In the climax of Richard Lawrence Miller’s epic four-volume biography of Abraham Lincoln’s pre-presidential years, a blunder by the proponents of slavery propels Lincoln toward the White House. Initially, passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act seems to be a victory for the South, opening the American West to slavery. Ultimately, however, the North rises in anger, with Lincoln helping to fan the flames of rage. Before the first shot of the Civil War is fired, the ambitious westerner is transformed, seeking more power yet, but wielding it in defense of the American dream. His dedication and dependability set him apart from his Republican competitors and help him secure his party’s presidential nomination in 1860. With this installment, the most detailed and comprehensive biography of a pre-presidential Abraham Lincoln in the past 100 years comes to its conclusion.