Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America (Hardcover)

Description

---

A compelling and nuanced exploration of Abraham Lincoln’s political acumen, illuminating a great politician’s strategy in a country divided—and lessons for our own disorderly present

In 1855, with the United States at odds over slavery, the lawyer Abraham Lincoln wrote a note to his best friend, the son of a Kentucky slaveowner. Lincoln rebuked his friend for failing to oppose slavery. But he added: “If for this you and I must differ, differ we must,” and said they would be friends forever. Throughout his life and political career, Lincoln often agreed to disagree. Democracy demanded it, since even an adversary had a vote. The man who went on to become America’s sixteenth president has assumed many roles in our historical consciousness, but most notable is that he was, unapologetically, a politician. And as Steve Inskeep argues, it was because he was willing to engage in politics—meeting with critics, sometimes working with them and other times outwitting them—that he was able to lead a social revolution.

In Differ We Must, Inskeep illuminates Lincoln’s life through sixteen encounters, some well-known, some obscure, but all imbued with new significance here. Each interaction was with a person who differed from Lincoln, and in each someone wanted something from the other. While Lincoln didn’t always change his critics’ beliefs—many went to war against him—he did learn how to make his beliefs actionable. He told jokes, relied on sarcasm, and often made fun of himself—but behind the banter was a distinguished storyteller who carefully chose what to say and what to withhold. He knew his limitations and, as history came to prove, he knew how to prioritize. Many of his greatest acts came about through his engagement with people who disagreed with him—meaning that in these meetings, Lincoln became the Lincoln we know.

As the host of NPR’s Morning Edition for almost two decades, Inskeep has mastered the art of bridging divides and building constructive debate in interviews; in Differ We Must, he brings his skills to bear on a prior master, forming a fresh and compelling narrative of Lincoln’s life. With rich detail and enlightening commentary, Inskeep expands our understanding of a politician who held strong to his moral compass while navigating between corrosive political factions, one who began his career in the minority party and not only won the majority but succeeded in uniting a nation.

About the Author

---

Steve Inskeep is a cohost of NPR’s Morning Edition, the most widely heard radio program in the United States, and of NPR’s Up First, one of the nation’s most popular podcasts. His reporting has taken him across the United States, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, Pakistan, and China. His search for the full story behind the news has led him to history; he is the author of Instant City, Jacksonland, and Imperfect Union.

Praise For…

---

“A satisfying new look at one of the most written-about political figures in American history. . . An admirable addition to Lincolniana.” —Kirkus

“Abraham Lincoln’s ambidextrous political acumen is the focus of journalist and public radio personality Inskeep (Imperfect Union) . . . The energetic narrative and intriguing cast of characters keep things moving . . . Lincoln buffs will relish this unique account.” —Publishers Weekly

“Abraham Lincoln, America’s greatest president, comes freshly alive in Steve Inskeep’s brilliant rendering of his interactions with many individuals, famous and obscure, of varied backgrounds and viewpoints. Inskeep’s Lincoln is flexible, witty, and wise--sometimes cagey but always rock-solid in his principles. Differ We Must is a read-we-must in a time when America is almost as divided as it was in Lincoln’s era.” —David S. Reynolds, author of Abe: Abraham Lincoln in His Times

“Lincoln was an artful politician capable of portraying himself differently to different people. Yet he rose to the level of statesman. Steve Inskeep captures the artfulness and the ascent in this fascinating, insightful account of Lincoln’s dealings with sixteen of his contemporaries—men and women whose cooperation he solicited, whose opposition he parried, and whose diversity informed the more inclusive republic he did so much to create.” —H.W. Brands, author of The Zealot and the Emancipator