World History & Culture

Lincoln
Look inside
Buy Online Find Locally

Lincoln: The Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation in 100 Objects

Author Dr. Ian Hunt and Christina Shutt, Foreword by Governor JB Pritzker

A compelling, fresh perspective on the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln, as revealed through the unrivaled collection of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

This meticulously researched book—featuring 100 historically significant artifacts—weaves together expert commentary, poignant anecdotes, and beautiful photographs to bring to life rare, personal items and the most iconic items and documents from Lincoln’s life and tenure as president.

Following the journey visitors take through this world-famous museum, chapters immerse readers in pivotal moments in Lincoln’s life, transforming them into vibrant vignettes—from the desk where he penned his thoughts to keep a nation together to the Gettysburg Address where he considered a new birth of freedom and even the last spoon he used on that fateful April 1865 evening.

As readers experience the weight of Lincoln’s struggles and triumphs in a profoundly tangible way, the book transforms from a collection of objects to a gateway into the essence of a man who shaped a nation. The book not only serves as an informative resource for the public, students, and enthusiasts but also makes history come alive.

About The Author

Ian Hunt has served as the chief of acquisitions and special projects at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum since 2016. Hunt has written frequently about the Civil War and Lincoln, and has appeared in numerous publications as well as on television and radio. Christina Shutt is the executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. JB Pritzker is the governor of Illinois. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum’s mission is to inspire civic engagement through the legacy of Abraham Lincoln and its collection of roughly 50,000 items from the Lincoln family.

  • Publish Date: September 23, 2025
  • Format: Hardcover
  • Category: History - United States - Civil War Period (1850-1877)
  • Publisher: Rizzoli Electa
  • Trim Size: 10 x 12
  • Pages: 224
  • US Price: $50.00
  • CDN Price: $67.50
  • ISBN: 978-0-8478-7449-1
Buy Online Find Locally
Back To Top

Reviews

Lincoln Group of New York’s 2025 Book Achievement Award: As one of the oldest Lincoln groups in the United States, we are honored to confer this prestigious honor on your book project, which represents a significant contribution to the Lincoln literature. Your masterful series of 100 essays—focused on 100 objects connected to Abraham Lincoln—helps to tell the enduring story of the life and legacy of America’s greatest President. The ALPLM is a national treasure.

"This sumptuous volume uses little-known objects to tell two important and entwined stories: how a humble clerk became the great Abraham Lincoln, and how the United States, through the sacrifices of myriad brave women and men, finally rid itself of the scourge of slavery. The selection of images is thoughtful, the historical commentary incisive, and the overall effect enormously powerful, revealing the ways people make history and history molds each of us in turn." — Jane Kamensky, President & CEO, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

“This visually appealing volume offers a fresh window into the life of America’s most iconic president. Through 100 remarkable objects from the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, readers encounter the documents, artifacts, and everyday items that reveal the man behind the myth, reminding us that before Abraham Lincoln became a legend, he was profoundly human.” — Colleen Shogan, 11th Archivist of the United States and CEO of In Pursuit at More Perfect

"Lincoln: The Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation in 100 Objects is a delightful reading and viewing experience. It showcases some of the most unique and moving treasures from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and offers readers the opportunity to appreciate them at their leisure. This is a book that every admirer of Lincoln will want in their personal collection."
—Anne E. Marshall
Associate Professor of History
Executive Director, Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library
Executive Director, Ulysses S. Grant Association
Mississippi State University

"Lincoln: The Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation in 100 Objects is a powerful reflection of what rare artifacts can tell us about history. The book thoughtfully curates the stories that everyday objects and material culture convey about a transformative moment in American history through the life and legacy of the 16th President of the United States. We not only encounter a rare glimpse into Lincoln’s world, but we learn about the rich history of the state of Illinois, the people who knew him, and the nation he helped define."
—Tamika Nunley, William & Sue Gross Professor of History at Duke University

"This lavishly illustrated volume offers a fresh perspective on the Great Emancipator’s life viewed through the lens of a "material culture" approach to historical understanding. The 100 beautifully reproduced images of objects, paintings, photographs, and documents are enhanced by extensive, thoughtful commentary on each item. The book, which might well be subtitled “Lincoln and His World,” dramatically supplements and enriches our understanding of the sixteenth president gained from even the most thorough biographies. To their credit, Director Christina Shutt and Historian Dr. Ian Patrick Hunt of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum do not engage in the sort of ideological hectoring that mars so many contemporary museum exhibits and catalogues. They are to be congratulated on their meticulous research and clear writing, and the publisher Rizzoli on having produced such a handsome piece of bookmaking."
—Michael Burlingame, Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies, University of Illinois Springfield