Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, Robespierre's defense of the Reign of Terror in France, Lou Gehrig's farewell to baseball, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, Mary Fisher's "A Whisper of AIDS" testimony at the 1992 Republican National Convention, Hillary Rodham Clinton's proclamation that "women's rights are human rights," Osama bin Laden's declaration of war against the United States… I Dare Say sets the stage for these famous speeches and two dozen others, briefly exploring the context and consequences of each powerful oration. Not all of the speeches are reprinted in their entirety (and eagle-eyed readers might spot a typo or two); nonetheless each entry offers a crucial glimpse into history and a stirring reminder of the power of language to inspire and persuade.