In 1858 Abraham Lincoln was a country lawyer. He entered the Illinois Senate race to oppose Stephen A. Douglas over the expansion of slavery. Seven joint debates unfolded in cliff-hanging installments. The repercussions of their debates shook political foundations all the way to Washington. Author Georgiann Baldino criss-crosses Illinois and retraces the dramatic campaign."Following Lincoln as He Followed Douglas is a must for the amateur historian struggling to understand the significance of the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates. Baldino draws the reader into the narrative while giving an excellent accounting of why the debates were important and still are pertinent today." Vickie Cleverley Speek, historian and author of "God Has Made Us a Kingdom" James Strang and the Midwest Mormons (Signature Books, 2006)