The Lincoln-Douglas Debates [Paperback]

Abraham Lincoln (Author), Stephen A. Douglas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 18, 2004

Complete texts for all 7 debates between the incumbent Democratic senator from Illinois and the 1858 nominee of the infant Republican party. Paving the way for modern debates between political candidates, the events brought Lincoln (who lost the election) to national prominence and helped propel him to the presidency in 1860.

Editorial Reviews

From AudioFile

In 1858, the two candidates for a U.S. Senate seat in Illinois, Republican Abraham Lincoln and incumbent Democrat Stephen Douglas, engaged in a series of three-hour debates across the state, talking mainly about slavery and territorial expansion. This audiobook is a word-for-word chronicle of those debates. David Strathairn (Lincoln) and Richard Dreyfuss (Douglas) do an excellent job acting out these historic meetings. They use their own voices, with no attempt to recreate nineteenth-century Midwestern accents, and they successfully mimic the speaking patterns and pacing unique to orators of that era. Lincoln and Douglas never formally engaged in conversations during their debates, but Strathairn and Dreyfuss reconstruct the passion and lively repartee that characterized their confrontations. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (June 18, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486435431
• ISBN-13: 978-0486435435
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,183,143 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars almost as good as being there (in some ways better), July 29, 2009

By 

John Murray (Ohio) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Lincoln-Douglas Debates (Audio CD)

This 14 disc set includes the texts as transcribed by newspaper reporters, with introductions and occasional interjections by the audience. Allen Guelzo, who introduces the debates, does not sound like a college professor who happened to write a very fine book on the debates, but as another professionally trained voice. His spoken introduction is valuable for setting the context, but his book Lincoln and Douglas: The Debates that Defined America (Simon & Schuster Lincoln Library) is even better. A little reading ahead of time will help you with the Lecompton constitution, Douglas and Buchanan's conflicted relationship, and Lincoln's reading of the combined effects of Dred Scott and the Fugitive Slave Law.

Richard Dreyfuss gives Judge Douglas a fair reading and then some. In the later debates, under the stress of travel and frequent speaking and the shock of seeing how effective Lincoln's rhetoric had been, Douglas took to the bottle. Eyewitness accounts report slurred speech and mumbled references to his opponent as "Misha Linka." Here, Dreyfuss is clear and persuasive in each debate. He makes sure you know the overriding importance of popular sovereignty as a way of settling regional political disputes.

David Strathairn is a superb actor, but here his tendency to swallow the last syllable or two of each line is distracting, and hence my reason for 4 rather than 5 stars. Otherwise, his Lincoln is the epitome of Midwestern common sense, and like Lincoln himself, his speech takes on more power as we enter the decisive sixth and seventh debates at Quincy and Alton.

Their discussions about "Negro equality" often sound like fingernails on a chalkboard to a 21st century listener. But when Lincoln finally moves the plane of discussion to the question of slavery's moral status, rather than just one more policy issue the people are entitled to decide through their representatives, you can see how Lincoln came to appeal to so many in the North beyond the hearing range of these debates in Illinois.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Seven Encounter Thriller, August 22, 2010

By 

Spk "SPK-NY" (NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lincoln-Douglas Debates (Audio CD)

These are the legendary debates between Abraham Lincoln and Senator Stephen Douglas for the senate seat from Illinois. The debates are on the question of continuing or ending American slavery. Lincoln loses the senate election, after these debates. But he electrifies the country (and listening you can understand why).

I literally would cheer loudly sometimes, as though I was in the audience in real time!.

Then two years later they face off again - this time in the election for President - and the rest is history!

These debates are a thriller! What magnificent construction, thrust & parry, acid and suckle. No seven game basketball series between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird can come even close to the excitement, consequence and sheer suspense of these 7 verbal duels!

In spite of the fact that we should not judge people for their thoughts and actions in their time, with our values today, I literally had to overcome my feelings of wanting to hurl the occasional tomato at Judge Stephen Douglas!

The two voice artists are par excellence.

David Strathairn starts off softly, and then grows stronger and stronger in his voice inflection and by the end of the seven debates, particularly in the 6th and 7th debates, he is booming with moral conviction and valor.

Richard Dreyfuss is just a delight to listen to. His voice and diction are sharp and are dripping with acid and contempt for his debate opponent. You literally squirm as he jabs and jeers at Lincoln, wondering how Lincoln is going to come back.

An additional note on Richard Dreyfuss. Here is a artist who clearly loves his profession. Of all the movies that he has been in (and there have been some great ones), I personally like Moon Over Parador. Not because it is a great movide, but because Dreyfuss has so much fun with it. In one of the last scenes, the Dreyfuss characher (who is an actor in the character as well) is about to getaway from Parador on a plane back to USA. He is parting with his romantic lead, there is a moon in the sky, and he can't help remarking what a beautiful scene this is. I bring this up to point out that Dreyfuss is very self-aware about the fact that he loves story telling. He brings this verve to the character of Judge Douglas till the very last word in the debate. A great performance!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Phenomenal recording!, March 18, 2009

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Jim "Jim" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lincoln-Douglas Debates (Audio CD)

The Dreyfuss - Strathairn recording of these monumental historical debates helped me to appreciate the magnificent intellect of both Lincoln and Douglas, while almost squirming from both of their attitudes regarding slavery. Anyone who has an appreciation of history or politics simply must listen to this recording. It is one of the best you will ever hear.