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