Ted Widmer 
Lincoln on the Verge 
Thirteen Days to Washington

WINNER OF THE LINCOLN FORUM BOOK PRIZE




“A Lincoln classic…superb.” ­—The Washington Post




“A book for our time.”—Doris Kearns Goodwin




Lincoln on the Verge
tells the dramatic story of America’s greatest president
discovering his own strength to save the Republic.



As a divided nation plunges into the deepest crisis in its history, Abraham Lincoln boards a train for Washington and his inauguration—an inauguration Southerners have vowed to prevent.
Lincoln on the Verge charts these pivotal thirteen days of travel, as Lincoln discovers his power, speaks directly to the public, and sees his country up close. Drawing on new research, this riveting account reveals the president-elect as a work in progress, showing him on the verge of greatness, as he foils an assassination attempt, forges an unbreakable bond with the American people, and overcomes formidable obstacles in order to take his oath of office.