I've mentioned this at other times in other forums over the last 15+ years. However, it would appear it is worthy of mentioning again.

I highly recommend the book This Fiery Trial, a collection of all of the public speeches and private letters of Abraham Lincoln, edited by William Gienapp. Gienapp's editing doesn't alter the content of Lincoln's prose. Instead, he explains the context around each item in terms of the mindset of the country and Lincoln at the time, other events Lincoln was referencing that would go unnoticed by modern readers and how Lincoln identified the rhetorical needle he needed to thread to make his point while staying on course on a much longer journey.

This constant push and pull between being pure and right in every circumstance (at the risk of triggering conflict that could derail a larger gameplan) and being tactical was reflected in a quote in the movie Lincoln a few years back. A scene in the movie depicts Lincoln making this comment: A compass will point you to true north, but it has no advice about the swamps and deserts and chasms that you'll encounter along the way. If in pursuit of your destination you plunge ahead, heedless of obstacles, and achieve nothing more than to sink in a swamp, what's the use of knowing true north?”

With Gienapp's background and analysis, This Fiery Trial brilliantly explains how much intellect Lincoln applied to nearly every word he communicated as he rose in public life and led his fellow citizens through a moral, ethical and logical disaster of their own making as they were forced to deal with the country's "original sin" of slavery.

In light of this weekend's continued plunge into the profane and insane, I wish every voter was required to read this book in its entirety before voting.

This Fiery Trial -- amazon.com - This Fiery Trial Speeches Writings

WTH