This biographical volume details the life and times of Illinois? second governor, the ?improbable? Edward Coles. The book discusses his Virginian roots and his associations with men such as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. It traces the motivations and circumstances which led a man with a confirmed Southern upbringing and definitive political connections to break the mold and uphold his unpopular moral beliefs. The main focus of the work, however, is Coles? work against slavery in Illinois. His political campaign, his lifestyle and his critics are all discussed. Views from contemporaries, who saw Coles as ?a man who made a great thing happen, ? place Coles within the political atmosphere of the day and belie the neglect which he received in later years. Coles own writings add a personal note to an otherwise forgotten political story. A number of period photographs and an index are included.