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    Lincoln in the World: The Making of A Statesman and the Dawn of American Power
    Lincoln in the World: The Making of A Statesman and the Dawn of American Power
    Lincoln in the World: The Making of A Statesman and the Dawn of American Power
    Audiobook14 hours

    Lincoln in the World: The Making of A Statesman and the Dawn of American Power

    Written by Kevin Peraino

    Narrated by Jonathan Yen

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    About this audiobook

    A captivating look at how Abraham Lincoln evolved into one of our seminal foreign-policy presidents-- and helped point the way to America' s rise to world power. This is the story of one of the most breathtaking feats in the annals of American foreign policy-- performed by one of the most unlikely figures. Abraham Lincoln is not often remembered as a great foreign-policy president. He had never traveled overseas and spoke no foreign languages. And yet, during the Civil War, Lincoln and his team skillfully managed to stare down the Continent' s great powers-- deftly avoiding European intervention on the side of the Confederacy. In the process, the United States emerged as a world power in its own right. Engaging, insightful, and highly original, Lincoln in the World is a tale set at the intersection of personal character and national power. The narrative focuses tightly on five distinct, intensely human conflicts that helped define Lincoln' s approach to foreign affairs-- from his debate, as a young congressman, with his law partner over the conduct of the Mexican War, to his deadlock with Napoleon III over the French occupation of Mexico. Bursting with colorful characters like Lincoln' s bowie-knife-wielding minister to Russia, Cassius Marcellus Clay; the cunning French empress, EugEnie; and the hapless Mexican monarch Maximilian-- Lincoln in the World draws a finely wrought portrait of a president and his team at the dawn of American power. In the Age of Lincoln, we see shadows of our own world. The international arena in the 1860s could be a merciless moral vacuum. Lincoln' s times demanded the cold, realistic pursuit of national interest, and, in important ways, resembled our own increasingly multipolar world. And yet, like ours, Lincoln' s era was also an information age, a period of rapid globalization. Steamships, telegraph wires, and proliferating new media were transforming the world. Global influence required the use of " soft power" as well as hard. Anchored by meticulous research into overlooked archives, Lincoln in the World reveals the sixteenth president to be one of America' s indispensable diplomats-- and a key architect of America' s emergence as a global superpower. Much has been written about how Lincoln saved the Union, but Lincoln in the World highlights the lesser-known-- yet equally vital-- role he played on the world stage during those tumultuous years of war and division.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateOct 29, 2013
    ISBN9781470390747

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    Reviews for Lincoln in the World

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    54 ratings24 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Good introduction to the international aspects of the civil war, something mentioned in passing in most histories. But not a complete resource as the author says but concentrates only on matters directly handled by Lincoln.
    • 3/5
      Did not find this to be a compelling read. The information tendered was luke warm. Some of the portrayals of peripheral players were of interest but over all, not a page turner.
    • 4/5
      I love any book about Abraham Lincoln! He is such a rich character in American history. This book was well researched and well written. If you are a fan or would like to know more about Lincoln, then check this book out!

      **I received this book from Goodreads Member Giveaway. The opinion is solely my own.**
    • 4/5
      Lincoln in the world is a new take on the traditional Lincoln books I've read in the past. I found it refreshing to think about his interaction with foreign affairs in more depth. I like the format of the incidents revealed in the book. Rather than provide an all encompassing history of Lincoln's foreign relations, the author provides specific incidents in-depth which makes this an enjoyable and enlightening read.
    • 4/5
      Kevin Peraino's book on the foreign policy of Abraham Lincoln is a necessary compliment to the volumes and volumes of book on the battles and generals of the Civil War. The intervention of one or more of European nations would have decisively changed the course of the war in the Confederacy's favor. Peraino examines the instances in which Britain and France were perilously close meddling in America's domestic conflict.
      Peraino divides his history into six chapters each with Lincoln opposing another historical figure over foreign issues ie Lincoln vs Napoleon III, Lincoln vs Marx, etc.
      The two least successful chapters are the first and the last. The first chapter is entitled Lincoln vs Herndon. Lincoln and Billy Herndon were law partners in Illinois. This chapter acts as introduction to Lincoln and gives a sense of his views of the wider world and how they developed. Peraino stretches things about portraying Lincoln's trip down the Mississippi to New Orleans as if it were a visit to a foreign country. The basic fact is Lincoln was not a worldly man and he himself acknowledged this. The author also tries to make Mary Todd seem more worldly than she was. Learning to speak French in private school in Kentucky does not a cosmopolitan make.
      The three core chapters having to do with Palmerston, Marx, and Napoleon III are the best and I learned a good deal. The reader can tell the author spent untold hours researching based on his small-fonted, closely typed source notes that go on for pages. Most American will be surprised to learn that the Union and the British government came very close to war. A Union Army captain seized two Confederate diplomats from a British boat. If Lincoln has been stubborn or quick tempered the US could have easily had two front war on its hands with the British to the North and the rebels in the South.
      Peraino writes clearly and has an eye for narrative and human drama. The only weakness of his writing style is it seems like he wants things both ways, "he was a man who was a certain way and at the same time the complete opposite" sort-of-thing. Sometimes you're either a country rustic or world-wise.
      I was glad to have the opportunity to read and review this book. I enjoyed it and learned quite a bit. I'd recommend it to the general reader with an interest in history or anyone interested in the Civil War.
    • 4/5
      I think that most Americans probably know a lot about Lincoln's domestic policy. A book about Lincoln's foreign policy, however, is something different, and I liked it. Peraino shows how Lincoln adeptly managed competing forces to keep the US away from foreign entanglements in order to focus on the war at home. My only quibble is that I think I would have focused more on the chronology rather than Lincoln vs different people. There were times when that seemed to be a stretch.
    • 5/5
      This book offers a look at the Lincoln presidency and the Civil War that not too many others have looked at. Though tied down to a domestic crisis at home Lincoln also had to deal with foreign issues also. Probably the biggest issue was to keep the European powers from allying themselves with the Confederacy.

      Peraino delves into the Lincoln foreign policy in relationship with six different individuals. He discusses Lincoln's developing foreign policy as he and his partner Herndon debate the issues of the day. Then comes Seward, a political rival for the Republican nomination in 1860 who becomes his Secretary of State, who working with Lincoln seems to develop a mutual respect for each other. The interactions with these two men strengthen Lincoln's philosophy of foreign policy.

      Then comes Lincoln's dealings with three men he never met in person. Palmerston of England, Marx a philosopher living in England, and Napoleon the leader of France who was interested in set up an empire in Mexico. Communications at the time were not instantaneous as they are today so it is interesting to see how each of these three saw Lincoln and his understanding of what they were trying to do.

      Finally Lincoln vs. Lincoln. The inner turmoil of wanting to see the end of slavery but not wanting to do it so that foreign countries would not side with the Confederacy. Also not wanting to drive a bigger wedge between the North and the South. How foreign powers would view his actions and react to them seemed to always be on his mind.

      So did Lincoln create the foreign policy that would enable Theodore Roosevelt to step on the world stage and take credit for making the United States a world power? Was Lincoln's presidency the "dawn of American power" because of his foreign policy stands.
    • 5/5
      Lincoln's role as an international figure is thoroughly explored. As a student of U.S. History, this book presents a unique look at an historical figure and time that most of us know so well. I was surprised at how much I DIDN'T know! The tensions on the Presidency of Lincoln extended far beyond the Confederacy. Having read this book I have a much deeper appreciation for the struggles that Lincoln encountered upon taking office in 1861.
    • 5/5
      Lincoln in the World by Kevin Peraino is not your regular biographical history of President Lincoln during the American Civil War. If you are looking for biography of Lincoln, I don't recommend this book. However, if you are generally familiar with Lincoln and are looking for a different perspective to fill in your knowledge; this book is for you.

      Peraino organizes the book in an usual way, focusing on specific relationships between Lincoln and key persons of the period. In this way Peraino illustrates the development of Lincoln, the statesman and diplomat. While never leaving the United States and much focused on the Civil War, Lincoln certainly had his share of international crises and demonstrated quite a high level of skill in international relations. Perhaps the most important was to ensure that no European power sided with the Confederacy.

      In the section Lincoln vs. Seward the reader will learn a good deal about Lincoln's Secretary of State, William Henry Seward. At first being rivals for the presidential nomination, Lincoln and Seward grew to be quite an effective diplomatic team relying on each others strengths.

      I found a quote from Seward to be very apropos of a political view much needed today “I learned early from Jefferson that, in political affairs, we cannot always do what seems to us absolutely best. We must be content to lead when we can; and to follow when we cannot lead; and if we cannot at any time do for our country all the good that we would wish, we must be satisfied with doing for her all the good that we can.”

      A second quote from Seward gave me great pause to consider current world and our relationship to China. Seward said “The nation that draws the most materials from the earth, and fabricates the most, and sells the most of productions and fabrics to foreign nations, must be, and will be the great power of the earth.”

      In the section Lincoln vs. Palmerston, describes the diplomatic balancing act needed to manage the economic effects of king cotton on the British economy. Peraino's descriptions of the Trent Affair (abduction of Confederate agents Mason and Sidell from British ship, HMS Trent, in international waters) is an excellent example of the Lincoln/ Seward diplomacy.

      Most readers know Karl Marx for his Communist Manifesto. Little known to this reader was that Karl Marx was quite the international journalist and critical observer of the American scene during the Civil War. In the section Lincoln vs Karl Marx, we learn that he was one of the most widely read columnists of New York Tribune.

      I found the section on Lincoln vs. Napoleon perhaps the most interesting. In the deep recesses of my memory I knew the basics of Napoleon’s ventures in Mexico and his installation of Maximilian as puppet Mexican emperor. However, what was surprising to me was uproar in the United States to invade Mexico at the same time

      Particularly interesting was a 4 hour meeting between the Confederacy’s Vice President, Alexander Stephens, Lincoln and Seward at Hampton Roads, Va on February 3,1865. The topic was a serious proposal by Stevens for the Union and Confederate armies to join forces and invade Mexico to expel the French army! Lincoln was skeptical of the proposal and nothing came of it.
    • 5/5
      The only negative comment I can make about LINCOLN IN THE WORLD, The Making of a Statesman and the Dawn of American Power, is that the title is kinda lame and plodding. Otherwise, this is a fine book. If you are interested in Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, and what was going on in the larger world at the time, get this book.

      Many readers might not have known or had little remembered, myself included there, that in the War with Mexico the USA captured Mexico City and that many Americans wanted to just keep the country. Lincoln prevented that. Lincoln recognized that France would back off it's conquest of Mexico, that the USA needn't go to war with France for that to happen.

      The writing style of this book makes it very readable. There is also a wealth of notes and references to other books.

      This book is one I enjoyed and will definitely read again someday.
    • 4/5
      This is a worthwhile read for all students of Abraham Lincoln. It offers a look into his life from a different perspective—his interaction with foreign nations and how he was seen from abroad. The interactions range from influencing the actions of other countries, reacting to international pressure, to merely being reflected in the opinions of outside the USA observers.
      Kevin Peraino has selected six persons, Lincoln’s law partner, Billy Herndon; his Secretary of State, William Henry Seward; England Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston; Karl Marx; Napoleon III; and himself through the eyes of John Hay, his personal secretary. Each chapter title implies an adversarial relationship existed between Lincoln and each of those persons but, in most cases, contrasting viewpoints are discussed rather than head to head conflict. The interactions involving several of the six persons is personal—Herndon and Jay for example and with others such as Seward and Palmerston, it his more impersonal focusing more on the business of government.
      The inclusion of Marx in this mix is titillating but the relationship is so tenuous—comments in articles penned by Marx as a part of his functioning as a newspaper correspondent rather than as an economic philosopher that he hardly fits in a discussion of foreign relations. Not including Gideon Welles, Lincoln’s Secretary of the Navy, in the discussion except parenthetically, was curious in light of the international impact of naval operations but understandable.
      Peraino’s writing style is fresh and the heaviness of the subject is avoided. Just enough discussion of the conduct and progression of the Civil War is included to keep the subject in historical perspective without overwhelming the story. Personal anecdotes give pictures into Lincoln’s personality and reveal both the anguish he often felt as well as his cold political savviness.
    • 5/5
      Lincoln in the World, by Kevin Peraino is a worthwhile and compelling read for anyone interested in all aspects of the Civil War, not just the history of battles and the home front. The book also addresses much about the growth of the United States on the world stage. The author presents an enlightening look at other world events that were ongoing before, during, and after the Civil War. It is interesting to consider Abraham Lincoln's actions as they related to other historical figures, like Marx and Napoleon III.
      The book makes a convincing presentation of Lincoln's wisdom and farsightedness, traits that served this country so very well.
      Mr. Peraino is clearly an intelligent and thoughtful historian, given to extensive and thorough research. It is perhaps more important to note that he is also an accomplished writer. This subject matter could easily become 'weighty' and a difficult read, and yet, the author has succeeded in created a flowing narrative that is quite enjoyable. I look forward to his next effort.
    • 4/5
      Most historical works on the Civil War or biographies of Lincoln brush lightly on his record on to foreign affairs. Little is said of his position on the Mexican War as a one-term congressman during that conflict. During the Civil War reference to his administration’s foreign relations are usually limited to the Trent affair and to efforts to prevent intervention by the European powers on the side of the Confederacy. The French invasion of Mexico is often as a minor footnote in contrast to the stupendous domestic political events and the conduct of the war.

      Peraino closely examines Lincoln’s foreign policy in its philosophical underpinnings, its practical political strategies and its lasting legacy on the foreign affairs postures of the nation in the post-war years. He weaves into his analysis an explanation of the moral sensibility of Lincoln’s views of relations toward others in the world along with the need to secure the best interests of the nation in its struggle to preserve the union. His device to tell this story is to juxtapose Lincoln and others in the foreign affairs realm: his exchanges with law partner Herndon that revealed his thinking on the Mexican War, his relationship with Seward, the complex dynamics of relations with Britain under Palmerston’s prime ministry, the reaction of Karl Marx to the implications of the Civil War in America and his delicate touch with the French after their invasion of Mexico.

      Lincoln opposed the Mexican War on moral and political grounds. He saw it as a bald usurpation of authority by the executive which was not sanctioned by the constitutional grant of powers to the legislature. This was a thoroughly Whig-like view of the proper balance between the branches of government, but it was later sharply contrasted by his exercise of executive power during his administration, a shift in power that remains to this day. He believed the war was started on contrived pretexts that thinly disguised the expansionist motives of the administration. Importantly, he thought that the war would upset the sectional balance he believed critical to keeping the nation from fracture lines between the slave and free states.

      As is well known Seward attempted to take control over the administration during its first days. Lincoln, as he did in so many situations, showed forbearance and strong yet subtle management in dealing with his headstrong but talented secretary of state. Seward’s impulsive idea of engaging the Europeans in war to rally Americans into a unified response was deftly put aside by Lincoln, but not by sacrificing Seward as a key player in his administration. As the war years progressed, Lincoln and Seward developed a close and effective relationship.

      The Trent affair presented a grave threat to the aim of keeping Britain from intervening in the American conflict. The public was enthralled by the capture of two Confederate envoys from a British-flagged ship on the high seas. Despite his initial pleasure, Lincoln soon realized that this unauthorized act would enrage Britain to the point of taking action against the United State. He carefully moved public opinion and the congress to see that an accommodation with the British, i.e. the release of the envoys, was the wisest path for the country to take. Another crisis avoided was the blockade of cotton shipments to the continent that closed down the English textile mills, putting thousands of English workers out of their jobs. Lincoln carefully appealed to the moral sensibility of the English working class in their revulsion to the continuance of slavery that Confederate success would entail. In fact, the administration subtly and overtly played on European opposition to slavery to keep pro-Confederate sentiments in check, especially after the prospect of emancipation emerged as a stated outcome of the conflict.

      Karl Marx was a close observer of the political and social implications of the Civil War. He strongly supported the union aims and generally felt that Lincoln was acting on principles of moral justice that would later redound to the working classes in the industrial nations of the world. Marx was a frequent contributor to the influential New York Tribune whose dispatches from the continent were undoubtedly read by Lincoln. Lincoln’s careful maneuvering of political and public dynamics on the emancipation issue is told here and observed by Marx for its potential impact on class issues in the future.

      Lincoln’s patience and ability to withstand emotionally driven public pressures is seen clearly in his response to the French invasion of Mexico. This opportunistic adventure by Napoleon III was a clear breach of well-known US aversion to continental incursions into the Americas. The public and political leaders wanted a military response to the threats of European expansion on the southern us boundary. Here again, Lincoln showed the wisdom of holding to a patient long view. He knew that the French folly in Mexico would not be sustained over time and chose to keep the nation from engaging in two wars at once.

      Peraino ends this fine book with an account of the foreign affairs policy of the administrations into the next century. This is told through the career of John Hay, Lincoln’s personal secretary who went on to become secretary of state in the McKinley and Roosevelt presidencies. The strong presidential control over the foreign affairs strategies of the US are a key legacy of the Lincoln approach to this realm.
    • 4/5
      Number one, Europe stayed out of the war. Number two, Europe never recognized the Confederacy as a sovereign nation. Number three, he steered the Union clear of any misadventures in Canada or Mexico. That's all that needs to be said about the success of Lincoln as a statesman, and it doesn't take three hundred pages to say it.
    • 3/5
      The role that Abraham Lincoln had in transforming the presidency has primarily been viewed in the realm of domestic and of war powers while neglecting his contributions to the presidency in the role of foreign affairs. In "Lincoln in the World", author Kevin Peraino aimed to explore Lincoln's dealing with the international community while engaging in a civil war that threatened to involve other nations.

      Peraino divided his book into six sections, five of which he compared Lincoln to an individual in which he went up against on a particular problem in a matter of foreign policy and sixth in which the 'duality' of Lincoln's foreign policy was examined in the career of his private secretary John Hay. The five individuals Peraino matched up against Lincoln were his law partner Billy Herndon, his Secretary of State William Seward, Prime Minister Lord Palmerston, journalist Karl Marx, and Emperor Napoleon III. While the list of individuals Peraino selected seem to promise a quality read, unfortunately the results were mixed.

      The selects involving Herndon and Seward were Peraino's attempt to first show Lincoln's developing thoughts in foreign policy involving the United States while the latter was a rehashing of working relationship of Lincoln and his Secretary of State. While laudable in attempting show Lincoln's evolving thoughts on foreign policy, Peraino seemed to be reaching in Herndon's section and sounded second-rate while covering Seward, especially in comparison to other recent books. Once Peraino focused on the international scene, the book gained momentum as he compared and contrasted Lincoln with Palmerston and Napoleon III. While examining how Palmerston and Napoleon III lived and related to the world was fascinating and were the highlight of the book especially as they dealt with an incorrect assessment of Lincoln and Seward's working relationship as well underestimating Lincoln. The worst stumble of the book was Peraino's inclusion of Karl Marx as a way to bring in Lincoln's attempts to shape opinion for the North on foreign populace as well as Marx indirectly affecting Lincoln's decision to emancipate the South's slaves. Peraino's examination of John Hay's diplomatic career was an odd conclusion and was an attempt to show how Lincoln changed the nation's foreign policy, but came off as more sentimental then proving an argument.

      "Lincoln in the World" had a promising premise, unfortunately Peraino did deliver in both argument and overall structure giving the reader a puzzling read that is only saved by the biographies and philosophies of other world leaders both political and intellectual.
    • 4/5
      In this book the author gives us a look into the foreign policy of Abraham Lincoln and the problems he had to contend with. We are use to reading of President Lincoln as Commander-in-Chief but this was an amazing glimpse at the issues he had to deal with in order to keep the old powers out of U.S. affairs and the Civil War. This book does a good job of dealing with this often overlooked subject and deals not only with the thoughts and process of the president and his cabinet but that of the foreign powers he was dealing with. The fact he had as much work during the Civil War dealing with foreign relations as he did domestic troubles shows the brilliance of his understanding of politics and the new force of public opinion.
    • 4/5
      As with every book about Abraham Lincoln, the first question I ask is whether this is adding something new to an often examined figure. With Lincoln in the World, my answer is yes.

      Lincoln in the World's focus is on the foreign relations problems that Lincoln grappled with while President. This is a fairly unique take on Lincoln. Lincoln is inextricably intertwined with the Civil War and America's struggle with slavery. What Lincoln in the World demonstrates is how many other issues Lincoln was required to contend with at the same time. Lincoln's efforts to keep the European powers out of the Civil War shaped some of his most famous acts. For example, the language of the Emancipation Proclamation was altered, in part, as an attempt to placate England which complained that the Proclamation was a half measure and which was, initially, viewed as a sign of weakness.

      The book also makes clear how close the European powers came to intervening in the Civil War. The blockade of Confederate ports caused massive disruptions in England's textile mills. Moreover, diplomatic incidents like the seizure of European diplomats brought a very real risk of European intervention and even a risk of outright war with a foreign power. Finally, Lincoln had to contend with various constituencies who advocated that the Union start wars with England, Spain and France in order to protect the Americas from European imperial expansion or as a means of uniting factions within the Union itself.

      All in all, Lincoln in the World does a good job of describing a portion of Lincoln's presidency that is often overlooked and highlights the fact that Lincoln's struggles with foreign relations were as difficult and time consuming as what Lincoln faced domestically. Lincoln in the World is a very readable, popular account of an important facet in American history. Well worth the time.

      What
    • 4/5
      I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Lincoln in the World: The Making of a Statesman and the Dawn of American Power. Like most people, I've generally thought of Lincoln in terms of Commander-In-Chief during the Civil War, the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, and his assassination. I never really thought about the tremendous learning curve (shame on me!) that was forced on him to go from Representative-in-relative-exile to leader of a powerful country, forced to deal from weakness with foreign powers with only their own self-interest in mind.

      This was enlightening, and I appreciated the opportunity to read it.
    • 4/5
      Lincoln in the World, The Making of a Statesman and the Dawn of American Power by Kevin Peraino, senior editor and bureau chief for Newsweek, sketches Lincoln's involvement with international relations and diplomacy from his time in 1847 as a new Representative from Illinois to the US Congress to the end of the US Civil War and Lincoln's assassination in April 1865. From Lincoln's opposition of President Polk's prosecution of the US war with Mexico (1845-1847) through his handling of Great Britain's machinations seeking possible sovereign recognition of the Confederation States of America to France's Napoleon III's attempted imperial extension into Mexico with Maximilian and Carlotta's arrival at Veracruz in May 1864.
      Peraino exhibits a realist President Lincoln intent on honoring both Washington's advice on avoiding European political entanglements and Monroe's doctrine of US intervention to thwart any European attempts to colonize any sovereign nation in the Americas. We are familiar with Secretary of State Seward's acquisition of the Alaska from Russia, but may not be acquainted with the interest of Karl Marx in the US Civil War, in terms of its economic effects on the Worker.
      This is a book that plows old ground to surface new facts and interpretations. It should lead readers to Howard Jones' Blue and Gray Diplomacy, A History of Union and Confederate Foreign Relations (University of North Carolina, 2009) and to J. Monaghan's A Diplomat in Carpet Slippers, Abraham Lincoln Deals with Foreign Affairs (1997).
    • 4/5
      This book differentiates itself by focusing on Lincoln’s involvement in foreign policy, starting with his days as a Congressman and continuing throughout his presidency. I have never thought about Lincoln before as being on the world stage, as so much of his presidency was focused on domestic concerns. The author does an excellent job of presenting a series of scenarios with 5 individuals (Herndon, Seward, Palmerston, Marx, and Napleon) that help to explain Lincoln’s foreign policy views. I found the treatment of the politics underpinning all of this fascinating. It is interesting coverage of why Lincoln reacted as he did.
      In the first chapter, Lincoln vs Herndon. Peraino points to Lincoln’s early study of George Washington taking his cues from Washington’s belief that a “successful foreign policy should both promote American interests and display a regard for international justice.” As a junior Congressman Lincoln criticizes Polk’s handling of Mexico, unpopular because of the expansionist trends in American politics of the time. Lincoln calls the Mexican War unnecessary and unconstitutional. This view puts him at odds with his law partner Herndon.
      In the second chapter Lincoln vs Seward, the relationship between the less experienced president with the mature, power-hungry Seward shows an interesting dynamic to their relationship. Obviously Seward was more of a hawk. Peraino points out their mutual belief in economic expansionism. As well Lincoln and Seward worked to build the Union navy that would be able to enforce the blockade, in spite of his belief in the Constitutional power of Congress to form an army, only seeking congressional approval after the fact.
      The chapter on Lincoln vs Marx compares the two men. Marx supported abolitionism and the moral high ground of the North; both looked at making their case through swaying public opinion. While an interesting chapter, I found this one less compelling than the rest.
      In chapter five, Lincoln vs Napleon, we see the political intrigue on the world stage with Lincoln and Seward showing restraint and not being baited by Napoleon in spite of the hawks in Congress.
      Peraino points to the natural tension in a Lincolnian foreign policy. “On the one hand, Lincoln’s moral vision represented American idealism at its best. …Lincoln’s later justification of the war in his Gettysburg Address rings with reformist overtones.
      While written as a popular work, there are extensive source notes.
      Recommended especially for its coverage of the politics of the time.
    • 4/5
      Peraino assembles an impressive amount of research to shed light on Lincoln through the lens of his foreign policy, both prior to and during his presidency. The book focuses on six key episodes the author feels best illustrates Lincoln’s diplomatic philosophy, including his objections to the 1846 American invasion of Mexico; his early sparring with Seward over control of foreign policy; the critical decision during the Trent crisis of 1861, which, had it been decided otherwise, might have brought Britain into the war; his competition with Karl Marx to influence the public; and his conflict with Napoleon III over the French occupation of Mexico.

      In the final analysis, this book is really another biography of Lincoln, but because it is organized around lesser-known aspects of his presidency, it adds very intriguing bits of information to the pool of the usual anecdotes commonly included in such books. I also appreciated learning so much about the points of view of foreign key players, such as Lord Palmerston, Karl Marx, and Napoleon. I found it particularly interesting that both Lincoln and Palmerston believed in the study of geometry to strengthen one’s ability to reason. (Lincoln was also a skilled chess player. As other presidential biographers have noted, a facility with games of strategy and reason can often be associated with political prowess as well. Eisenhower, for example, was expert at bridge.)

      Evaluation: While not stinting on research, the author manages to be quite entertaining, and adds background on aspects of Lincoln’s presidency and on his place in the world that often get short shrift in biographies. This is definitely a worthy addition to Lincolniana.
    • 4/5
      I am heading out the door so this will be short with a more detailed analysis to follow: I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. It's a fantastic book for the history nerd!
    • 4/5
      Even a century and a half later, Abraham Lincoln is a tantalizing, flickering light who draws the American writer to him like a moth to a flame. The subject of some 15000 books, Lincoln continues to fascinate. And rightfully so. No American president has been more quotable, witty or significant. Washington may have fathered the country, but Lincoln forged it into a nation that could take its place at the forefront of international affairs.

      Kevin Peraino's new book sets out to explore Lincoln's effect on the world and America's relation to it. How did he manage to evade intervention by foreign powers in America's internal conflict? How did the rest of the world view that conflict? What was the lasting legacy of his foreign policy?

      American foreign policy during the Civil War isn't an obvious topic of interest. It is easy to overlook it as being unimportant. Our attention is automatically drawn to the military and political drama within our borders, but it is a mistake to believe that the war was fought within a closed box. America, with its troubles, on the inside, and the rest of the world (especially the great powers of Europe) on the outside with no interaction between the two. One only has to watch the news today, to see how internal strife within a country can attract the attentions of great powers located far away. America in the mid-nineteenth century was in a similar position.

      The rebellious southern states supplied cheap cotton to Britain's textiles industry. The textile factories of Britain employed nearly a half million people who were reliant on short staple cotton from the US. American cotton imports comprised nearly 80% of all cotton imports to the British Isles, over a billion pounds of raw cotton per year. The northern blockade of southern ports severed this vital import, sending the English economy into a deep recession. Hundreds of thousands of people were put out of work. And yet, despite their personal suffering, the textile workers of Manchester supported the North in its fight against slavery. This almost counter intuitive response was the result of a vigorous propaganda campaign by Lincoln and his foreign emissaries, argues Peraino.

      While the workers of the world united to back Lincoln and the Union, the British Prime Minister was less forgiving. Lord Palmerston was an aging, cold-blooded pragmatist and an Englishman's Englishman. The British empire was at its zenith, and Palmerston intended to keep it there. When a Union naval captain intercepted the British mail ship, Trent, and removed two Confederate emissaries, Palmerston determined not to let the affront stand. He pushed Anglo-American relations to the brink of war, sending troops to Canada and ultimatums to Washington. Fearing intervention by the British, Lincoln backed down and released the two Confederate emissaries.

      While Mr. Peraino makes an enthusiastic case for the importance of Lincoln's foreign policy, I can't wholly agree with him. At every turn, Lincoln's foreign policy was determined by a common sense approach to international relations. America was in a dangerously vulnerable position. The correct policy was that which promoted the greatest chance of restoring the union. Whether it was taking a "wait and see" attitude with Louis Napoleon's invasion of Mexico, or yielding to Palmerston's demand to return two captured emissaries, the primary aim was to avoid further complicating factors until the Union was restored. His foreign policy was essentially reactive and cautious. Ultimately, Lincoln's moral integrity, economic policies and military build-up put America onto a path leading to world power.

      Still, Lincoln in the World is a book worth reading. He shows us the precarious tightrope that defined American foreign policy during the Civil War. While many popular books on Lincoln cover the same events, Mr. Peraino delves slightly deeper and shows us the same events from more than the American perspective. I often found myself wishing that he had dug a little deeper into the archives to flesh out his argument, but for a popular history, as opposed to an academic history, he does a good job.
    • 4/5
      ARC provided by NetGalley

      This book takes a close look at Lincoln's role as in foreign-policy making, from his early days as a congressman to his work as President of the United States. The author focuses each chapter on a particular person in Lincoln's life, such as the first chapter titled "Lincoln vs. Herndon" (his law partner) and how battles/conversations with each person shaped Lincoln's views and led him to the presidency. Although the author is at times a bit verbose, he does an excellent job of pulling materials from a variety of sources, such as journals, letters, even newspapers from Britain, to examine how Lincoln's policies evolved and how the world viewed him at large.

      This book is a must read for anyone interested in Abraham Lincoln or anyone interested in foreign-policy. 4 out of 5 stars