Lincoln's American Dream - by Kenneth L Deutsch & Joseph R Fornieri (Paperback)

About the Book

Provides a unique and invaluable resource for further understanding Lincoln's political thought and leadership and the Civil War.

Book Synopsis

Despite the voluminous literature on the central figure in American history, no other book in the field of political science compares to Lincoln's American Dream.

It addresses comprehensively the overarching themes of Lincoln's political thought and leadership through provocative and divergent interpretations from leading scholars. Each chapter is devoted to one of these major themes about Lincoln:

• The Declaration and equality
• Political ambition
• Race and slavery
• His democratic political leadership
• Executive power
• Religion and politics
• The Union and the role of the state

The book's thirty-three contributors include such respected Lincoln scholars and political commentators as Harry V. Jaffa, Stephen B. Oates, Mark E. Neely, Richard C. Current, Herman Belz, and Frank J. Williams.

With an introduction by Kenneth L. Deutsch and Joseph R. Fornieri, Lincoln's American Dream will be of enduring interest to scholars, students, teachers, and Lincoln aficionados alike and will attract interest in the fields of American history, leadership, religion and culture, American studies, and African-American studies.

Review Quotes

""Lincoln's American Dream" goes far to realize a teacher s dream. It is a remarkable collection that includes much of the boldest scholarly writing about Lincoln s deeds and thought. Deutsch and Fornieri have made it easy to lead students into the controversies that swirl around Lincoln and his legacy."

"[A] well-crafted collection of compelling essays by a host of Lincoln scholars crossing several generations of the literature . . . Its depth and breadth are as complex as the man and the nation he served. As long as the American experiment is open to debate, so too will be the legacy of Abraham Lincoln. This book does indeed belong in the library of anyone interested in Lincoln and American politics and government."

"A very effective conservative defense of Lincoln's legacy against attacks by neo-Confederate, ultra-leftist, and 'Libertarian' scholars and occasional pseudo-scholars . . . Of particular value are the essays that 'debunk' the debunkers. . . ."

"An invaluable resource. Through their judicious selections, the editors, Kenneth L. Deutsch and Joseph R. Fornieri, have created a sort of battle map, like the panoramic one at Gettysburg National Park that shows with lighted bulbs the array of opposing forces and the shifting lines of engagement."

"By no means excluding anti-Lincoln historians, this sterling collection brings together marvelous, well-chosen essays from several generations of leading Lincoln scholars. The best of the best--Randall, Current, Fehrenbacher, and Neely--together with a host of fresh voices, argue across time in a perpetual, provocative quest for insights into our greatest president s core political and philosophical beliefs. No Lincoln library can afford to overlook this treasury."

"Deutsch and Fornieri bring together the varied perspectives of generations of historians. Indispensable to the serious student."

"Deutsch and Fornieri have done a magnificent job in compiling readings that provide rich insights into controversies surrounding Lincoln and his place in the American political tradition. They are to be commended as well for their lucid, comprehensive, and extensive introduction that provides an in-depth understanding of the different perspectives concerning Lincoln s character, thought, deeds, and legacy. Their work is a most welcome addition to the American political field."