John CribbCritiques

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The Rail Splitter by John Cribb is a historical fiction story of a young Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Cribb is a best-selling author of fiction and non-fiction books.

Abraham Lincoln grows up on the frontier. His father needs help on the farm, but the bookish young man wants adventures, rafting down the Mississippi and going off to war. Teaching himself law, Abraham enters politics with the encouragement of his wife, Mary.

Congressman Lincoln’s political career is not stellar. The family is devastated by the loss of their child, but when the debate about slavery sweeps the country, Lincoln finds a cause worthy cause to enter politics.

This is a very charming book, following the footsteps of Lincoln before he started running, and eventually become, America’s 16th President. The title of the book takes its name from Lincoln’s nickname, which originated in the 1860 Illinois State Republican Convention. The nickname brought awareness to candidate Lincoln’s humble beginnings before pursuing law and political office.

The Rail Splitter by John Cribb seems to me more of a book for young adults (YA), this is, after all, a coming of age story. Maybe because I’m reading Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin at the same time. While Ms. Goodwin’s book is not in the author’s bibliography, they complement each other in several aspects of Lincoln’s early life.

I could certainly tell that Mr. Cribb had a lot of fun writing this book. Several historians have mentioned that the President has an excellent sense of humor, and Mr. Cribb certainly capitalized on that with some folksy jokes sprinkled throughout. That being said, the book is expertly researched, books like this should be the standard for historical fiction. One could learn a lot from books like this if reading hard-core history books is not up our alley.

There are some things that I wish the author included, such as Mr. Lincoln’s struggles with mental health – before we had a name for it. I feel that it would have certainly helped many readers which this book targets, to know that even a great man like him was human.

The book ends right before Lincoln starts his campaign for the highest office in the land. The book continues with Old Abe, which was previously published by Mr. Cribb.

I enjoy historical fiction. It is a quicker read than an actual history book. The details were factual. Of course, we don't know if the feeling expressed are accurate, but they seemed plausible. This would be a great book for a young reader.

The book is a historical fiction version of Abraham Lincoln's younger life. I personally did not enjoy it. The instances that the author chose to focus on did not enhance Lincoln's story. The author seemed to want to share certain conversations and incidents and placed Lincoln there to enable him to have that scene.½

There are in excess of 15,000 biographies of Abraham Lincoln, 125 of which deal just with his assassination. The first of these appeared in 1860, a political tract written by John Locke Scripps and one of the last, "Lincoln" by David H. Donald appeared in back in 1995. With such a plethora of titles available one wonders if another is necessary. In 2009 Michael Burlingame released his two volume "Abraham Lincoln: A Life" to wide acclaim, and the general consensus is that Burlingame covers Lincoln's early life exceptionally well. This is the same territory MR Cripp undertakes to cover in his readable "The Rail Splitter". It is well paced and easy to follow though I think fair to say an adult reader may be put off by the simplistic dialogue. For young readers unfamiliar with Lincoln this book will offer an introduction to the sixteenth President's remarkable life. Adult readers will find the scholarly works of Donald and Burlingame more rewarding.

The Rail Splitter is a very readable account of the life of Abraham Lincoln, from his late adolescence to the cusp of his run for president of the United States in 1860. John Cribb takes the historical record and deftly tells the story as narrative, showing the intellectual and emotional growth of Lincoln, bringing out formative events in his life and showing him to be a man of conviction and loyalty, and willing to act on those aspects of his character even when he knew the outcome might lead to disappointment and heartache. I've read a number of books on Lincoln and greatly enjoyed this look into his life. Full disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of reading and reviewing it.

Easy read seemingly geared toward young adult about the early life of Abe Lincoln. Even though Lincoln had a smattering of education, the book stresses the importance of education and reading. Hence, a great book for the young adult audience to read. Thank you to Librarything.com and Republic Book Publishers for a copy of this book.

This is a good book that leads you through Abraham Lincoln's life, from childhood, until the Presidency. It is part biography and part fiction. The author blended them both into quite an interesting story.

I got a complimentary book from Republic Book Publishers. I didn't have to give a review.

I really did not know much about President Lincoln's life as a child and up to his marriage to Mary, and this was a very fascinating read into that! His life as a child was hard work and his father was not a fan of books or education, and believed life would provide from the work you put into the ground. Lincoln did as he was told but also knew that books and knowledge was the way of the future and that he wanted more out of life than farming like his father. Having moved the family from place to place, Lincoln also struggled with what he felt was home and once he found that he was bound to get out from under his father’s thumb and become something of his own. This was a very well written novel and I loved all of the detail the author put into this. I really learned a lot about Lincoln and what shaped him to become the man he was. Thank you to Library Thing and the author for the free novel, I cannot wait to get my hands-on Old Abe to finish out Lincoln's story. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

In "Rail Splitter", author John Cribb has created a very readable account of Abraham Lincoln's formative years and adulthood, prior to his presidency. Although written as a novel, the story seems to be well researched. (I am personally not very familiar with the subject of Lincoln's early years, so I tend to struggle with the separation of fact from fiction. As with many historical novels, I find myself wishing that there were 'notes' used to reference sources.)
The text is a little "folksy" at times, but Lincoln's humanity is well represented. His was not an easy life. His struggles with his father, depression, and his (later confirmed mentally-ill) wife are well represented. The general history of the time and place is also made apparent throughout the story.
Overall, I would say that Mr. Cribb has succeeded in presenting an enjoyable novel that is suitable for both casual readers and history enthusiasts.

There are many things to find interesting about John Cribb's book, "The Rail Splitter". It covers the early years of Abraham Lincoln's life beginning with his family's move from Kentucky to Indiana until his loss to Stephen Douglas, the Little Giant, for Illinois state senator. Throughout the entire novel, the reader is shown the good and the bad of Lincoln's early years: The heartbreaking losses of family members and friends who were so significant in his life, the life choices and inspirational, impactful moments which prepared him for the critical role he played in our country's history, and his deep desire to do what is good and right in his relationship with his fellow man.
This novel is well-researched and includes little-known facts about Abe Lincoln. Although it is a novel, it would be a good book to read for American history classes. The author includes vivid details of the life and times of the American people, spanning the years, 1826-1859. John Cribb talks about the land, the difficult day-to-day lives of the people, the mood and temperament of the country as a whole, and the very real fights and differences of the era leading up to the Civil War.
I really liked this book and would recommend it to any reader of historical fiction. Abe Lincoln was a real person who affected the lives of all Americans throughout history and into the future. I will read the book, "Old Abe", also by this author to delve more into the intriguing life of this president.
I would like to thank Emma St. John at Beaufort Books and LibraryThing.com for this copy of the book. The opinions in this review are my own.

I loved this book! It was a page turning exploration of Lincoln's life. I wondered as I read whether the story would be as interesting if it was not about Lincoln. I couldn't figure that out because Lincoln is such a beloved figure in America that it doesn't matter. I also wondered what parts of the story were historical and what parts were fiction. Obviously, Lincoln's work history was true. I am wondering whether the social aspects of the story were true. The author tells us in the Acknowledgments that he found information about Lincoln's social life in the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield, Illinois. One thing that surprised me was that Lincoln's bouts of depression and anxiety began in early childhood. I had always thought that the depression began while he was in the White House. However, he had an episode of delirium that lasted 3 days before he was even 18. Later in life he tried hard not to give in to these impulses. It would be interesting what diagnosis today's psychologists would come up with. I am sure the death of his mother when he was young was a factor but I have never heard any commentary on this subject. The book does not tell us why Abe left home at 18 but if you really think about it, there had to be trouble at home. The book shows Abe having a good relationship with his step-mother. That leaves his father Thomas as the source of the family feud. Lincoln couldn't wait to get away so this relationship had to be tense. Wife Mary appears sympathetic until she reaches her 50s, around the time her husband is being considered to be a candidate for the Presidency. She has become a nag and has violent arguments with Abe. She even hit him with a piece of wood on his nose,causing it to bleed. Since I am female, my mind automatically goes to menopause as the cause of her outbursts. Again, I have never heard any realistic reasons ever being given for her mental disorder. You will not be able to put this book down. I highly recommend it.

One of the best ways I enjoy learning history is through story. John Cribb does a wonderful job of this, by covering the known facts through research and the careful review of experts, and then filling that structure with realistic narrative. This Fiction/Non-Fiction hybrid makes for a extremely pleasurable reading experience. I Highly recommend it, especially for history buffs and students. I’m looking forward to reading the companion volume, Old Abe.

This is an easy to read, chronological retelling of President Lincoln’s early life, with entertaining embelishments to bring the human out. It follows the familiar story of Lincoln from his early years in Kentucky and Illinois, as he grows up to be the person of high morals in his presidential years. The story ends just as he is going to run for the presidential nominarion ofthe Republican party.
This is not a page-turner, to use a cliché. The story moves along rather slowly, tracking events year by year. It combines well-known facts about Lincoln’s early life filling the gaps with made up dialogue and events. In some instances it enriches the story and makes it more enticing, in other cases doesnot work as well

[This review is of the Advance Reading Copy received from the publisher in March 2023]

John Cribb's The Rail Splitter is a fine biographical fiction narrative. Cribb has presented considerable details from the historical record; animated the character of Lincoln; and incorporated many historical and fictional figures, great and small. What we get is both a life of Lincoln but also a solid understanding of what life was like in the Midwest of Lincoln's day.

Though not an exciting page-turner (which wouldn't suit the subject or the setting), this is a fine way to familiarize oneself with our 16th president and the forces (personal and political) which led him to the White House.
Os

A pleasant book. While much of the overview of Lincoln's early years are well-known, Cribb fleshes it out and adds some other not so well-known incidents of Lincoln's life. I liked it enough that I'll read the. follow-up, Old Abe.½

Cribb has written an engaging, highly readable novel about the early life of Abraham Lincoln, starting in 1826 when Abe was a teenager in rural Indiana and ending in 1859, as he contemplates a run for the presidency. If you’re familiar with biographies of Lincoln, his personality on display here is what you would expect: friendly, humorous, self-effacing, inquisitive, driven, prone to bouts of introspection and occasional (with good reason) depression. The known events of Lincoln’s life are present as well: his move to Illinois as a young man, his time on the Mississippi, his failed business ventures, his circuit lawyer days, his political career, his marriage and family. Lincoln himself is clearly the focus here, which is not surprising given how deep the historical record is; except for Mary Todd, most of his friends, family, and associates do not make as strong an impression, despite being based on real people. Cribb’s previous book, Old Abe (which I haven’t read), covers the last five years of Lincoln’s life; you can enjoy this book independently of that one, although if you’re like me, you’ll want to read them both. Highly recommended for fans of Lincoln, history, and historical fiction.

Excellent biographical novel about the early years of Abraham Lincoln. It starts in the summer of 1826, when he was 17 and living with his father, stepmother, and step-siblings in the Indiana frontier. It ends in December 1859, when he was a lawyer in Springfield, Illinois, and thinking about running for President of the United States. It's the prequel to author John Cribb's Old Abe, which covers the campaign and presidency. The short chapters and conversational tone make the book easy to read.½

A very good rendition of Lincoln's early life. Fit in well with other books I have read about him. Almost hard to believe it was a novel.