The Cambridge Companion to Abraham Lincoln (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780521193160)

Abraham Lincoln's stature as an American cultural figure grows from his political legacy. In today's milieu, the speeches he delivered as the sixteenth president of the United States have become synonymous with American progress, values, and exceptionalism. But what makes Lincoln's language so effective? Highlighting matters of style, affect, nationalism, and history in nineteenth-century America, this collection examines the rhetorical power of Lincoln's prose - from the earliest legal decision, stump speeches, anecdotes, and letters to the Gettysburg Address and the lingering power of the Second Inaugural Address. Through careful analysis of his correspondence with Civil War generals and his early poetry, the contributors, all literary critics, give readers a unique look into Lincoln's private life. Their essays also examine Lincoln's language in a larger sphere, including that of the Caribbean and Latin America, as well as Europe. Such a collection enables teachers, students, and readers of American history to assess the impact of this extraordinary writer - and rare politician - on the world's stage.

Author: Shirley Samuels
ISBN-10: 0521193168
ISBN-13: 9780521193160
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 07/23/2012
Pages: 235
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 9.10h x 5.90w x 0.70d