Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America Audiobook (Unabridged)

" That was a slog. I love the Gettysburg Address, I get misty-eyed every time I go to DC and see the Lincoln Memorial. I did learn a thing or two from this book, but I'd rather have my heartstrings pulled at the sheer beauty of the Address than understand the Roman roots or Transcendentalism or the Oedipus complex Lincoln may have suffered from. I hope to soon forget the heavy academia and get back to the joy of the awe-inspiring Gettysburg Address. "

" Most interesting discussion of the influences on Lincoln that helped shaped the Gettysburg Address. I found the discussion of the 19th century Garden Cemetery movement most interesting, especially after having visited Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. However, the most interesting discussion was about the way in which Lincoln changed the perception of the US Constitution, an argument which I believe is correct. "

" Perhaps I should put this in a trilogy including Explaining America and Inventing America. Here, Wills shows how Lincoln's Gettysburg Address foreshadowed our conception of the United States today (just a minor semantic example: prior to 1865, I would have written "these United States," as if I were referring to a collection of independent but allied states, not a nation). "

" I could not finish it and I almost never give up on a book. I thought it was going to be a book about Lincoln and Gettysburg. It is, but it's also about a lot of other things that have only a slight tangential relationship to either of those subjects. If you want to try to understand the Gettysburg Address from every possible literary angle you can imagine, you might like this book. But if you, like me, were hoping for something that focused on Lincoln, the battles at Gettysburg, and his memorial address, you might be better off selecting something else. "

" A great book about a great writer and rhetorician. "

" It was an interesting from the point of view that it takes one important historical event and analyzes it from every possible angle. It was interesting to learn how the 18th century romantic movement, oratory entertainment and the rural cemetary trend influenced Lincoln's speech. "

" What an impressive book! What I particularly appreciated is the numerous different directions that Wills comes at the speech, the numerous contexts he places it in. It serves as an important reminder that important moments in history in fact participate in numerous histories, all at the same time. "

" Again, one that I picked up and put down. I did the same with his book on Ronald Reagan. "

" I need to read this again. I remember I enjoyed it, but I don't remember enough details to comment here. "

" A very good rhetorical analysis of one of the shortest and well-crafted speeches in American history. Wills takes great care to incorporate the past history and current events that influenced the gravity of Lincoln's arrangement and diction. "

" History, context, and color, all in an amazingly compact package. If you want to understand what might have been the greatest American speech ever given, here it is. "

" I read this in preparation for a two-day trip to Gettysburg. The trip was great. The book wasn't. "

" An quick look at the culture and politics of 1863. What I found most interesting was the discussion of the ideals of Declaration of Independencs vs. the political compromises of the Constitution. "

" At first a hard read, but gets better as you go along. Makes you completely rethink Lincoln. Brilliant. "

" The review for this book called it "painstakingly" researched, which is how I felt when reading it. Very cerebral. "

" Amazing study of the Gettysburg address and how Lincoln (unintentionally) patterned it after the classic Greek funeral orations. It's amazing how much power is packed into those 200+ words. "

" 3.5 stars. Some great contextual background info on the Gettysburg Address. But be forewarned that the writing is very dry and academic. If you don't mind that, then definitely give this book a read. "

" Lincoln put detail in every word he said. "

" An exploration of why this brief address changed the direction for the american war and ever after. Strongly recommended. "

" informative but a bit dense "

" Everyone should read this book. Lincoln changed the cause of the war in 272 words. "

" The myth is that Lincoln composed his Gettysburg address on the back of an envelope. Wills shows that it was the goal of his political life, one that his every action was aimed at.One of my all-time favorites. "

" I read this in preparation for a two-day trip to Gettysburg. The trip was great. The book wasn't. "

" A whole book about a 15 minute speech.That changed America!Only Gary Willis could pull it off! "

" It was a rough read. Unless your really into Lincoln I would avoid it. The entire book is about the Gettysburg address. It was brutal; I am amazed I finished it. "

" Dry as dust. If a grad student turned this in as his master's thesis, you'd flunk him. "

" 272 perfect words. If you don't fully understand the greatness of this speech or the magic of this man, this is the book to read. Out of respect for his brevity, I'm going to try to imitate him here. The End. "