--- product_id: 640786388 title: "1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History (Simon & Schuster Lincoln Library)" price: "€ 64.16" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 5 url: https://www.desertcart.hr/products/640786388-1864-lincoln-at-the-gates-of-history-simon-and-schuster store_origin: HR region: Croatia --- # Focus on pivotal year 1864 Extensive historical research In-depth Civil War analysis 1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History (Simon & Schuster Lincoln Library) **Price:** € 64.16 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 📖 Unlock the year that forged a nation — don’t miss the story behind the legend! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** 1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History (Simon & Schuster Lincoln Library) - **How much does it cost?** € 64.16 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.hr](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/640786388-1864-lincoln-at-the-gates-of-history-simon-and-schuster) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **A Year That Changed America:** Dive deep into 1864, the turning point of the Civil War and Lincoln’s legacy. - • **Critically Acclaimed & Loved:** Join thousands of readers who rate this book 4.5 stars for its brilliance and depth. - • **Unfiltered Civil War Reality:** Experience the brutal truths behind the bloodiest year in American history. - • **Lincoln’s Political Mastery:** Explore how Lincoln balanced war, politics, and re-election under immense pressure. - • **Revolutionary Historical Insight:** Discover how Lincoln reshaped the nation-state and federal power forever. ## Overview 1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History offers a meticulously researched, gripping account of Abraham Lincoln’s most challenging year. It reveals the brutal realities of the Civil War, Lincoln’s political genius during his re-election campaign, and the birth of modern America’s federal power. Praised for its vivid storytelling and deep insight, this book is essential for anyone who wants to understand the man behind the myth and the pivotal moments that shaped the United States. ## Description At the beginning of 1864, the Civil War was far from won; terrible and bloody Union setbacks and casualties lay ahead. But as Lincoln and the nation ended the year, the war&;s end was in sight and slavery was on the verge of extinction. And, despite all the turmoil of war and political infighting, Lincoln also set the stage for a new era of westward expansion. . Review: Five Stars - What a brilliant book I will be reading this one again. Review: A brilliant, horrifying book - I call this book "brilliant" because it IS brilliant. Imagine reaching back 150 years and presenting the real, live, breathing A. Lincoln. Just try to imagine the amount of reading and research that went into this "simple history" of the year 1864 and Lincoln's year of crisis, triumph & tragedy. It is a fantastic job of writing history --- none better. And I think it puts Gore Vidal's "Lincoln" novel pretty definitely in the shade. But, you must understand, this is also a horrifying book. More Americans died in the Civil War than in all of America's foreign wars put together. It was here, in America, that the horrors of WWI were foreshadowed. Lincoln hated the losses. He wept over them. He told close associates that he simply could not stand them. But, in the dark of the night, when sleep deserted him, he realized that nobody else had a platform which would save the Union. Some advocated immediate surrender, and division of the country; others wanted to punish and persecute the Rebel South. Lincoln, with his uncanny wisdom, avoided both of these extreme traps. What makes the book even more horrifying is to realize the amount of stress Lincoln walked into. The Civil War was the most important item on the agenda, and it was slaughtering boys by the thousands. But wait, there was more. While pursuing the Civil War in 1864, Lincoln was also up for re-election. Since he was a "war President," he was (almost by definition) unpopular. Lincoln needed all of his political cunning to be the Republican nominee. And to win re-election. And of course (details, details) he also had to be President of the United States at the same time. I find it hard to imagine the difficulties and the enormous stress which this rangy man simply HAD to endure. In one of the book's most telling quotes, Lincoln simply says, "I can't quit." He felt his own life (!) draining away, but he just wouldn't quit. And so Lincoln entered the gates of history. He became the most beloved of American Presidents. He freed the slaves. And his reward was to be assassinated, by an ACTOR. This is a really terrific book! Highly recommended! ------ Further thoughts --------------------- This book views Lincoln with sympathy and even love. Other books do not. The novel by Gore Vidal mentioned above basically relies on one running joke: everyone around Lincoln keeps thinking and saying that "In this time of national crisis, we need a dictator --- not this muddleheaded fool." By the end of the book, those critics realized that they were living in the presence of what they wanted: a dictator. After all, Abe Lincoln wrote a new clause into the U.S. Constitution, still unpublished: "No state may secede from this Union against the will of the Federal Government." Did we vote on this issue? No. We fought a huge war over this issue, and Lincoln's side won. There is also "a lot of evidence" that Lincoln didn't care about slavery very much. This pile of evidence seems much less persuasive to me. I suspect that Lincoln was doing as much as he could against slavery, while still being a politician who could win a second term in the White House. What seems beyond doubt is that Abe Lincoln caused a huge revolution in domestic American politics: suddenly the minimalist Federal government envisioned by the Founding Fathers vanished to be replaced by "America the Nation-State." Eventually, the rights of the states dwindled right down to the level of the DMV --- and, yes, it all began with Abe Lincoln. Whether we want to praise this or damn it, it is the current reality...and has been for a century and a half. ## Features - Great product! ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 32 Reviews | ## Images ![1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History (Simon & Schuster Lincoln Library) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71z3w8Nu+7L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Five Stars *by S***C on 12 March 2017* What a brilliant book I will be reading this one again. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A brilliant, horrifying book *by G***H on 11 April 2009* I call this book "brilliant" because it IS brilliant. Imagine reaching back 150 years and presenting the real, live, breathing A. Lincoln. Just try to imagine the amount of reading and research that went into this "simple history" of the year 1864 and Lincoln's year of crisis, triumph & tragedy. It is a fantastic job of writing history --- none better. And I think it puts Gore Vidal's "Lincoln" novel pretty definitely in the shade. But, you must understand, this is also a horrifying book. More Americans died in the Civil War than in all of America's foreign wars put together. It was here, in America, that the horrors of WWI were foreshadowed. Lincoln hated the losses. He wept over them. He told close associates that he simply could not stand them. But, in the dark of the night, when sleep deserted him, he realized that nobody else had a platform which would save the Union. Some advocated immediate surrender, and division of the country; others wanted to punish and persecute the Rebel South. Lincoln, with his uncanny wisdom, avoided both of these extreme traps. What makes the book even more horrifying is to realize the amount of stress Lincoln walked into. The Civil War was the most important item on the agenda, and it was slaughtering boys by the thousands. But wait, there was more. While pursuing the Civil War in 1864, Lincoln was also up for re-election. Since he was a "war President," he was (almost by definition) unpopular. Lincoln needed all of his political cunning to be the Republican nominee. And to win re-election. And of course (details, details) he also had to be President of the United States at the same time. I find it hard to imagine the difficulties and the enormous stress which this rangy man simply HAD to endure. In one of the book's most telling quotes, Lincoln simply says, "I can't quit." He felt his own life (!) draining away, but he just wouldn't quit. And so Lincoln entered the gates of history. He became the most beloved of American Presidents. He freed the slaves. And his reward was to be assassinated, by an ACTOR. This is a really terrific book! Highly recommended! ------ Further thoughts --------------------- This book views Lincoln with sympathy and even love. Other books do not. The novel by Gore Vidal mentioned above basically relies on one running joke: everyone around Lincoln keeps thinking and saying that "In this time of national crisis, we need a dictator --- not this muddleheaded fool." By the end of the book, those critics realized that they were living in the presence of what they wanted: a dictator. After all, Abe Lincoln wrote a new clause into the U.S. Constitution, still unpublished: "No state may secede from this Union against the will of the Federal Government." Did we vote on this issue? No. We fought a huge war over this issue, and Lincoln's side won. There is also "a lot of evidence" that Lincoln didn't care about slavery very much. This pile of evidence seems much less persuasive to me. I suspect that Lincoln was doing as much as he could against slavery, while still being a politician who could win a second term in the White House. What seems beyond doubt is that Abe Lincoln caused a huge revolution in domestic American politics: suddenly the minimalist Federal government envisioned by the Founding Fathers vanished to be replaced by "America the Nation-State." Eventually, the rights of the states dwindled right down to the level of the DMV --- and, yes, it all began with Abe Lincoln. Whether we want to praise this or damn it, it is the current reality...and has been for a century and a half. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Seldom told stories *by D***R on 16 December 2025* Tremendous book. Eye-opening, compelling stories. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.hr/products/640786388-1864-lincoln-at-the-gates-of-history-simon-and-schuster](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/640786388-1864-lincoln-at-the-gates-of-history-simon-and-schuster) --- *Product available on Desertcart Croatia* *Store origin: HR* *Last updated: 2026-07-31*