Stephen A. Douglas

Features of Stephen A. Douglas

Winner of the Francis Parkman Prize of the Society of American HistoriansFor the quarter-century before 1860 Stephen A. Douglas was a dominantfigure on the American political scene, far outshadowing Abraham Lincoln.This first paperback printing of Robert Johannsen's authoritative biographyfeatures a new preface.At once a work of enormous scholarship and of deep insight. Here,for the first time, is the full story of a great career, told with suchskill that we can now understand why Abraham Lincoln found the 'LittleGiant' the most formidable political rival he ever faced. -- DavidH. Donald, author of Lincoln and two-time winner of the PulitzerPrizeWell-organized and marvelously detailed. . . . The book demonstratesthe virtues of large-scale, straightforward narrative biography at itsbest. Its completeness and objectivity will make it the standard authorityfor many years to come. -- Richard N. Current, The New York TimesBook ReviewSuperb. . . . Will doubtless stand as the definitive biographyof Stephen A. Douglas for this generation. -- Hans L. Trefousse,The Journal of American HistoryAn impressive work--impressive in scope, in research, and in maturityof understanding. . . . Johannsen has constructed a biography that isrich in detail and full of conviction. -- James Z. Rabun, TheJournal of Southern HistoryShould take its place in the tradition of magisterial biographies. . . in which so much of the best writing on American history is to befound. -- Harry V. Jaffa, National ReviewThe research is amazingly exhaustive and the writing is unusuallyreadable. . . . Outstanding biography of a quality not often matched.-- LeRoy H. Fischer, ManuscriptaSupported by the Dickerson Fund of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign