Lincoln's American Dream

Book excerpt: 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.