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“unusual height seemed to save his image from some of the usually negative attributes of caricature” (p. 129). Because Lincoln had throughout his political career consistently mocked himself, his reputation did not lose any prestige when caricatured; in fact, Thompson insightfully demonstrates, Lincoln benefited politically when made fun of in visual media, for caricatures ironically only strengthened his bond with the common man. Many Americans today lament the fact that presidential campaigns seem to be more about image than substance, that politicians spend too much energy cultivating their image, and that the press spends too much time on the trivial and superficial nature of the candidates, ignoring their message. The extensive television advertisements and debates only accentuate this problem, they add, focusing too much on the appearance of candidates. If only we could return to a simpler time, they cry, when the process was purer and based more on substance. Thompson reminds us that such sentiments are based purely on myth. As a skilled politician, Lincoln would have found political success today. And, in some respects, his political skills, especially his physical humor, were perfectly made for television, the Internet, and the debate stage. (One gem: to mock the pomp of a political opponent’s over-the-top entourage that accompanied him wherever he went, including a carriage drawn by horses and loud cannon fire, all backed up by musicians, Lincoln toyed with his harmonica alone, telling the crowd that this was his own personal band (p. 60).) Thompson’s terrific study reminds us that, long before Ronald Reagan, politicians viewed their profession as a form of theater, one that demanded stagecraft; that long before George W. Bush and Barack Obama, much political opposition was fueled by intense hatred; and that long before Donald Trump, politics was viewed as entertainment. Thompson’s astute analysis reminds us that politics is often performance art. Above all, this fine book demonstrates that there is still much to be learned about how Lincoln achieved such remarkable political success.