Abraham Lincoln is widely acknowledged to be one of the great leaders in American, even world, history. His leadership secured the American Union through a bitter Civil War and emancipation of the slaves. Field's study explores Lincoln's grammar, how his use of the first person plural served to construct a new world of collective subjects.
Peter S. Field is Senior Lecturer in American History at the University of Canterbury. He is the author of several books, including the forthcoming Promise and Paradox of American Freedom (IPT/Cengage). A student of Eric Foner, he has previously taught at Columbia and Yale universities.