American Heritage Book of Great American Speeches for Young People - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0471389420 ISBN 13: 9780471389422

Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 2001

Synopsis

An inspiring collection of over 100 of the greatest speeches in American historyWhat better way to introduce kids to the power of the spoken word than with this fantastic collection of some of the greatest speeches in American history? From Lincoln's unforgettable Gettysburg Address and Martin Luther King's valiant "I Have a Dream" speech to lesser known orations such as George Vest's "Eulogy on a Dog" and Lou Gehrig's speech describing himself as "the luckiest man on the face of the earth," this vibrant book introduces kids to Americans who spoke out and made a difference in their world and ours. They'll meet such brilliant orators as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, an advocate for women's rights who delivered her masterpiece "The Solitude of Self" in 1892, and 10-year-old Samantha Smith of Maine, who was invited to Russia after writing a heartfelt letter to Soviet Premier Yuri Andropov, along with Sojourner Truth; Red Cloud, Lakota Sioux Chief; Mother Jones; Mark Twain; and many others. A terrific way to help kids develop oratorical skills-and learn about U.S. history.American Heritage magazine, the country's premier U.S. history publication, has long been known for its acclaimed children's reference books, including The American Heritage Children's Dictionary and The American Heritage Student Dictionary. Suzanne McIntire (Arlington, VA) is a freelance writer who has been collecting great speeches for many years.

About this title

Review:

..."encourages readers to speak out for what they believe in. Its concluding chapter on how (and why) to make an effective speech will give the reader a boost of confidence and a skill which will prove useful long after school days are over." ("BookPage," October 2001)

"A useful compendium of more than 100 speeches that span nearly 400 years of American history.... The speeches inform readers and provide examples of how the spoken word has affected Americans throughout our past." ("School Library Journal," December 2001)

How many of you remember the agony of having to memorize the Gettysburg Address in school? Or perhaps it was something by one of the founding father? "Who needs this stuff?" you would moan. "What's the point?"
The major problem with historic orations, students have always complained, is that they are dry. American Heritage, one of the foremost magazine about this nation's culture, has collected an eclectic set of speeches given not only by politicians, but also by people in many walks of life, from sports figures to "ordinary" people in extraordinary circumstances.
The Book of Great American Speeches for Young People contains over 100 discourses on a myriad of topics. Some classics can be found within, such as Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream and Franklin Delano Roosevelt's address after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy." On a lighter political note, there's the "Checker's Speech," in which Richard Nixon swore that the only gift he received during 1952 campaign was a little cocker spaniel and that "we're gonna keep him."
Other orators in The Book of Great American Speeches for Young People include Malcolm X, Langston Hughes, John F. Kennedy, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Mark Twain, just to name a few. Speeches are used to influence and encourage, so there are several "declamations" which consider the struggles for women's suffrage, civil right and the evils of slavery. And since the nation was founded on free speech, there are also numerous discourses of protest and dissent.
The less earthshaking fare, though no less dramatic, is also here. Lou Gehrig paid an emotional farewell to baseball, in which, though stricken with the terminal illness that would one day bear his name, he considered himself "the luckiest man on the face of the earth."
One of the more poignant speeches, to which young readers will relate, was given by 10-year old Samantha Smith in 1983 to the Children's Symposium on the Year 2001, after her impassioned letter to Soviet Premier Yuri Adropov made world news. The letter stated her fears nuclear war between his country and American, proving that young people can make that difference.
In addition to its generous collection, The Book of Great American Speeches for Young People encourages readers to speak out for what they believe in. Its concluding chapter on how (and why) to make an effective speech will give the reader a boost of confidence and a skill which will prove useful long after school days are over. (BookPage, October 2001)

Gr7 Up--A useful compendium of more than 100 speeches that span nearly 400 years of American history, from Powhatan (1609) to Senator Charles Robb (2000). Prominent orators include Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X. Two indexes allow readers to find a selection by its speaker or its theme. Black-and-white photos and reproductions accompany many of the entries. Alongside the Founding Fathers and patriots are athletes, authors, and media celebrities. The speeches inform readers and provide examples of how the spoken word has affected Americans throughout our past. --David M. Alperstein, Queens Borough Public Library, NY (School Library Journal, December 2001)

From the Author:

While this book of course reflects events in US history, readers of all ages in the UK may find interesting material here.

The book opens with Chief Powhatan's address to English Captain John Smith in 1609; Chief Big Mouth's warning to the British governor of New York in 1684; and Chief Canasatego's amusing 1774 observations on the white man's schools. There is Scottish lawyer Andrew Hamilton's 1735 courtroom defense of a newspaper publisher arrested for libel by the royal governor of New York, William Cosby, which set important precedent for freedom of the press under British rule.

In the Revolutionary War era: John Hancock on the anniversary of the 1770 Boston Massacre (when the king's troops fired on local citizens); Patrick Henry assembling evidence for the coming show of force by George III, and urging the militia to arm; a Stockbridge chief promising support for the colonists but declining to fight English-fashion; Sam Adams (of the Boston Tea Party) exhorting his countrymen to war.

There are Red Jacket, who got his name from the red coat he was given by British officers; Tecumseh, who urged numerous tribes to join the British against the Americans in the War of 1812; a speech in 1846 by an escaped slave on reaching freedom in Canada; and Frederick Douglass' first speech (his liberty bought by English friends) after returning to the US, referring to his escape to freedom in Britain.

A 1941 speech by Harold Ickes counsels aiding Britain, and Eisenhower addresses the D-Day allied troops leaving England's coast. There are JFK and Reagan at the Berlin Wall, and speeches by Lincoln and Martin Luther King. Plus humorous addresses by Mark Twain and Dr. Seuss. You'll find examples of political and protest speeches, sermons, addresses before battle, eulogies, and courtroom addresses. The speeches were selected and edited to interest young people, and are suitable for ages 11 to 111. I hope you enjoy the book. --Suzanne McIntire

About this edition

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0471389420
• ISBN 13: 9780471389422
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304
• Editor: McIntire Suzanne