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Lincoln Speeches (Penguin Civic Classics) by Abraham Lincoln (28-Aug-2012) Paperback
In time for the upcoming election season, Penguin presents a series of six portable, accessible, and--above all--essential reads from American political history, selected by leading scholars. Series editor Richard Beeman, author of "The Penguin Guide to the U.S. Constitution," draws together the great texts of American civic life, including the founding documents, pivotal historical speeches, and important Supreme Court decisions, to create a timely and informative mini-library of perennially vital issues. As president, Abraham Lincoln endowed the American language with a vigor and moral energy that have all but disappeared from today's public rhetoric. His words are testaments of our history, windows into his enigmatic personality, and resonant examples of the writer's art. Renowned Lincoln and Civil War scholar Allen C. Guelzo brings together this volume of "Lincoln Speeches" that span the classic and obscure, the lyrical and historical, the inspirational and intellectual. The book contains everything from classic speeches that any citizen would recognize--the first debate with Stephen Douglas, the "House Divided" Speech, the Gettysburg Address, the Second Inaugural Address--to the less known ones that professed Lincoln fans will come to enjoy and intellectuals and critics praise. These orations show the contours of the civic dilemmas Lincoln, and America itself, the slavery issue, state v. federal power, citizens and their duty, death and destruction, the coming of freedom, the meaning of the Constitution, and what it means to progress.
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First published November 20, 1991
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About the author
Abraham Lincoln
2,363 books1,966 followersAbraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States from 1861, led during the Civil War, and emancipated slaves in the south in 1863; shortly after the end, John Wilkes Booth assassinated him.
Abraham Lincoln, an American lawyer, politician, and man, served until 1865. Lincoln defended the American constitutional nation, defeated the insurgent Confederacy, abolished, expanded the power of the Federal government, and modernized the economy.
A mother bore him into poverty in a log cabin in Kentucky, and parents reared on the frontier, primarily in Indiana. He educated as a lawyer in Whig party, joined legislature, and represented Illinois. In 1849, he returned to his successful law practice in Springfield, Illinois.
The Kansas–Nebraska act in 1854 opened the territories, angered him, and caused him to re-enter politics. He quickly joined the new Republican Party. He reached a national audience in the campaign debates against Stephen Arnold Douglas for Senate in 1858. Lincoln ran in 1860 and swept the north to gain victory. Other elements viewed his election as a threat and from the nation began seceding. During this time, the newly formed Confederate of America began seizing Federal military bases. A little over one month after Lincoln assumed, Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Following the bombardment, Lincoln mobilized forces to suppress the rebellion and restored.
Lincoln, a moderate, navigated a contentious array of factions with friends and opponents from the Democratic Party and Republican Party. His allies, the Democrats, and the radical Republicans, demanded harsh treatment of the Confederates. He exploited mutual enmity of the factions, carefully distributing political patronage, and appealed to the American people. Democrats, called "Copperheads," despised Lincoln, and some irreconcilable pro-Confederate elements went so far as to plot. People came to see his greatest address at Gettysburg as a most influential statement of American national purpose. Lincoln closely supervised the strategy and tactics in the effort, including the selection of generals, and implemented a naval blockade of the trade. He suspended habeas corpus in Maryland and elsewhere, and averted British intervention by defusing the Trent Affair. He issued the proclamation, which declared free those "in rebellion." It also directed the Navy to "recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons" and to receive them "into the armed service." Lincoln pressured border to outlaw, and he promoted the thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished, except as punishment for a crime.
Lincoln managed his own successful re-election campaign. He sought to heal the torn nation through reconciliation. On April 14, 1865, just five days after the Confederate surrender at Appomattox, he attended a play at theater of Ford in Washington, District of Columbia, with Mary Todd Lincoln, his wife, when Confederate sympathizer fatally shot him. People remember Lincoln as a martyr and a national hero for his time and for his efforts to preserve and abolish. Popular and scholarly polls often rank Lincoln as the greatest president in American history.
Abraham Lincoln, an American lawyer, politician, and man, served until 1865. Lincoln defended the American constitutional nation, defeated the insurgent Confederacy, abolished, expanded the power of the Federal government, and modernized the economy.
A mother bore him into poverty in a log cabin in Kentucky, and parents reared on the frontier, primarily in Indiana. He educated as a lawyer in Whig party, joined legislature, and represented Illinois. In 1849, he returned to his successful law practice in Springfield, Illinois.
The Kansas–Nebraska act in 1854 opened the territories, angered him, and caused him to re-enter politics. He quickly joined the new Republican Party. He reached a national audience in the campaign debates against Stephen Arnold Douglas for Senate in 1858. Lincoln ran in 1860 and swept the north to gain victory. Other elements viewed his election as a threat and from the nation began seceding. During this time, the newly formed Confederate of America began seizing Federal military bases. A little over one month after Lincoln assumed, Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Following the bombardment, Lincoln mobilized forces to suppress the rebellion and restored.
Lincoln, a moderate, navigated a contentious array of factions with friends and opponents from the Democratic Party and Republican Party. His allies, the Democrats, and the radical Republicans, demanded harsh treatment of the Confederates. He exploited mutual enmity of the factions, carefully distributing political patronage, and appealed to the American people. Democrats, called "Copperheads," despised Lincoln, and some irreconcilable pro-Confederate elements went so far as to plot. People came to see his greatest address at Gettysburg as a most influential statement of American national purpose. Lincoln closely supervised the strategy and tactics in the effort, including the selection of generals, and implemented a naval blockade of the trade. He suspended habeas corpus in Maryland and elsewhere, and averted British intervention by defusing the Trent Affair. He issued the proclamation, which declared free those "in rebellion." It also directed the Navy to "recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons" and to receive them "into the armed service." Lincoln pressured border to outlaw, and he promoted the thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished, except as punishment for a crime.
Lincoln managed his own successful re-election campaign. He sought to heal the torn nation through reconciliation. On April 14, 1865, just five days after the Confederate surrender at Appomattox, he attended a play at theater of Ford in Washington, District of Columbia, with Mary Todd Lincoln, his wife, when Confederate sympathizer fatally shot him. People remember Lincoln as a martyr and a national hero for his time and for his efforts to preserve and abolish. Popular and scholarly polls often rank Lincoln as the greatest president in American history.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 23, 2022
"And, inasmuch [as] most good things are produced by labour, it follows that [all] such things of right belong to those whose labour has produced them. But it has so happened in all ages of the world, that some have laboured, and others have, without labour, enjoyed a large proportion of the fruits. This is wrong, and should not continue. To [secure] to each labourer the whole product of his labour, or as nearly as possible, is a most worthy object of any good government."
-Comrade Lincoln
-Comrade Lincoln
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October 12, 2012John F. Kennedy once said, "Where power corrupts, poetry cleanses." If ever there was a leader who bound the effectiveness of power to the aspirations of poetry, Abraham Lincoln was him. This excellent and essential sampler of his speeches proves this.
April 29, 2014
If you don't believe Lincoln's speeches are wonderful works of genius, both in their power and their simplicity, then we simply don't have anything else to talk about. The ultimate in archival, one-stop-shopping luxury.
September 28, 2013
The only thing which kept me from giving this book a fifth star was that some of the speeches were edited down. That's okay for an overview, but it would have been nice to see the full text included.
This is not a complete set of Lincoln's speeches, but instead a selection of them, presented in chronological order, from 1832 to 1865. Some of Lincoln's early speeches were rougher in form, but showed much of the style that would carry him to the White House.
If your knowledge of Lincoln's speeches is limited to the Gettysburg Address and maybe one of his inaugural speeches, then you're in for a treat. The speeches provide insight into his character, his thinking and even his knowledge of literature. In his speeches, he addresses points of constitutional law with the sharp insight of a lawyer, and the morality of slavery with the heart of a human being. As a product of the 19th century, some of his opinions may not hold up in today's world, but they made sense at the time, and are certainly interesting.
This is not a complete set of Lincoln's speeches, but instead a selection of them, presented in chronological order, from 1832 to 1865. Some of Lincoln's early speeches were rougher in form, but showed much of the style that would carry him to the White House.
If your knowledge of Lincoln's speeches is limited to the Gettysburg Address and maybe one of his inaugural speeches, then you're in for a treat. The speeches provide insight into his character, his thinking and even his knowledge of literature. In his speeches, he addresses points of constitutional law with the sharp insight of a lawyer, and the morality of slavery with the heart of a human being. As a product of the 19th century, some of his opinions may not hold up in today's world, but they made sense at the time, and are certainly interesting.
July 14, 2017
"With malice toward none; with charity for all" is and forever shall remain and integral pillar upon which my personal philosophies are built.
I've joked before about aspiring everyday to live as Lincoln did and in truth reading these speeches affirms that this should and is an actual goal of mine. This collection of speeches highlights Lincoln's genius as a politician, a leader and a president. The reader is given examples of Lincolns wittiness, brilliance, philosophies, kindness, sorrows, humbleness and complete devotion to his country. Lincoln remains one of my greatest inspirations and heroes throughout history.
I've joked before about aspiring everyday to live as Lincoln did and in truth reading these speeches affirms that this should and is an actual goal of mine. This collection of speeches highlights Lincoln's genius as a politician, a leader and a president. The reader is given examples of Lincolns wittiness, brilliance, philosophies, kindness, sorrows, humbleness and complete devotion to his country. Lincoln remains one of my greatest inspirations and heroes throughout history.
September 4, 2022
A short, concise volume, this collection made for an excellent read & an illuminating introduction to Abraham Lincoln as a speaker.
I remember buying this book in the aftermath of seeing Lincoln in theaters & I'm glad I got around to reading this finally. As with any collection, some speeches resonated with me more than others did. One thing is clear to me now, more so than before having read this--the world truly lost an incredibly eloquent man far too soon. It seems Lincoln just had the right way of putting things so that while sounding educated, he still appealed to the common man--which is rare in politics. His own upbringing is all the more amazing to me now. Every time he made reference to the Bible or to Shakespeare or to other literature, I could picture little Abe hunched over a book in front of a fire in a one-room log cabin.
I'm not sure how much this little collection would have to offer the Lincoln scholar, being that it's only a selection of his speeches. For someone such as myself, looking to further my knowledge on Lincoln, I found this volume very interesting & I would definitely recommend it to those interested.
I remember buying this book in the aftermath of seeing Lincoln in theaters & I'm glad I got around to reading this finally. As with any collection, some speeches resonated with me more than others did. One thing is clear to me now, more so than before having read this--the world truly lost an incredibly eloquent man far too soon. It seems Lincoln just had the right way of putting things so that while sounding educated, he still appealed to the common man--which is rare in politics. His own upbringing is all the more amazing to me now. Every time he made reference to the Bible or to Shakespeare or to other literature, I could picture little Abe hunched over a book in front of a fire in a one-room log cabin.
I'm not sure how much this little collection would have to offer the Lincoln scholar, being that it's only a selection of his speeches. For someone such as myself, looking to further my knowledge on Lincoln, I found this volume very interesting & I would definitely recommend it to those interested.
June 20, 2022
A solid collection of Lincoln speeches in an easy to carry sized book. Reading Lincoln's speeches lets you see his evolution as a politician, and his evolving stance on issues like slavery. You realize that Lincoln was no saint by today's standards, but he was able to grow and articulate his new views with eloquence. The book starts with a speech in Illinois in 1832 and ends with a speech on Reconstruction in 1865 (4 days before being assassinated).
My overall favorite quote was probably: "No men living are more worthy to be trusted than those who toil up from poverty; none less inclined to take or touch aught which they have not honestly earned. Let them beware of surrendering a political power which they already possess, and which if surrendered will surely be used to close the door of advancement against such as they and to fix new disabilities and burdens upon them till all of liberty shall be lost."
My overall favorite quote was probably: "No men living are more worthy to be trusted than those who toil up from poverty; none less inclined to take or touch aught which they have not honestly earned. Let them beware of surrendering a political power which they already possess, and which if surrendered will surely be used to close the door of advancement against such as they and to fix new disabilities and burdens upon them till all of liberty shall be lost."
January 1, 2021
Finally finished this! Only took me six months but I blame that on the pandemic, moving, and unemployment. Anyway, Lincoln speeches, they're pretty great. It was especially interesting reading some of them this year. Really drives home the point that history is important, and that it really does repeat itself. I liked the structure of this collection, and appreciated the notes section as much as I did with the similar version of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence I read earlier this year. They give a lot of context that you'd miss with just a collection of speeches. Looking forward to reading the next in this civic series which is The Federalist Papers.
November 15, 2022
The speeches themselves were excellent, but including even an elementary school level historical timeline would have been helpful to help provide context as to what was going on and around the dates of the speeches. Things like whether Lincoln was an elected representative at the time, when the Civil War started, what was happening at different points during the war, etc. That historical context would have vastly improved this volume.
February 27, 2021
I loved reading Lincoln’s speeches but hated that the author took the liberty to remove... from the majority of the speeches. Even if he removed them for brevity... he.... the speech. 5 stars for Lincoln’s work, 0 Guelzo’s.
April 26, 2023
Lincoln's brilliant and simple ovations against the institution of slavery grounded in a proper understanding of both the Constitution and Declaration are a must read for anyone seeking to understand the significance of the Civil War.
September 25, 2019
Key speeches not included.
December 13, 2020
All but five of the speeches in this book are abridged.
November 15, 2022
Should be required reading in schools. Gettysburg is a great speech but lacks the context of Lincoln’s life and his views on everything else going on during his life.
March 15, 2017
A concise collection of Lincoln's well known speeches; like the Gettysburg address, a House Divided, the Great Debate (Lincoln vs Douglas) and more.
This book is a great entry point to explore how his insight and language, both just and poetic, has defined democracy and set a standard for presidents until this day.
This book is a great entry point to explore how his insight and language, both just and poetic, has defined democracy and set a standard for presidents until this day.
December 31, 2015
The book was about what I expected: a short crash course on Lincoln the orator and the issues of the day. Being strictly text, and abridged at that, it is neither instructional for the beginner, nor exhaustive for the researcher. Book 4 of 6 of the Penguin Civic Classics collection, it is a good read for the layman who wants to go beyond the basics taught in grade school. Interestingly, some of his lesser known speeches moved me far more than his famous ones. My favorite was his Oct 16, 1854 "Speech at Peoria, Ill," about the effective repeal of the Missouri Compromise via the Kansas-Nebraska Act. It is a sharp, clear explication of the difference in policy between the abolishment of slavery and its containment. Obviously, we know how the story ends, but transport yourself to the 1850s, when the house of cards was just beginning to fall and war loomed over the minds of Americans. His policies represented the death throes of compromise and the last ditch effort to preserve an "agree to disagree" national policy on slavery. He was the last famous public figure to tread this line before throwing up his hands and throwing his lot in with one side or the other.
Lincoln, ever the "Good Whig," presents arguments with mathematical precision, reflected in such simple quotes as "Either one or the other is wrong, or perhaps both a little, but both cannot be right." There are some quotes that seem lofty by modern standards, and others that seem downright repugnant. What stands out in his prose is his scientific obsession with proper wording and presentation. It gives the impression of an insomniac kept up all night drafting and re-drafting tomorrow's speeches, questioning the tiniest errant connotation. I believe his example of gentlemanly rationality is one all can follow in public discourse.
Lincoln, ever the "Good Whig," presents arguments with mathematical precision, reflected in such simple quotes as "Either one or the other is wrong, or perhaps both a little, but both cannot be right." There are some quotes that seem lofty by modern standards, and others that seem downright repugnant. What stands out in his prose is his scientific obsession with proper wording and presentation. It gives the impression of an insomniac kept up all night drafting and re-drafting tomorrow's speeches, questioning the tiniest errant connotation. I believe his example of gentlemanly rationality is one all can follow in public discourse.
March 15, 2016
Living in Iowa and having teachers who thought that knowing about Lincoln (and being inspired by trips to Springfield and other areas of Illinois that Lincoln played a part in) I had read many of these speeches. I really enjoyed both the series introduction by Richard Beeman and the Lincoln introduction by Allen C. Guezlo.
What this book reminded me was that Lincoln was at his best when speaking towards all the people - he didn't always say the things that both sides wanted to hear (sometimes the things he said weren't even what one side wanted to hear) but he had compassion for all. Lincoln understood that he couldn't please all the people all the time but he could try and respect all the people all the time. Lincoln Speeches reminds us that a democracy can be torn apart. We need to have compassion and respect in the process.
What this book reminded me was that Lincoln was at his best when speaking towards all the people - he didn't always say the things that both sides wanted to hear (sometimes the things he said weren't even what one side wanted to hear) but he had compassion for all. Lincoln understood that he couldn't please all the people all the time but he could try and respect all the people all the time. Lincoln Speeches reminds us that a democracy can be torn apart. We need to have compassion and respect in the process.
March 21, 2013
4.5/5 Stars
Simply a compilation of all of Lincoln's most important speeches put together in a small somewhat pocket sized book. I was looking for speeches I was not familiar with but didn't find any in the book. I think this would be a good starter for someone just starting to familiarize themselves with Lincoln's greatest speeches.
The book lost half a star from me due to the layout of the book. I felt is came across as a bit smudged together which would impact the reading of it.
Simply a compilation of all of Lincoln's most important speeches put together in a small somewhat pocket sized book. I was looking for speeches I was not familiar with but didn't find any in the book. I think this would be a good starter for someone just starting to familiarize themselves with Lincoln's greatest speeches.
The book lost half a star from me due to the layout of the book. I felt is came across as a bit smudged together which would impact the reading of it.
July 29, 2014
Bare bones. An interesting selection, but weakened without context.
April 13, 2017
16 > 45.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews