Book Reviews › Character › The Fiery Trial

The Fiery Trial by Eric Foner — WisdomDeck honest review

Honest review · Character

The Fiery Trial

by Eric Foner

Lincoln and slavery: his evolving views from colonization to emancipation to the Thirteenth Amendment. Pulitzer winner, nuanced and essential.

Read it if…

you want Lincoln's growth on race honestly traced.

See the book →

Skip it if…

you want a hero without development.

Try instead: Herndon's Lincoln →

Three things you will actually use

Views can grow.
Pressure plus principle.
Judge the arc.

Do this first

Read the chapters on 1862.

Our verdict

Foner's Lincoln.

See the book →

Check it out

Opens the book's page in a new tab.

Compare with other Character books

Herndon's Lincoln by William H. Herndon and Jesse W. Weik — WisdomDeck review

Herndon's Lincoln

William H. Herndon and Jesse W. Weik · Character

Herndon's Lincoln.

Lincoln: The Biography of a Writer by Fred Kaplan — WisdomDeck review

Lincoln: The Biography of a Writer

Fred Kaplan · Character

Lincoln's reading.

Albion's Seed by David Hackett Fischer — WisdomDeck review

Albion's Seed

David Hackett Fischer · Character

Four folkways.

Browse all Character book reviews or get the free Reality Code Cheat Sheet.

As an Amazon Associate, WisdomDeck earns from qualifying purchases. Links marked “Click to see” go to Amazon. We are not paid for opinions, prices and availability are not shown here and change on Amazon, and we never see your purchase details. Nothing here is medical, legal or financial advice.