Declaring Independence: Jefferson, Natural Language, & the Culture of Performance

Rating:
Summary: Interesting viewpoint...adds perspective to the Declaration.
Review: I read the first 90 pages of this book for a report in a graduate course...Now I'm buying it to read the rest! Fliegelman traces the development of a new American language and a new way of using it. Public speaking and "performance", against the backdrop of the Declaration of Independence, are his focus in this unique book. Whether you agree or not, you'll find it hard to put down.