Reading Lincoln at Gettysburg: Wendy's Approach

I have to be honest; I was less than enthusiastic when this year's book Lincoln at Gettysburg  was announced.  It was nothing against the author, the book, or Lincoln himself.  Rather, I was rooting for fiction.

I am in awe of fiction writers who can perfectly capture the human experience -- the relationships, the emotions, the brutal honesty -- in the weaving of a make-believe story.  My favorite novels -- Peace Like a River, The Secret Life of Bees, A Fine Balance, The Red Tent -- touch on heavy themes while drawing the reader into a beautiful tale.  I love getting lost in a book; being so completely engrossed in the story that I cannot bear to put the novel down, to the point of sneaking in reading at wildly inappropriate times (at work, while driving, during dinner, taking a bath).  And, unfortunately, I have never had this experience with a non-fiction book.

No, the punchline isn't "But I did with Lincoln at Gettysburg!" :)  However, one aspect of non-fiction writing that I enjoy is that you can jump around a lot while reading.  This approach allows me to read based on my whims (translate: if I get bored I can move on to something more interesting).  So, while I started Lincoln at Gettysburg by reading the prologue (like any good librarian would do), I started feeling lost in the chapter "Oratory of the Greek Revival".  So, I quit and moved on to the Appendices -- "What Lincoln Said: The Text" and "Where He Said It: The Site".  Then I started back on the chapters with Chapter Two, "Gettysburg and the Culture of Death" (a fascinating insight into the obsession with death).  This approach allowed me to fill in the gaps of my learning about the Battle of Gettysburg and Abraham Lincoln.  By reading in this manner, I feel I was better able to appreciate and understand the Willis' research and theories.

I have been hearing from many in the Cornell community that they are having a tough time with Lincoln at Gettysburg.  My advice is to hang in there and try my approach.  But if any of your future professors take issue with this approach...give them Lance's name not mine! :)

BTW -- Register at goodreads.com to track your current, past, and future reading list and check out more of my favorites books!

Comments

[Lexy Cook]

Thank you for sharing your advice on reading this book. I too am an avid fiction reader (I loved the Red Tent also), and while I do enjoy non-fiction, this book has felt, quite frankly, boring to me. I found that your advice on moving to Chapter 2 is key because Chapter 1's analytical approach rooted in history seems much more enjoyable to the researcher than the reader. I found reading the rest of the book much more enjoyable.