Lincoln As I Knew Him by Harold Holzer (104-166)

Summary:
Book continues to describe memories of journalists and comics who lived during Lincoln’s days. It made me feel a little bit boring because I was hearing same good things about president again and again and there seem no change, until page 113 where 5th portion of the book begins: "Memories From Foreign Observers". It's great because I am foreigner myself and I visited some countries in Europe and can tell people everywhere are different and they will have different thoughts and ways of understanding Lincoln as a man and as a ruler of a country that is growing expanding and developing with the speed of light. Of course no one would say something bad out loud about president even when he is dead, however at least author gives reader a chance to hear opinions of people who did not live in democracy and during Civil War in America. There were two memories or rather say journalist's reports one is written by French and second one is written by British. It tells reader pretty similar information about Abraham’s physical appearance and personality traits however in slightly different way because it is actually a report. I love how setting is described and people who surrounded Lincoln starting from military generals and going down to people of the lowest class who was near at the time of interview. On page 131 6th portion starts and immediately drags my attention by quote from George B. McCellan the Union General that says: “The President Is an Idiot”… The quote that follows: “The President is nothing more than a well meaning baboon”. Wow! It has big amount of insults addressed to Lincoln and it moves you from boring politeness to insults and the reader’s job now is to understand what Lincoln was really like and is just mentally retarded general or he is only person who is not scared and can tell everyone the truth. Quotes mixed my feelings like in blander. One guy says: “Mr. Lincoln Does Not Have Character”… another responds: “He Had a Native Genius.” Finally! Author did it! He is moving reader back and forth leaving the main goal for the reader- the main goal to understand what person Lincoln was really like!
Quote:
" The president is and Idiot" (Holzer 133).
Reaction:
The book is called “Lincoln as I Knew Him. Gossip, Tributes & Revelations From His Best Friends & Worst Enemies.” The quote itself screams that person who said it was on the worst enemies’ side. Only thing that really brought my opinion to those insulting quotes is that Democracy and freedom of speech had already been established in United States even back then. In great Russia is 18th and 19th hundreds there was no such freedom of speech and no military person or anyone else would call the Tsar and idiot out loud unless he wanted his tongue to be cut of it was a rebellion.