… [an] essential book … White does two things especially well to elevate his book above what some readers might consider academic minutia that would appeal only to a confined audience of Lincoln scholars. First, this is not a paean to our 16th president … White does not dismiss the criticisms and gives them consideration, but through research and a lens of perspective, he is able to diffuse most of the anger and shows quite effectively that even Frederick Douglass, one of the most outspoken critics when Lincoln came into office, became one of Lincoln’s greatest advocates after visiting him in the White House … The stories of these guests are fleshed out and they are placed in a historical context that is fascinating and informative … A House Built By Slaves is a ‘worthy one’ in the canon of Lincoln scholarship and shows White to be an able and welcome guide in preserving his legacy.
