"Antebellum America truly defined itself as a culture of eloquence. This could be seen in the creation of new cultural spaces, such as the lyceum and popular lecture system, for speakers who were then measured against the ideals of eloquence held by their listeners.

Defining eloquence as "powerful, moving speech," Warren engages a host of writers/orators to develop his argument, beginning with Ralph Waldo Emerson's philosophy of language in the 1830s and expanding his discussion to include the theories and practices of Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, Elizabeth Peabody, Frederick Douglass, William Gilmore Simms, and Walt Whitman.

From this list he outlines practices that crossed the boundaries of gender, race, and class, ultimately showing that diverse sectors of society valued the word as a means toward reform."--BOOK JACKET.