Elect "In vivid prose, Ecelbarger chronicles this startling transformation of political fortune, arguing that Lincoln's ambition immediately impelled him to set his sights on the presidency after failing to gain election to the Senate. In an era when candidates stood rather than ran for elective office, Lincoln was not initially considered a serious presidential candidate. This status allowed Lincoln to campaign for the Republican Party while quietly reaping benefits for his own presidential aspirations. Ecelbarger offers a lively and challenging explanation of Lincoln's rise to power that focuses on his careful cultivation of political support in his quest for the presidency."-Daniel W. Stowell, Director and Editor, The Papers of Abraham Lincoln "Anyone who has thought there was nothing more to be said about Lincoln will have to think again after reading Gary Ecelbarger's excellent new book, The Great Comeback. With impressive research and engaging prose Ecelbarger shows a fact of Lincoln's rise to the presidency that has never before been exploed and in the process weaves a tale that is as interesting as it is inspiring."-Steven E. Woodworth, author ofNothing but Victory: The Army of the Tennessee, 1861-1865, "This is a rousing-yet authoritatively researched-account of one of the most dramatic, unlikely, and history-altering presidential conventions ever….Lincoln emerges as a brilliant, determined, and lucky politician, and Gary Ecelbarger as a major force in Lincoln scholarship."-Harold Holzer,Lincoln: President-Elect"In vivid prose, Ecelbarger chronicles this startling transformation of political fortune, arguing that Lincoln's ambition immediately impelled him to set his sights on the presidency after failing to gain election to the Senate. In an era when candidates stood rather than ran for elective office, Lincoln was not initially considered a serious presidential candidate. This status allowed Lincoln to campaign for the Republican Party while quietly reaping benefits for his own presidential aspirations. Ecelbarger offers a lively and challenging explanation of Lincoln's rise to power that focuses on his careful cultivation of political support in his quest for the presidency."-Daniel W. Stowell, Director and Editor, The Papers of Abraham Lincoln"Anyone who has thought there was nothing more to be said about Lincoln will have to think again after reading Gary Ecelbarger's excellent new book, The Great Comeback. With impressive research and engaging prose Ecelbarger shows a fact of Lincoln's rise to the presidency that has never before been exploed and in the process weaves a tale that is as interesting as it is inspiring."-Steven E. Woodworth, author ofNothing but Victory: The Army of the Tennessee, 1861-1865, "This is a rousing-yet authoritatively researched-account of one of the most dramatic, unlikely, and history-altering presidential conventions ever….Lincoln emerges as a brilliant, determined, and lucky politician, and Gary Ecelbarger as a major force in Lincoln scholarship."-Harold Holzer, Lincoln: President-Elect "In vivid prose, Ecelbarger chronicles this startling transformation of political fortune, arguing that Lincoln's ambition immediately impelled him to set his sights on the presidency after failing to gain election to the Senate. In an era when candidates stood rather than ran for elective office, Lincoln was not initially considered a serious presidential candidate. This status allowed Lincoln to campaign for the Republican Party while quietly reaping benefits for his own presidential aspirations. Ecelbarger offers a lively and challenging explanation of Lincoln's rise to power that focuses on his careful cultivation of political support in his quest for the presidency."-Daniel W. Stowell, Director and Editor, The Papers of Abraham Lincoln "Anyone who has thought there was nothing more to be said about Lincoln will have to think again after reading Gary Ecelbarger's excellent new book, The Great Comeback. With impressive research and engaging prose Ecelbarger shows a fact of Lincoln's rise to the presidency that has never before been exploed and in the process weaves a tale that is as interesting as it is inspiring."-Steven E. Woodworth, author of Nothing but Victory: The Army of the Tennessee , 1861-1865
