Ostensibly embarking upon a portrait of a "modern-day Abraham Lincoln", Escaping History traces the development of a relationship between Applegath and his subject. As it unfolds, it veers from the "objective" to the highly personal. The tape relates the story of Mel Glasser of Chicago, a recovering schizophrenic who, having adopted a Lincoln persona, has made considerable progress in the last twenty years. Escaping History refuses to romanticize Mel's condition or situation: he speaks clearly to us, with intelligence and humour, and takes Applegath on a special journey.

A Chicago, Mel Glasser, un schizophrène convalescent qui a consciemment adopté le personnage d'Abraham Lincoln, connaît des progrès considérables grâce à sa nouvelle personnalité. Le documentaire refuse de dramatiser la condition de Mel: l'homme nous parle franchement, avec intelligence et humour, et fait vivre à l'auteur Applegath une rencontre des plus particulières.