by Jared Cohen
First published 2024
Jared Cohen examines how America's presidents wielded words to shape the nation's course. The book presents forty-five memorable presidential quotes and reveals their historical context and lasting impact. Cohen explains why George Washington urged "good faith and justice towards all nations" in his farewell speech. He explores Franklin D. Roosevelt's declaration that "the only thing to fear is fear itself" during the Great Depression. The author analyzes Abraham Lincoln's mathematical opening to the Gettysburg Address with "four score and seven years ago." Each presidential quote receives treatment that illuminates both its immediate circumstances and broader significance. Cohen demonstrates how presidents used language to encourage citizens, explain policies, assert authority, and defend principles across nearly 250 years of American history. The book equips readers with knowledge about presidential rhetoric while showing how words can drive change.
Genres: biography, history, non-fiction, american-history
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-non-fiction
Setting: America, United States
Period: 19th-century, 20th-century, 21st-century
55 pages · Kindle Edition · Atheneum Books for Young Readers