NEW BOOK: ABRAHAM LINCOLN: BEYOND THE AMERICAN ICON

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V15 2012 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 15, Number 43, October 14, 2012, Article 5

Dennis Tucker of Whitman Publishing forwarded this press release for Fred Reed's newest book. Thanks! -Editor

Whitman Publishing is releasing a new book by award-winning author Fred Reed in time for the holidays. Abraham Lincoln: Beyond the American Icon, a 464-page hardcover volume, retails for $29.95 and will be available from booksellers and hobby shops nationwide on November 19, 2012, the 149th anniversary of Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address. It can also be pre-ordered online, including at www.Whitman.com. The book is a sequel to Reed’s best-selling Abraham Lincoln: The Image of His Greatness.

In 2009 the United States—and the world—celebrated the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth. Reed's book Abraham Lincoln: The Image of His Greatness was part of that celebration, chronicling America’s fascination with our homespun sixteenth president.

Now, in Abraham Lincoln: Beyond the American Icon, Reed continues his exploration of the ever-changing popular depiction of Lincoln—the idealized, the idolized, the iconic—the man and the myth—bringing our understanding up to the present day.

More than 1,400 images, both famous and obscure, show Lincoln on coins, tokens, medals, stamps, stocks, bonds, and paper money—as well as paintings, sculptures, magazine covers, advertisements, cartoons, movie stills, and other diverse media.

"Fred Reed's narrative is engaging and thought-provoking," said Whitman publisher Dennis Tucker. "His illustrations range from the legendary to some that have never been published. They show us how we Americans have seen our most honored president, how that vision has changed over the years, and what it says about our great nation."

Abraham Lincoln: Beyond the American Icon ∙ By Fred Reed; foreword by Q. David Bowers 464 pages, hardcover, 8.5 x 11 inches, full color ∙ Retail $29.95 ∙ ISBN 0794837417

"Fred Reed is one of the very best numismatic writers going. He combines encyclopedic knowledge with a real flair for the written word—there aren’t many people who possess both kinds of talent."
—Dr. Richard Doty, senior curator, National Numismatic Collection, Smithsonian Institution

"I am an admirer of Reed's work and I believe that it adds a unique perspective to Lincoln scholarship."
—Dr. Thomas R. Turner, longtime editor-in-chief of the Lincoln Herald

"With compelling analysis and an unmatched collection of images, Fred Reed bridges the gap between numismatics and mainstream Lincoln research. His new book will delight readers in both camps."
—Q. David Bowers, chairman emeritus, Stack's Bowers Galleries

The 149th anniversary?? They couldn't wait a year for the sesquicentennial? How about "The 150th Anniversary of One Year Before the Gettysburg Address"? Yeah, that doesn't roll off the tongue either. And I guess the term "sesquicentennial" is something only old geezers like me would use anyway. But congratulations on the book regardless. The marketing copy will be little noted nor long remembered, but the book will be consulted forever. -Editor