Give Me Liberty: Speakers and Speeches that Have Shaped America

by Christopher L. Webber

Sure to become a classic of American oratorical history, ?Give Me Liberty reveals the enduring power of America's quest for a freer and more just society, and the context of the speeches and speakers―from Daniel Webster and Patrick Henry to Martin Luther King and Ronald Reagan―that gave voice to the struggle.  ? "Give me liberty," demanded Patrick Henry, "or give me death!" Henry's words continue to echo in American history and that quote, and the speech it comes from, remains one of the two or three known to almost every American. The other speeches that have become part of our American collective consciousness all have one theme in liberty. These feats of oration seem to trace the evolution of America's definition of liberty, and who it applies to. But what exact is liberty?

It is a term open to a broad range of opinion, and questions about freedom arise daily in the news and in everyday life. Perhaps uniquely among the nations of the world, the United States traces its origins to groups and individuals who specifically wanted create something new. Webber's insightful Give Me Liberty looks at these great speeches and provides the historical context, focusing attention on particular individuals who summed up the issues of their own day in words that have never been forgotten. Webber gleans lessons from the past centuries that will allow us to continue to strive for the ideals of liberty in the 21st century.

Genres: History, Politics, Nonfiction, American History

420 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2014

About the author

"Priest, poet, and farmer" is the short summary. After many years of ministry in inner city, overseas (Tokyo), suburban, and rural locations I lived for twenty years in the northwest corner of Connecticut. Twenty acres of woods, garden, and orchard provided an excellent balance to writing. There's no better cure for writer's block than splitting some more firewood. Less than two years ago, however, I moved to San Francisco and am enjoying life in the city with its conveniences and cultural opportunities. Two books have been published in recent months and although my next book deadline is February 15, I'm doing what I can to promote "Dear Friends: Letters from St. Paul to Christians in America" and "Give Me Liberty: Seeches and Speakers that Shaped America."
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Reviews

[Kellyanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

The book features a spectacular choice of American figures, including Patrick Henry, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., and others that I'll embarassedly admit that I hadn't heard of, including Adlai Stevenson and Angelina Grimké. The sections on William Jennings Bryan, Grimké, and Stevenson were particularly educational for me. My one complaint is that I was expecting more speech content than commentary on them. I definitely recommend this to those interested in American History and oratory.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fourteen Americans who have had significant impacts on the American struggle for liberty are highlighted in short biographies with excerpts from there important speeches. The men and women featured range from Patrick Henry to Martin Luther King, Jr., and cover a variety of causes and struggles. A must read for the history buff.

[Elizabeth Peterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The actual speeches and biographies were great, unfortunately, they were completely spoiled by the author's struggling to fit his notion of politics into them. Could not tolerate his commentary.