In Out of Darkness William Hanchett, a leading Lincoln Scholar,
        follows Abraham Lincoln from his birth and chronicles his thirst for education,
        his achievements as a lawyer and congressman, his presidency, and his
        assassination.
      Hanchett gives readers a deeper understanding of how Lincoln's self-directed
        study and clear thinking offset his lack of a formal education, enabling
        him to become a respected and successful attorney. He also shows how Lincoln's
        uncanny leadership helped him to end slavery and still keep the divided
        North sufficiently united to win the Civil War. By focusing on a variety
        of roles and settings, Hanchett invites readers to get to know Lincoln
        as a president, as well as a lover, husband, father, and friend.
      "Excellent! Hanchett is a fine writer, and his biography of Lincoln
        is succinct and thought-provoking."
        -- Frank J. Williams, president, Abraham Lincoln Association