Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship

Freedman revisits the subject of his Newbery-winning Lincoln: A Photobiography (1987), but this time the 16th president shares billing with his friend and ally, abolitionist Frederick Douglass. The story opens with Douglass anxiously waiting to meet Lincoln for the first time to air grievances about the treatment of African-American soldiers during the Civil War. "At forty-five... he was a commanding figure, taller than most men, with a powerful athlete's build, graying hair, penetrating brown eyes and a carefully trimmed beard." Subsequent chapters detail the leaders' often parallel biographies. Both were self-made and shared a passion for reading, rising from poverty to prominence. In clear, accessible storytelling, Freedman brings the book back full circle to the pair's first meeting. Reprints of b&w photographs, engravings, political cartoons, and posters appear throughout (the most graphic of which depicts the hanging of a captured African-American soldier). Appendices, source notes, and a bibliography conclude what is not only the story of two powerful men who shaped the course of the United States, but also a brief history of the war that raged while they forged a fast but deep friendship. Ages 9-12. (June) ■

Gr 5-10--Freedman tells the story of a friendship between two men who shared many characteristics. Lincoln and Douglass were both self-educated, born into poverty, and, through relentless effort and hard work, reached great success. Both men fought for freedom and equality for all Americans, both black and white, as promised in the Declaration of Independence. Divided into 10 chapters, the book offers biographical details for each man, an overview of the Civil War, Lincoln's changing attitude toward African Americans, Douglass's endeavors to create black regiments within the Union army, and descriptions of the men's face-to-face meetings. Captioned black-and-white photographs and reproductions are found on almost every page. An appendix, a selected bibliography, notes, and a list of historic sites complete the volume. Douglass's quotes are largely taken from his three autobiographies, and the Lincoln quotes, while taken from secondary sources, are from definitive and modern standard sources. A first-rate volume for classroom study and general reading.--Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges

* "Freedman writes with clarity, intelligence, and a fine sense of detail . . . a well-researched, wonderfully readable book."
—Booklist, starred review

* "A lucid and fascinating narrative that never sacrifices depth and intellectual rigor. . . . A marvel of history writing that makes complicated history clear and interesting."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"True to form, Freedman relies heavily on period illustrations and primary and secondary sources, breathing life into both men through a generous assortment of their own words."
—Horn Book

"This book would be an asset for any classroom because it shows how two men set lasting examples of equality, integrity, and selflessness."
—VOYA, 5Q 4P MJ

* "A first-rate volume for classroom study and general reading."
—School Library Journal, starred review

* "Clear, accessible storytelling."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Freedman does not deviate an inch from his customary knack of selecting the precise details an adolescent reader will require to sort through complex issues and often conflicted personalities."
—Bulletin