Words of a Century: The Top 100 American Speeches, 1900-1999

by Stephen E. Lucas, Martin J. Medhurst (Compiler)

Boldly breaking the mold of previous anthologies, Words of a The Top 100 American Speeches, 1900-1999 contains the complete--and authentic--texts of the best American speeches of the twentieth century as delivered to their immediate audiences. It features a remarkable array of
speakers, from Woodrow Wilson, Clarence Darrow, and Carrie Chapman Catt to Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy, and Barbara Jordan.

As diverse in type as they are in subject matter, the speeches open a unique window on the twentieth century, and many continue to resonate in our own time. Each is preceded by a headnote with background on the speaker, the occasion, and the impact of the speech. More than 2,000 annotations
identify people, events, and textual references that help bring the speeches to life for today's readers.

This exceptional anthology is ideal for courses in rhetoric, political communication, and twentieth century American history, as well as for anyone interested in the artistry and impact of the spoken word.

Genres: Historical

704 pages, Hardcover

First published December 16, 2007

About the author

Stephen E. Lucas is Professor of Communication Arts and Evjue-Bascom Professor in the Humanities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he has taught since 1972.