Much has been written and said about Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. He has been the subject of countless books (over 60,000) and numerous documentaries and films (including one where he was a vampire hunter). Despite this media saturation, Abraham Lincoln, the man, still has the power and ability to captivate and appeal to generations because of his heroism and courage, his empathy, his civility, and of course, his honesty. These qualities are often trumpeted as ideals that ought to be applauded and imitated. Jonathan Shapiro, a writer, producer, and attorney, think so, too. In his book, How to Be Abe Lincoln: Seven Steps to Leading a Legendary Life, Shapiro identifies the steps each reader can take to follow Lincoln’s path and become a legend in their own eyes. Not coincidentally, those steps are:
Laugh
Improve
Navigate
Collaborate
Object
Love
Now
Using modern-day anecdotes and snippets from Lincoln’s life, Shapiro explains how each step shaped Lincoln not only in his daily life but also in his law practice and ultimately, his presidency. Shapiro closes each chapter by summarizing the characteristics of the step, by tasking the reader with an exercise that demonstrates the meaning of the step, and by offering a list of recommended material, such as books or movies, that provide some context and examples for becoming more like Lincoln. Each step is designed to be taken individually, although some skills are integral to more than one step.
While assigning these attributes to Lincoln, Shapiro is careful to recognize that the man was, by no means, perfect and struggled continually to exercise the values that made him notable. For example, Lincoln “was not naturally proficient at collaboration” and his humor was quite cutting. Yet, Lincoln recognized these shortcomings and understood the value of these qualities enough to overcome any weaknesses he had. With Shapiro’s help, readers, too, can follow the steps he has laid out and learn the skills needed to guide them on their path to legendary status. After all, the goal, as the title suggests, is to learn how to be Abe Lincoln and lead a legendary life.
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