Union of words : a history of presidential eloquence

The Resource Union of words : a history of presidential eloquence

Label

Union of words : a history of presidential eloquence

Title remainder

a history of presidential eloquence

Statement of responsibility

Wayne Fields

Language

eng

Summary

The pursuit of E pluribus unum - "from many, one"--The motto on which the United States was founded, has continually posed one of the greatest challenges our presidents have faced throughout history. How does the presidency foster a spirit of unity among all Americans despite so many divergent interests and backgrounds? In this singular study, accomplished storyteller and professor of English Wayne Fields examines this rhetorical tug-of-war through the historical lens of presidential speechmaking. Beginning with George Washington's inaugural and continuing to the present day, Fields traces the vital role of our presidents in fulfilling the constitutional imperative of a "more perfect union." Following the calendar of presidential life, he examines individual speeches from the announcement of candidacy and the acceptance of nomination to the State of the Union address, the call for war or peace, and the farewell address, recounting with a wealth of historical detail the events surrounding each formal and informal speech. Through these orations, Fields provides a fascinating depiction of our presidents as individuals struggling to assert their principles, exercise leadership, and unite diverse Americans while simultaneously contending with the prejudices and circumstances of their time. But an even greater account emerges, one that resonates just as strongly in the issues of our own time: it is the story of a nation and a people constantly recreating themselves to try to build a shared identity within a country of endless change

Cataloging source

DLC

Dewey number

352.23/8/0973

Index

index present

LC call number

JK518

LC item number

.F54 1996

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography

Context

Context of Union of words : a history of presidential eloquence

Structured data from the Bibframe namespace is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Waubonsee Community College. Additional terms may apply to data associated with third party namespaces.

Context

Work of