A brilliant, authoritative, and riveting account of the most critical six months in Abraham Lincoln's presidency, when he penned the Emancipation Proclamation and changed the course of the Civil War.

Introduction: A man, imperfect -- A funeral: July 13, 1862 -- "In regard to your slaves..." -- Nerve center -- First reading -- Send them away -- God knows -- One day: September 17, 1862 -- Preliminaries -- Dissent -- A different war -- Weakened -- A birthing: January 1, 1863.