Oxford Dictionary of American Quotations, The

With nearly 6,000 quotations arranged historically and annotated extensively, you'll know not just who said what, but get the full story behind the quote. Follow any of the more than five hundred topics (from Abolition to Zeal) and you will get a nutshell history of what great (and not-so-great) Americans had to say about each one. Quotations are arranged chronologically in each topic, allowing the reader to trace patterns of thought over time.
Fully indexed by author (including brief biographical sketches) and keyword, this is an essential reference for anyone interested in the great people and ideas of American history.