The Eloquent President: A Portrait of Lincoln Through His Words

"White takes us back to when great men believed in the power of words to change the world. . . . This book . . . is a treasure to read, a spur to thinking, a small volume with fascinating history."-The Denver Post

In The Eloquent President, historian Ronald C. White, Jr., examines Abraham Lincoln's astonishing oratory and explores his growth as a leader, a communicator, and a man of deepening spiritual conviction. Examining a different speech, address, or public letter in each chapter, White tracks the evolution of Lincoln's rhetoric from the measured tones of the First Inaugural to the immortal poetry of the Gettysburg Address. As he weighs the biblical cadences and vigorous parallel structures that make Lincoln's rhetoric soar, White identifies a passionate religious strain that most historians have overlooked. It is White's contention that, as president, Lincoln not only grew into an inspiring leader and determined commander in chief, but also embarked on a spiritual odyssey that led to a profound understanding of the relationship between human action and divine will. With grace and insight, White captures the essence of the four most critical years of Lincoln's life and makes his great words live for our time in all their power and beauty.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 02/01/2006
ISBN: 9780812970463
Pages: 480
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.20w x 1.20d

Review Citations: Foreword 05/01/2005 pg. 1
Library Journal 01/01/2015