Consists of 8 CDs. On May 18, 1860, William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Edward Bates, & Abraham Lincoln waited in their hometowns for the results from the Republican National Convention in Chicago. When Lincoln emerged as the victor, his rivals were dismayed & angry. Throughout the turbulent 1850s, each had energetically sought the presidency as the conflict over slavery was leading inexorably to secession & civil war. That Lincoln succeeded was the result of a character that had been forged by life experiences that raised him above his more privileged & accomplished rivals. He won because he possessed an extraordinary ability to put himself in the place of other men, to experience what they were feeling, to understand their motives & desires. This capacity enabled President Lincoln to bring his disgruntled opponents together, create the most unusual cabinet in history, & marshal their talents to preserve the Union & win the war.This abridged edition is narrated Richard Thomas.
