The House of Lincoln: A Novel by Nancy Horan

 

 The House of Lincoln: A Novel by Nancy Horan. Sourcebooks, 2023. Adult Historical fiction, 2023.

Ana Ferreira, a fictional young teenage immigrant who speaks Portuguese as well as English, is the protagonist in this story about Springfield, Illinois and its residents from 1851 through 1909. Of course, the most famous residents are Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln for whom Ana works and helps take care of their children and their house. Race relations and the Lincolns' views on slavery and immigration become clear through the eye of Ana and other residents like her friend Cal. Fictional Ana is an eye witness to the Lincolns' marriage and difficulties as the war makes even families enemies. Even the barbershop where Mr. Lincoln gets his hair cut becomes a setting for learning more about America's history. 

This is really Nancy Horan's own love letter to Springfield, Illinois where she was born and raised. The descriptions of the houses and its people are believable. She makes clear  historical terms like Copperheads and Whigs, and shows the Underground Railroad as a real part of everyday lives. Most readers will not have heard of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot which was the impetus for the creation of the NAACP. Author's notes at the end tell more about the characters and which are real people. 

If you  have not already read Horan's best seller, Loving Frank, about architect Frank L. Wright, check it out for another great historical fiction read.