American Rhetorical Discourse

by Ronald F. Reid, James F. Klumpp

The most complete compendium of American oratory now available! This expansive anthology covers a broad range of discourses dealing with civic affairs. The collection reflects the diversity of speakers throughout American history. Not only do history's "winners" appear among the selections, but its important "losers" appear as well. Each of the 100 discourses is preceded by a commentary section. These editor commentaries, most useful for students who lack sufficient historical background to appreciate the context of individual discourses, are organized by first sketching the general context and then outlining the immediate situation. Enough material has been provided for students to enlarge their understanding of history, broaden their perspective of rhetorical theory and improve their own rhetorical skills, including their skills as practitioners of various kinds of Aristotelian criticism.

Genres: Nonfiction

904 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1994

Reviews

[Ferris Mx · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting to read some important historical figures in their own words. It was especially shocking to see the blatant defense of slavery.

After setting the stage with a review of rhetorical devices, the book did not really tie the historical rhetoric to the devices. So I don't think I have a better understanding of the use of rhetoric.