By Meredith McCulloch
Bedford resident and local publisher Phil Zuckerman has announced the publication of a collection of the farewell addresses of American presidents from Washington to Obama.
The collection begins with George Washington’s written address in 1796 and concludes with Barack Hussein Obama’s address given just last week onJanuary 11, 2017. George Washington’s Farewell Address began a tradition of giving advice to the nation and set the standard for speeches delivered by departing leaders, a tradition that has been followed by nine subsequent presidents. It was in his farewell address that Dwight Eisenhower famously warned about the dangers of the military-industrial complex. Since 1899, the Senate has continued the tradition of reading Washington’s address aloud each year on Washington’s birthday.
Zuckerman’s company, Applewood Books, was founded in Bedford in 1976 and subsequently relocated to Carlisle, MA. Applewood Books uses “just in time printing and binding” which allows a book to be printed and delivered into a reader’s hands within hours of completion. The company specializes in high-quality out-of-print books on American history and culture.
A two-volume collection of inaugural addresses is planned following tomorrow’s inauguration of Donald Trump.