About the book: Abraham Lincoln became the sixteenth US president during a very dark time in America's history. Author Timothy Ballard explores the crucial role that President Lincoln played to bring this nation closer to heaven. Readers will see Lincoln as a man inspired of God who invoked a covenant relationship between America and its maker—not unlike the national covenants invoked by righteous leaders in the Book of Mormon. In addition, The Lincoln Hypothesis reveals documented evidence that Abraham Lincoln did, in fact, check out the Book of Mormon as he struggled with making some of the most critical decisions of his presidency. Did he read it? Did it influence him? Was the Book of Mormon a key factor in Lincoln's success and the healing of a nation?
The author states, "As you read, you will, like a prosecutor reviewing a case, or like a jury determining a verdict, identify valuable pieces of evidence that can be fully substantiated. You will also identify pieces of evidence that cannot. I ask you to consider all the evidence and weight it accordingly. Through this study, many questions regarding the interplay between the restored gospel and the Civil War will be answered. New questions may emerge that will not be so easily answered. Either way, in the end you will find yourself on a most exhilarating investigative journey."
My review: This was a really great book for me. I loved how it was written, it was a book that I didn't want to put down until I had finished it. I loved how facts from Joseph Smith were kind of intertwined with facts about Abraham Lincoln, I had never thought of how similar their situations were before. I really enjoy learning about this period of history and Timothy Ballard does an excellent job of teaching about it. I'm amazed at the wealth of learning that he has about this time period and I'm sure what he talked about in the book was really only the beginning. This book was a book that held me captive from the very first page, you won't regret picking it up to read it!
About the author: TIMOTHY BALLARD graduated cum laude from Brigham Young University in Spanish and political science, then went on to receive and MA (summa cum laude) in international politics from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Tim has worked for the Central Intelligence Agency as well as an agent for the Department of Homeland Security. He is also the author of The American Covenant: One Nation under God. He lives in Southern California with his wife and six children.
Purchase at: Deseret Book, online and in storesLabels: Deseret Book, LDS non-fiction, Timothy Ballard
