Great Inaugural Addresses

The President's inaugural address reflects the current state of the nation and offers insights into the coming administration. This collection features the voices of twenty Chief Executives, from George Washington's 1789 oration to the 2009 speech by Barack Obama. Highlights include John F. Kennedy's exhortation to "Ask not what your country can do for you," Franklin D. Roosevelt's assertion that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," and Abraham Lincoln's wartime vision of "a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." An ideal resource for students of political science and American history, this compendium of stirring speeches will inspire readers of every political persuasion.