David Reynolds Interview: The Complexities of Abraham Lincoln's Morality and Political Ambition

Historian David Reynolds examines the tension between Abraham Lincoln’s morality and political ambition, as well as his depression and obsession with mortality. He discusses the impact of the murder of abolitionist editor Elijah Lovejoy in 1837, Lincoln’s early life and his time as a lawyer.

David S. Reynolds grew up in West Barrington, Rhode Island, receiving a B.A. magna cum laude from Amherst College and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. He taught American literature, American studies, and U.S. history at Northwestern University, Barnard College, New York University, Rutgers University, Baruch College, and the Sorbonne–Paris III. Since 2006, he has been a Distinguished Professor at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Reynolds is the author or editor of sixteen books, including Abe: Abraham Lincoln in His Times (2020), which was selected as one of the Top Ten Books of the Year by The Wall Street Journal and among the best books of the year by The Washington Post, the Christian Science Monitor, and Kirkus Reviews. It is also the book upon which the docu-series Lincoln’s Dilemma was based. Three of his books have been listed among The New York Times’s “Notable Books of the Year,” and one has been chosen among The New Yorker’s “Favorite Books of the Year.” He is a regular contributor to The New York Times Book Review, the New York Review of Books, and The Wall Street Journal.

The Apple TV+ series "Lincoln's Dilemma," features insights from journalists, educators and scholars, as well as rare archival materials, that offer a more nuanced look into the life of the Great Emancipator. Set against the background of the Civil War, "Lincoln's Dilemma" also gives voice to the narratives of enslaved people, shaping a more complete view of an America divided over issues including economy, race and humanity, and underscoring Lincoln's battle to save the country, no matter the cost. The series is narrated by award-winning actor Jeffrey Wright ("Angels in America") and features the voices of actor Bill Camp ("The Night Of") as Lincoln and Leslie Odom Jr. ("Hamilton") as Frederick Douglas.

To view the entire series please visit:
https://tv.apple.com/us/show/lincolns...

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David Reynolds, Historian, City University of New York
Interview Date: November 5, 2020
Interviewed by: Jackie Olive and Barak Goodman

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