Lincoln at Cooper Union Audiobook By Harold Holzer cover art

Lincoln at Cooper Union

The Speech That Made Abraham Lincoln President

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Lincoln at Cooper Union explores Lincoln’s most influential and widely reported pre-presidential address—an extraordinary appeal by the Western politician to the Eastern elite that propelled him toward the Republican nomination for president. Delivered in New York in February 1860, the Cooper Union speech dispelled doubts about Lincoln’s suitability for the presidency and reassured conservatives of his moderation while reaffirming his opposition to slavery to Republican progressives.

Award-winning Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer places Lincoln and his speech in the context of the times—an era of racism, politicized journalism, and public oratory as entertainment—and shows how the candidate framed the speech as an opportunity to continue his famous “debates” with his archrival, Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, on the question of slavery.

Holzer describes the enormous risk Lincoln took by appearing in New York, where he exposed himself to the country’s most critical audience and took on Republican Senator William Henry Seward of New York, the front-runner, in his own backyard. Then he recounts a brilliant and innovative public-relations campaign, as Lincoln took the speech “on the road” in his successful quest for the presidency.

©2004 Harold Holzer (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Politics & Activism Politicians Abraham Lincoln Biographies & Memoirs Civil War American Civil War Military Wars & Conflicts War

Critic reviews

“This book is a must for anyone fascinated by Abraham Lincoln.” ( Civil War Times)
In-depth Analysis • Historical Accuracy • Intelligent Reading • Informative Content • Engaging Presentation

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but fan or not this book is different, transports you to a totally different time and place... how our nation has changed and yet how similar it is. excellent book... I learned a lot from and and enjoyed it a lot... could not really put it down!

ok o am a real Lincoln fan

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A well researched and detailed book. It provides a great picture of what NYC was in 1860 and an intimate look at Lincoln.

The major flaw for me when the date of Lincoln’s Shooting and Sewards attack was provided, they were off by 6 months. It was APRIL 14 1865, not October. How such an error occurs is mind boggling. Overall an excellent book

Great but…..

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Lincoln was evolving and Cooper Union was a clear step to defining the struggle to come with southern states
And the need to realize that owning another human being was wrong on many fronts

The Man

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A wonderful audio book. There are some tid bits that I had know Idea that Lincoln went to great extremes to get this speech out.
In the last of the book audible Abe's whole cooper union speech is reenacted by Mark Bramhall.
It is so nice to listen to this book. Mark Bramhall is a wonderful Narrator.
Thank you to the Author Harold Holzer.

Great details many ppl don't know about.

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This book reveals the thinking process of Lincoln and the innate brilliance of his logic. Highly recommended.

Excellent for Lincoln buffs.

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