by Walter Stahr
First published 2012
Walter Stahr presents the first comprehensive biography of William Henry Seward in over four decades. The author chronicles Seward's rise from progressive New York governor to prominent US senator and leading contender for the 1860 Republican presidential nomination. Stahr examines how Seward became Lincoln's most trusted adviser and secretary of state, managing not just foreign relations but wielding influence over military strategy and political decisions during the Civil War. The biography details the assassination attempt that nearly killed Seward alongside Lincoln, his recovery, and his continued service under Andrew Johnson. Stahr demonstrates how Seward's territorial acquisitions, including Alaska and preliminary work on the Canal Zone, positioned America as an emerging global power. Drawing from hundreds of previously unused sources, the author illuminates both Seward's public achievements and his private character as a gregarious storyteller who hosted evening gatherings of diplomats, soldiers, and actors.
Genres: biography, historical-fiction, 20th-century, american, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-figures, political-intrigue
Setting: United States, Alaska, Canal Zone
Period: 19th Century, American Civil War, Reconstruction Era
720 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster