a human Lincoln

I'm currently reading Joshua Shenk's Lincoln's Melancholy, a fascinating account of the depressive periods our 16th president often experienced. I'll talk about it more fully once I complete the book, but for now I want to mention some things I hadn't known about Lincoln before.

• He proposed to several women - and was rejected - before marrying Mary Todd
• He loved to tell stories and jokes, particularly "dirty" ones
• He enjoyed reading poetry that focused on death and loss
• He liked popcorn and oysters