American Eloquence: Language and Leadership in the Twentieth Century

285 Pages·2023·1.455 MB·

by  Roderick P. Hart

A M E R I C A N

Eloquence
LANGUAGE AND LEADERSHIP IN THE
TWENTIETH CENTURY
RODERICK P. HART
AMERICAN
ELOQUENCE

AMERICAN
ELOQUENCE
LANGUAGE AND LEADERSHIP
IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
RODERICK P. HART
Columbia University Press
New York
Columbia University Press
Publishers Since 1893
New York(cid:3273)Chichester, West Sussex
cup.columbia.edu
Copyright (cid:139) 2023 Columbia University Press
All rights reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Hart, Roderick P, author.
Title: American eloquence : language and leadership in the
(cid:3273)twentieth century / Roderick P Hart.
Description: New York : Columbia University Press, [2023] (cid:95)
(cid:3273)Includes index.
Identi(cid:1006)ers: LCCN 2022023409 (print) (cid:95) LCCN 2022023410 (ebook) (cid:95)
(cid:3273)ISBN 9780231209069 (hardback) (cid:95) ISBN 9780231209076 (trade paperback) (cid:95)
(cid:3273)ISBN 9780231557771 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Political oratory—United States—History—20th century. (cid:95)
(cid:3273)Speeches, addresses, etc., American—History and criticism.
Classi(cid:1006)cation: LCC PN4193.P6 .H35 2023 (print) (cid:95) LCC PN4193.P6 (ebook) (cid:95)
(cid:3273)DDC 808.5/10973—dc23/eng/20220929
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022023409
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022023410
Columbia University Press books are printed on permanent
(cid:3273)and durable acid-free paper.
Printed in the United States of America
Cover image: (cid:139) Bridgeman Images
To
Richard B. Gregg and George A. Borden
Mentors, colleagues, friends
}

CONTENTS
1.
Eloquence: Why?(cid:3273)1
2.
Eloquence: When and Where?(cid:3273)16
3.
Eloquence: How?(cid:3273)36
4.
Cultural Resonance(cid:3273)56
5.
Personal Investment(cid:3273)93
6.
Poetic Imagination(cid:3273)123
7.
Eloquence Assessed(cid:3273)155
8.
Eloquence Tomorrow(cid:3273)191
Appendix: “Importance” Versus “Eloquence” Rankings for
Twentieth-Century Speeches(cid:3273)211
Acknowledgments(cid:3273)217
Notes(cid:3273)221
Index(cid:3273)261

AMERICAN
ELOQUENCE