Mario M. Cuomo served three terms as governor of the state of New York. His latest book, Lincoln Matters, Today More Than Ever, will be published in June.
Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri; translated by Lawrence Grant White (out of print) and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Trafalgar Square, $23). These lead my list because their imagination, poetic ability, and intellectual and moral powers are unmatched.
Lincoln by David Herbert Donald (Simon & Schuster, $18). The latest of the great Lincoln biographies. It is unsurpassed in its psychological insights, revealing how Lincoln the man gave birth to Lincoln the icon. Donald’s candor as to Lincoln’s weakness on the question of race—and in other regards—is a tribute to his peerless professionalism as a writer of biography.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Divine Milieu by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (HarperCollins, $14). The greatest spiritual testimony of my time. It revealed and made accessible the joyous positivism of Roman Catholicism, particularly after Teilhard’s writings were approved by Pope John XXIII.
Non-Zero: The Logic of Human Destiny by Robert Wright (Knopf, $15). A brilliant disquisition, comprehensive and comprehensible, describing the evolution of man and society toward excellence. In Non-Zero, Wright doesn’t accept the idea of God, but his notion moves ever closer to Teilhard’s “Christ.” I await Wright’s next work, wondering whether he will move from agnosticism to faith.
Christ in Concrete
-
‘A legacy news brand brings a visibility of its own’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
8 of the best ‘cozy crime’ series of all timeThe Week Recommends Murder mysteries don’t necessarily have to make us miserable, and these shows have perfected a feel-good crime formula
-
Youth revolts rattle Morocco as calls against corruption grow louderTHE EXPLAINER Snowballing controversy over World Cup construction and civic services has become a serious threat to Morocco’s political stability
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetimeFeature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Lou Berney’s 6 favorite books with powerful storytellingFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Dorothy B. Hughes, James McBride, and more
-
Elizabeth Gilbert’s favorite books about women overcoming difficultiesFeature The author recommends works by Tove Jansson, Lauren Groff, and more
-
Fannie Flagg’s 6 favorite books that sparked her imaginationFeature The author recommends works by Johanna Spyri, John Steinbeck, and more
-
Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is moreFeature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
-
Keith McNally's 6 favorite books that have ambitious charactersFeature The London-born restaurateur recommends works by Leo Tolstoy, John le Carré, and more
-
Garrett Graff's 6 favorite books that shine new light on World War IIFeature The author recommends works by James D. Hornfischer, Craig L. Symonds, and more
-
Helen Schulman's 6 favorite collections of short storiesFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Raymond Carver, James Baldwin, and more
