Words of a Century
The Top 100 American Speeches, 1900-1999
Published on 9. April 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
704 pages
978-0-19-516805-1 (ISBN)
Description
This is an anthology of the top 100 American speeches of the twentieth century, as determined in the nationwide survey of communication scholars conducted at the end of 1999. Respondents were asked to judge speeches on two main criteria: rhetorical artistry and historical impact. The survey received considerable press coverage, and the website that houses the survey results gets hundreds of hits weekly. The major attraction of the book for an academic/higher education market - full, accurate texts of all 100 of the top speeches of the 20th century - should make it at least equally appealing for the trade market. It should remain the authoritative volume of 20th century speeches well into the 21st century.
Reviews / Votes
"Words of a Century is simply the best anthology of its kind. It is edited by two of the best rhetorical critics in the business, and the speeches were chosen on the basis of their artistry and impact through a survey of 137 communication scholars. The headnotes are insightful and historically accurate, and the texts have been painstakingly authenticated--a rarity in such works. There is no comparable collection of great American speeches. No seriousstudent of rhetoric should be without it."--J. Michael Hogan, Pennsylvania State University
"Moments of political crisis beget some of the best and most memorable instances of political oratory. This magnificently researched and carefully annotated collection reminds us just how close the connection is between our shared political life and our public speech. This volume is a unique and invaluable resource for students and scholars alike on the history, politics, and oratory of the twentieth century."--Mary E. Stuckey, Georgia State University
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 191 mm
Thickness: 37 mm
Weight
1287 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-516805-1 (9780195168051)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Stephen E. Lucas is Evjue-Bascom Professor in the Humanities, Department of Communication Arts, at University of Wisconsin. Martin J. Medhurst is Distinguished Professor of Rhetoric and Communication at Baylor University.
Content
THE CENTURY BEGINS; WORLD WAR I, DISSENT, AND WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE; THE ROARING TWENTIES AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION; WORLD WAR II AND THE EMERGENCE OF THE COLD WAR; MCCARTHYISM, KOREA, AND THE NUCLEAR ERA; THE AGE OF CAMELOT; RACE, POVERTY, AND DISSENSION; VIETNAM AND OTHER DISCONTENTS; WATERGATE AND ITS AFTERMATH; CONSERVATISM, LIBERALISM, AND THE END OF THE COLD WAR; THE 1990S