He was too ill to present the speech in person, but his plea was instrumental to the formation of the United States. Benjamin Franklin’s words, written when he was 82, were delivered to much younger men at the secret Constitutional Convention by lawyer James Wilson. Franklin implored the delegates to sign the Constitution, then the states to ratify it. He admitted the document was not perfect, but was the “best we can do.”

His remarkable address is one of more than 200 of the greatest speeches in history, gathered by William Safire, a Nixon speech writer and longtime columnist. Arranged in 13 categories, Lend Me Your Ears: Great Speeches in History spans centuries and continents.

I normally resist rating books on the 1-5 scale, but I would give this gem a 6 if I could. I bought the ebook and used the table of contents to find speeches like General Washington’s words that pleaded with his officers to resist insurrection. And I found the Buddha’s fire sermon. Gandhi’s defense of his beliefs. Teddy Roosevelt on the strenuous life. Susan B. Anthony’s plea for women’s rights. Lyndon Johnson’s political bomb. What did John F. Kennedy intend to say in Dallas on the day of his assassination? You’ll find his speech.

You can only imagine the settings, audiences, and voices for the speeches. Safire provides a preface for each address that helps set the stage. I lost sleep over the book because I kept finding one more I just had to read. If you have a coffee table, the hardcover version might work for you. History buffs could not resist picking it up.