I’m a historian. In 1990 I began working on Lincoln and His World, a multi-volume account of Lincoln’s rise to power. The story had not been told, despite all that’s been written about the man, because (in part) Lincoln writers tend to lack firsthand experience in politics. My father was a county patronage politician, and I grew up in a world of political intrigue. My participation continued in adulthood, and that background adds richness to the portrayal of Lincoln’s world.
That richness is also enhanced by my background as a former public radio producer. In broadcasting we strive to let persons speak for themselves and tell stories in their own words. I use that technique in Lincoln and His World, bringing us closer to the events described.
“In a text filled with previously undiscovered stories and eyewitness accounts, Richard Lawrence Miller has built a rich, fascinating, deeply authentic narrative of Lincoln's early years—and, incredibly, made young Abe’s life fresh again with surprises†(Richard Rhodes, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of John James Audubon and The Making of the Atomic Bomb).
I’m also an editor, coaching writers to use and improve their native talents. Having eight books to my credit as of autumn 2007, I have considerable writing success. Time I can devote to helping other writers is limited, but I’m glad to do so if circumstances permit.
I try to respond to questions about Lincoln in general or about the first volume in my series, Lincoln and His World: The Early Years, Birth to Illinois Legislature, which is available at public libraries and from book dealers.
Order LINCOLN AND HIS WORLD: THE EARLY YEARS, BIRTH TO ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE here from Amazon.com
The Amazon page includes a "Search Inside" feature allowing you to browse in the book online free of charge.
Below are Internet addresses to obtain information about Lincoln.
A video of a December 7, 2006, talk and book signing by me at the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago may be found at:
www.virtualbooksigning.net/archive.html
The following address should take you to my American Heritage magazine article on my discovery of Lincoln’s long-lost poem about suicide:
www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/2004/4/2004_4_
50.shtml
The following address should take you to a New Yorker article about that discovery, with reactions from Lincoln scholars:
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/?040614ta_talk_shenk
Abraham Lincoln Online, which has answers to frequently asked questions, is at:
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln.html
Abraham Lincoln Research Site, which provides homework help:
http://members.aol.com/RVSNorton/Lincoln2.html
Lincoln Studies Forum discusses various topics:
www.lincolnstudies.com/forum/
