...Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery, by Eric Foner
This is a demanding book, not because it is obscure or badly written (far from it) but because of its specialist nature - ie it is following just one strand of Lincoln's life and thought, plus it assumes on the part of the reader a certain amount of working knowledge both of Lincoln and the Civil War. I don't have much of either, but still found it a helpful book, despite having to go slowly and work some things out.
Probably the most memorable element it moves you from Lincoln as the 'president who abolished slavery' caricature, to see how his views developed over the years, the factors and priorities involved in this change, and the far from straightforward situation in which he found himself.
If you have an interest in Lincoln, or in American slavery, you will get something from this book. If you're looking for an overview of either Lincoln or slavery, then there are most likely much more accessible books available.
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