What do you think?
Rate this book
Why Lincoln Matters: Today More Than Ever
Abraham Lincoln, long the most resonant voice of American political values, was a founding member of the Republican Party. In today's charged political climate, he would be hard-pressed to recognize the issues in the contemporary GOP, argues Mario Cuomo, former governor of New York and a gifted political philosopher.
Challenged by slavery, secession, and war, Lincoln was able to forcefully articulate the values and ideals that have sustained our country since its inception. His speeches, writings, and actions melded the Constitution, the Bible, and his own experience into an American scripture that inspires faith in the future
Mario Cuomo shows how the big issues - equality, the role of government, war and peace, the responsibilities of the fortunate few - resonate in today's political climate as he brings to life the contemporary relevance of Lincoln's message for today's hot-button issues. Today's political discourse often lacks depth and wisdom, but Mario Cuomo's analysis of Abraham Lincoln will inspire readers to believe that government can still be a force for greater good in American society.
Challenged by slavery, secession, and war, Lincoln was able to forcefully articulate the values and ideals that have sustained our country since its inception. His speeches, writings, and actions melded the Constitution, the Bible, and his own experience into an American scripture that inspires faith in the future
Mario Cuomo shows how the big issues - equality, the role of government, war and peace, the responsibilities of the fortunate few - resonate in today's political climate as he brings to life the contemporary relevance of Lincoln's message for today's hot-button issues. Today's political discourse often lacks depth and wisdom, but Mario Cuomo's analysis of Abraham Lincoln will inspire readers to believe that government can still be a force for greater good in American society.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2004
3 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Mario Cuomo
35 books8 followersMario Matthew Cuomo served as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994. Cuomo became nationally known for his keynote speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention and the subsequent speculation over the next decade that he might run for the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 22, 2021
A few years ago, I recall watching a nightly talk show where Mario Cuomo, the former governor of the state of New York, made a guest appearance. Pitching his new book, he talked about his lifelong passion and dedication to our sixteenth president. Governor Cuomo spoke with such eloquence and charm, that I brought the book up for discussion with my family. My mom, generous as always, ordered the book from Amazon for me. In typical fashion (procrastination), it only took me well over a year to actually read it.
While I have two complete biographies of Abraham Lincoln awaiting me on my future reading list, this was a positive, short little book, contrasting the current entanglements in which our nation finds itself, with the writings and philosophies of America’s greatest wartime presidents.
Not surprisingly to me, anyway, President Lincoln fits in excruciatingly few ways with the principles of the modern Republican party. In fact, Lincoln fits with no current political party philosophy, and for a modern “Bush conservative” to refer to their allegiance to the “party of Lincoln” is beyond belief or credulity. Lincoln, speaking from the historical record of his speeches and writings, would identify with precious few principles held by today’s neo-conservatives.
What then, would Lincoln be likely to say about the current state of our nation? Gov. Cuomo takes us through the writings of Lincoln to illustrate how his beliefs might be able to guide us today. Gov. Cuomo, it is plain to see, holds President Lincoln in the highest esteem and it’s clear from this quick read that Mr. Cuomo believes, as do many, that we can derive a great deal of guidance in today’s world from a careful and studied review of the man who saved the Union in times of civil war.
Governor Cuomo compares, on a topic by topic case, the current state of affairs in American politics, economy, and world leadership with what the writings of President Lincoln suggest he himself might have instructed. While brief, it’s clear that an enormous amount of research was poured into this work and my only qualm with the book was its readability. Mario writes on a level that’s probably inappropriately high for what is designed to be a brief piece. At points, his work reads more like a Supreme Court decision than an argument for and from history. So lofty was the writing at times that I re-read the entire book only a few months after its first reading. Nevertheless. this short and hopeful book was written on the eve of the presidential elections of 2004 and while Governor Cuomo frames Mr. Lincoln’s views in that time frame, I almost wish that he had delayed the writing of this book until now, in the middle of President George W. Bush’s second term. One can only imagine Lincoln’s frustration with the current state of the country he led so convincingly and loved with all his gifting intellect and unusually passionate heart.
While I have two complete biographies of Abraham Lincoln awaiting me on my future reading list, this was a positive, short little book, contrasting the current entanglements in which our nation finds itself, with the writings and philosophies of America’s greatest wartime presidents.
Not surprisingly to me, anyway, President Lincoln fits in excruciatingly few ways with the principles of the modern Republican party. In fact, Lincoln fits with no current political party philosophy, and for a modern “Bush conservative” to refer to their allegiance to the “party of Lincoln” is beyond belief or credulity. Lincoln, speaking from the historical record of his speeches and writings, would identify with precious few principles held by today’s neo-conservatives.
What then, would Lincoln be likely to say about the current state of our nation? Gov. Cuomo takes us through the writings of Lincoln to illustrate how his beliefs might be able to guide us today. Gov. Cuomo, it is plain to see, holds President Lincoln in the highest esteem and it’s clear from this quick read that Mr. Cuomo believes, as do many, that we can derive a great deal of guidance in today’s world from a careful and studied review of the man who saved the Union in times of civil war.
Governor Cuomo compares, on a topic by topic case, the current state of affairs in American politics, economy, and world leadership with what the writings of President Lincoln suggest he himself might have instructed. While brief, it’s clear that an enormous amount of research was poured into this work and my only qualm with the book was its readability. Mario writes on a level that’s probably inappropriately high for what is designed to be a brief piece. At points, his work reads more like a Supreme Court decision than an argument for and from history. So lofty was the writing at times that I re-read the entire book only a few months after its first reading. Nevertheless. this short and hopeful book was written on the eve of the presidential elections of 2004 and while Governor Cuomo frames Mr. Lincoln’s views in that time frame, I almost wish that he had delayed the writing of this book until now, in the middle of President George W. Bush’s second term. One can only imagine Lincoln’s frustration with the current state of the country he led so convincingly and loved with all his gifting intellect and unusually passionate heart.
April 24, 2014
Published in 2004, in the epicenter of the W Bush fiasco years, Mario Cuomo's "Why Lincoln Matters" is a full-on assault on W's regime, and a condemnation through facts of W's purported admiration of Lincoln's presidential examples. Looking at such matters as race, the Supreme Court, National Security, war, and labor through a Lincolnian lens, Cuomo produces a beautifully expressed and stirring look at what a true leader and pragmatist like Lincoln was able to achieve.
Want to read
January 23, 2009I checked this book out of my county Library several years ago, but barely touched it...it intrigued me then, and now more so than ever, though the book itself deals with the Bush administration...
it's on its way to me via USPS!
it's on its way to me via USPS!
August 19, 2008
Mario Cuomo has the ability to unit this country despite being a Yankee.
August 21, 2008
I think the right author could pull off what Cuomo was trying to do. Not Cuomo.
April 10, 2016
great book
February 5, 2017
Written in 2004, this book is still very timely.
August 20, 2018
Excellent book! Thoughtful and inspiring. Too bad Cuomo isn't alive to save the country now.
Read
August 5, 2023Interestingly sets up Lincoln and his expressed view of certain problems for government and how they would apply to similar problems today. He was a master of intelligence and logic and problem solving.
Many of his points applied to todays problems seem well said, well put, and apropos todays problems would be very effective.
Many of his points applied to todays problems seem well said, well put, and apropos todays problems would be very effective.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews