In February 1864 Francis B. Carpenter began work on his painting First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. He would go on to spend six months in the White House and in the company of Abraham Lincoln at the height of the American Civil War. First published in 1866, just one year after Abraham Lincoln's assassination, Francis B. Carpenter provides us with a deeply personal portrait of one of the most iconic figures of American history. Nonetheless, this book is primarily about the president and his cabinet in 1864. Carpenter provides an insightful account of the nature of politics and his experiences meeting with the host of politicians that attended the White House in his time there. William Seward, Edwin Stanton and Ulysses S. Grant amongst others fill the pages as the supporting cast for the monumental Lincoln. Six Months at the White House contains a collection of anecdotes about Abraham Lincoln and helps to put a human face to the man who has become more legend than man. Whether it is Lincoln reciting Shakespeare at dinner or including his youngest son Tad in meetings of state, Carpenter provides a well-rounded picture of the American president. In turn, he presents Lincoln as the merciful leader, the stern father, the sage law-giver, and the consummate storyteller. Through both his own experiences and the opinions of several other individuals who knew Lincoln well, Carpenter creates a personal account of the man than later histories and biographies. 'It remains an essential volume in any Lincoln library.' The New York Times Francis Bicknell Carpenter (1830-1900) was a painter born in New York, best known for his painting of the First Reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, still displayed in the Capitol building in Washington, DC. Carpenter painted the portraits for four American presidents and many more of the most important pre-Civil War politicians. A fervent abolitionist, he viewed the Emancipation Proclamation as "an act unparalleled for moral grandeur in the history of mankind." For details of other books published by Albion Press go to the website at www.albionpress.co.uk. Albion Press is an imprint of Endeavour Press, the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7. We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now.