Abraham Lincoln really was born in a log cabin and his humble origin made him exemplary of the American self-made ideal. In their graphic biography, comic-art expert Paul Buhle and illustrator Sharon Rudahl trace the life of this singular figure. Lincoln was self-taught and shrewd, a crafty politician whose ideas on slavery and other issues evolved over time and circumstance. Buhle maps out interesting historical turning points. The Civil War didn’t just preserve the Union, but permanently increased the scope of the federal government; under Lincoln, corporations were granted attributes of “personhood” that continue to haunt our political system. Buhle’s account is not hagiographic; Lincoln was callous toward American Indians and eager to suspend civil rights, yet his actions and words shaped America. Unlike his successors, Lincoln employed no speechwriters. His words were his own.
