1861 cover art

1861

The Lost Peace

Pre-order free with Premium Plus
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

1861

By: Jay Winik
Narrated by: Arthur Morey
Pre-order free with Premium Plus

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Pre-order for $26.99

Pre-order for $26.99

Confirm Pre-order
Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.
Cancel

About this listen

From an award-winning historian and New York Times bestselling author, a gripping, fly-on-the-wall account of the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln's decision to go to war against the Confederacy.

1861: The Lost Peace is the story of President Lincoln’s difficult and courageous decision at a time when the country wrestled with deep moral questions of epic proportions.

Through Jay Winik’s singular reporting and storytelling, listeners will learn about the extraordinary Washington Peace Conference at the Willard Hotel to avert cataclysmic war. They will observe the irascible and farsighted Senator JJ Crittenden, the tireless moderate seeking a middle way to peace. Lincoln himself called Crittenden “a great man” even as Lincoln jousted with him. Listeners will glimpse inside Lincoln’s cabinet—the finest in history—which rivaled the executive in its authority, a fact too often forgotten, and witness a parade of statesmen frenetically grasping for peace rather than the spectacle of a young nation slowly choking itself to death. A perfect listen for history buffs, with timely overtones to our current political climate.

©2025 Jay Winik (P)2025 Grand Central Publishing
Elections & Political Process Military Politics & Government
activate_mytile_page_redirect_t1

Critic Reviews

“This engaging volume has impeccable research and is recommended for anyone who enjoys U.S. history, notably the Civil War, and American politics.”—Starred ReviewLibrary Journal

"A fascinating look at some of the less familiar history in the days leading up to the Civil War."—Kirkus Reviews

What listeners say about 1861

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.