Griffin has assembled an extensive and interesting collection of contemporary photographs and engravings of Lincoln and other important figures from the years before and during the Civil War. Despite the appeal of this collection, the book is marred by text in which the author (among other things) obsesses about whether Lincoln's birth was legitimate; maintains that the Civil War was the result, not of secession, but of the Northern attack on Fort Sumter and naval blockade of the South; and claims that Lincoln's assassination was engineered by members of his cabinet, rather than by supporters of the South's secession. This book will interest few beyond readers who already share the author's views on Lincoln's life and historic significance. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)