Stephen A. Douglas

Winner of the Francis Parkman Prize of the Society of American Historians

      For the quarter-century before 1860 Stephen A. Douglas was a dominant

        figure on the American political scene, far outshadowing Abraham Lincoln.

        This first paperback printing of Robert Johannsen's authoritative biography

        features a new preface.

      "At once a work of enormous scholarship and of deep insight. Here,

        for the first time, is the full story of a great career, told with such

        skill that we can now understand why Abraham Lincoln found the 'Little

        Giant' the most formidable political rival he ever faced." -- David

        H. Donald, author of Lincoln and two-time winner of the Pulitzer

        Prize

      "Well-organized and marvelously detailed. . . . The book demonstrates

        the virtues of large-scale, straightforward narrative biography at its

        best. Its completeness and objectivity will make it the standard authority

        for many years to come." -- Richard N. Current, The New York Times

        Book Review

      "Superb. . . . Will doubtless stand as the definitive biography

        of Stephen A. Douglas for this generation." -- Hans L. Trefousse,

        The Journal of American History

      "An impressive work--impressive in scope, in research, and in maturity

        of understanding. . . . Johannsen has constructed a biography that is

        rich in detail and full of conviction." -- James Z. Rabun, The

        Journal of Southern History

      "Should take its place in the tradition of magisterial biographies

        . . . in which so much of the best writing on American history is to be

        found." -- Harry V. Jaffa, National Review

      "The research is amazingly exhaustive and the writing is unusually

        readable. . . . Outstanding biography of a quality not often matched."

        -- LeRoy H. Fischer, Manuscripta

      Supported by the Dickerson Fund of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign