author
John G. (John George) Nicolay
1832–1901
Best known as Abraham Lincoln’s private secretary, this German-born American writer helped shape how generations would remember the 16th president. He later turned firsthand experience into influential historical writing with his close collaborator John Hay.
3 Audiobooks
A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln Condensed from Nicolay & Hay's Abraham Lincoln: A History
by John G. (John George) Nicolay
Abraham Lincoln: a History — Volume 01
by John G. (John George) Nicolay, John Hay
Abraham Lincoln, a History — Volume 02
by John G. (John George) Nicolay, John Hay
About the author
Born in Bavaria in 1832 and brought to the United States as a child, he grew up in the Midwest and worked in journalism and public service before entering Abraham Lincoln’s circle. When Lincoln became president in 1861, Nicolay joined him in Washington and served as his private secretary throughout the Civil War years.
That role placed him unusually close to the daily life of the White House, and it became the foundation of his later work as an author and historian. With fellow Lincoln aide John Hay, he wrote the major ten-volume work Abraham Lincoln: A History, drawing on personal knowledge and extensive research.
He also served the United States in diplomatic posts after the war, including a period as consul in Paris, but his lasting reputation rests on his writing about Lincoln and his era. For readers interested in American history, his work offers the perspective of someone who was not just an observer, but a participant.