A Lincoln Bookshelf for the Hard Drive

The Lincoln Bicentennial Commission asked an expert to compile the "Essential Lincoln Library," and many of the recommended books are actually classic titles published many years ago.

Some of them are vivid and essential firsthand accounts of life with Lincoln written by such figures as his former law partner, his secretary in the White House, and even Mary Lincoln's dressmaker. In many cases the original editions have been scanned and can be read or downloaded for free on the web.

Lincoln had to walk miles to borrow books, but I've compiled some handy links that will enable you to amass a library of rare and classic Lincoln books on your hard drive.

Image: Library of Congress: Lincoln photographed by Alexander Gardner, 1865