Excerpt from Famous American Men and Women There is an irresistible attraction in reading the lives of celebrated people which enchains the hearts of young and old alike. The study of individual character as represented by men and women whose names are graven on the imperishable tablets of Fame, is not only fascinating but instructive. Strange as it may seem we know less of living celebrities, who by thought and action are now molding the destiny of the nation, than we do of the immortal dead whose epitaphs are written in the sacred archives of history. This work is a record of noted Americans now living, and of the important events they have created. It contains the portraits of famous persons whose names are prominent in the annals of the times. Each portrait is reproduced from a recent photograph, and is accompanied by a biographical sketch obtained in nearly all cases by personal interview. The work is therefore of untold value as a text book of national character, an authentic account of modern progress and development, and the influence of master minds upon American history. Hon. Benjamin Harrison, Ex-President of the United States, has said: "If we would strengthen our country, we should cultivate a love for it in our hearts and in the hearts of our children and neighbors; and this love for civil institutions, for a land, for a flag, if they are worthy and great and have a glorious history, is widened and deepened by a fuller knowledge of them." Biography is not alone the history of individuals, it is the history of a Nation. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.