As we set out on our reading of the book, Lincoln at Gettysburg, I think we should begin by reading his speech. In fact I want to recommend that we return to this speech after reading each chapter of Garry Wills's research. Each section of the book offers a new perspective to Lincoln's words and adds historical context and scholarly interpretations about what was said, how it was said, and why it was said. With each reading these words take on new meanings and significance.
There are multiple recordings of this speech available online, if you would like to listen or read along with the spoken word. At NPR you can listen to actor Sam Waterson recite the speech. Best of all, check out the segment of the Ken Burn's film, The Civil War, that is devoted to the reading of the Gettysburg Address.
Just look at that image of Lincoln's face as the camera zooms in and we hear the final lines of the speech. Very powerful. The lines etched on Lincoln's face are like the words--his words--carved in stone on his memorial in Washington, DC.
[The Gettysburg Address at the Lincoln Memorial image is by chipgriffin and is available at his Flickr site.]



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