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Lincoln biography looks at the 16th
president through his own words
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Story
In Ronald C. White Jr.’s book, “The Eloquent President: A Portrait of Lincoln Thorough His Words,” readers get a different way to view our 16th president’s life, through his own storytelling. White looks at many of Abraham Lincoln’s own speeches including quite a few famous ones like the Gettysburg Address and his second inaugural address. White comments that one of the purposes of his book is to “see Lincoln’s speeches as a string of pearls. Each pearl, although different in color and size, possesses its own beauty.” It’s these pearls that White looks at in order to document the life of President Lincoln.
Throughout the entire book, we see that White went through and found the speeches that were not only important, but that expressed Lincoln’s own style and self. Each speech is broken down along with some background information pertaining to that particular oration. These breakdowns consist of what was happening in the U.S. at the time, the event it was prepared for, and what was going on in Lincoln’s personal life at the time. There were also eleven different appendixes in the back, each with drafts (including final versions) of speeches. This made comparing speeches simple and the information in the book easier to understand.
“The Eloquent President” is an enjoyable read because it includes a point of view most have never seen concerning a biography on President Lincoln. It carefully examines Lincoln’s own words, not just what history books, historical pictures, and other documents have said and shown about Lincoln. Though this book takes quite a while to read, it is very informative and enjoyable.
I would recommend this book for all history lovers or those that just want to have a different look at Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, life and legacy. It’s a legacy summed up by White’s comment: “His voice was stilled forever. But not his words.”
Marijane Weitensteiner
Culture Writer
