Lincoln in the Bardo

During the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln visits a Georgetown cemetery to mourn his young son, Willie, who has just died of typhoid fever. The narrative takes place over a single night within the bardo, a transitional Tibetan Buddhist state between death and rebirth. While the grieving President cradles his son’s body in the crypt, a chorus of ghostly spirits—stuck in this purgatory due to their own unresolved regrets and desires—observe and interact with the boy. These narrators struggle to accept their own deaths while witnessing the father’s immense sorrow and the national carnage he oversees.

History enthusiasts and readers of experimental fiction turn to this book for its unconventional structure, which blends fictional dialogue with actual historical snippets and letters. It provides a visceral look at grief and the heavy psychological weight of leadership during wartime. Readers finish the story with a meditation on human attachment, the fleetness of life, and the specific toll the Civil War took on the Lincoln family. Those interested in the intersection of American history and metaphysical speculation will find the multi-perspective format a unique way to witness a personal tragedy.