This work investigates how the public and academic perception of Abraham Lincoln has evolved and shifted throughout American history. Don E. Fehrenbacher, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, utilizes his extensive expertise in 19th-century American politics to analyze the changing interpretations of Lincoln's character, policies, and legacy. He examines how different generations of historians have reconstructed the image of the sixteenth president to suit contemporary political and social needs. The text provides a critical framework for understanding the intersection of historical memory and national identity.

Historians frequently cite this text as a foundational study for understanding the development of Lincoln scholarship. Experts highlight the clarity of Fehrenbacher's prose and the rigor of his historiographical methodology.