Lincoln's Inaugurals, Addresses and Letters (Selections)

This volume brings together some of Abraham Lincoln’s most memorable public statements—his inaugural addresses, wartime speeches, and personal letters—offering a vivid portrait of a leader whose words still resonate today. Listeners will hear the steady cadence of a man who grappled with a nation torn apart, while also catching the humor and humanity that slipped into his private correspondence. The selections are presented with careful notes that illuminate the circumstances in which each piece was delivered.

The accompanying introductory memoir sketches Lincoln’s modest upbringing, his voracious appetite for the Bible and Shakespeare, and the disciplined way he turned scarce books into lifelong lessons. By hearing his own reflections on poverty, learning, and duty, listeners gain a deeper sense of the values that guided his public pronouncements. The collection invites you to experience the clarity, compassion, and moral resolve that defined his speeches, all without the need for any prior historical expertise.