Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) was one of the most influential presidents of the USA, uniting the country and abolishing slavery after a terrible civil war. On the 200th anniversary of his birth, his life and works are presented here in accessible form. The story of his remarkable rise from a poor farming background to triumph in one of the most challenging presidencies in US history, and sudden tragic death, is told on CD 1. A varied selection of his major speeches is on CD 2, including The House Divided and The Gettysburg Address. CD 3 contains a revealing collection of letters: forthright, intimate, caring and direct, they demonstrate his natural eloquence and humanity. This portrait shows Lincoln to be a man of principle, with keen intelligence balanced by vision and determination – certainly one of the most outstanding men in American history.