The Case of Abraham Lincoln (2007)

In her dry, dense The Case of Abraham Lincoln, Julie M. Fenster attempts to sidestep the legions of Lincoln biographies already on bookshelves by zeroing on Abe's less-publicized Springfield lawyering days. She argues that 1856 was a pivotal year for the gangly politician because he entered the Republican Party and represented a possibly adulterous (and murderous) widow. Fenster's anecdotes range from the mundane (Mary Lincoln's plans to expand the family's single-floored house) to the historic (deconstructing James Buchanan's election). Obscure details, however, don't always translate into compelling book-length history, and Fenster's purposeful avoidance of Lincoln's more renowned and colorful days is actively felt. C+