4This superb book contains every address ever delivered by a newly elected or reelected President of the United States of America.

Taken as a whole, this collection offers a comprehensive history of leadership in the United States, as well as a catalog of the major challenges and milestones in the country's history. The journey of the USA from its hard-won independence to its prominence as the global superpower was long and arduous; as these addresses make clear, this is a nation tested time and again by times of war, disaster and hardship.

The inaugural addresses often refer to the political climate and events ensuing in their time, and the aspirations of each President. We witness in these speeches George Washington introducing the new country to the world, Abraham Lincoln grappling with the Civil War that divided the nation, or Franklin D. Roosevelt tackling first the Great Depression and then the horrors of war. Throughout, we hear of crises encountered and overcome; of victories hard fought; of a people steadfast and determined.

Through the eloquent passages in this book, the reader learns of the immense gratitude which the nation's Presidents had in attaining the Executive office. Often, their scholarship and education is evident - personal anecdotes, references to the U.S. Constitution and Founding Fathers, and to the cultural traits of the nation reveal a patriotism often reasoned, eloquent and moving.

The Inaugural Addresses are a testament to the standards which the United States of America places on its highest office, and are an indisputably useful record for historians and citizens alike.