author
Brainard Gardner Smith
1846–1930
Best known for practical books on public speaking, this 19th-century teacher wrote in a clear, encouraging way that aimed to make rhetoric useful in everyday life. His work bridges classroom instruction and self-help, with a strong focus on speaking well in public.
1 Audiobook
Eleven Possible Cases
by Frank R. Stockton, Edgar Fawcett, Franklin Fyles, Anna Katharine Green, Henry Harland, Ingersoll Lockwood, Joaquin Miller, Kirk Munroe, Brainard Gardner Smith, Maurice Thompson, A. C. (Andrew Carpenter) Wheeler
About the author
Brainard Gardner Smith was an American writer and teacher of rhetoric and oratory, born in 1846 and died in 1930. Surviving bibliographic records and digitized editions show that he taught speech and rhetoric at both Cornell University and Hamilton College, where later editions of his work identify him as Upson Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory.
He is most closely associated with Reading and Speaking, a guide to public speaking that was published in multiple editions in the late 19th century. The book was designed for students and general readers alike, and its emphasis on clear delivery and practical technique helps explain why it continued to circulate in library, archive, and public-domain collections.
The biographical record available online is fairly thin, but his published work suggests a teacher deeply interested in helping readers become more confident, effective speakers. For listeners today, he stands out as a voice from an earlier era of American education, when rhetoric, elocution, and formal speaking were central parts of learning.