Thaddeus Stevens

A vivid portrait of the man who came to personify the North's struggle against slavery and the spirit of selfless patriotism in the post Civil War world, this is a significant biography, as contemporary to our interest as any similar display of sheer personality. A wealth of anecdotes and oratory, the striking contrasts of high and low politics marking Stevens' life- these are but a sampling in an important study of the limping, poison-tongued figure, savage even in his democracy and generosity. (Kirkus Reviews)