This treasure trove of more than 2,000 profound, thought-provoking declarations and observations features a splendid variety of political, scientific, social, and literary voices. Drawn from citations made during the twentieth century by speakers before Congress, it quotes an international array of historic figures, including Paine, Milton, Emerson, Marx, Napoleon, Dickens, and Churchill.
American Heritage hailed this collection as "useful and highly diverting," and Library Journal cited it as the best reference book of 1989. This edition features a new Preface by The Librarian of Congress, James H. Billington. The entries present historical background and other information on the source. Complete author and subject indexes offer quick and easy references for speechwriters and casual browsers alike.