Books by Perry C Cotham

This book is truly one of a kind! Through satire and humor, author Perry C. Cotham colorfully shares a wealth of practical insight about church life in general and pulpit ministry specifically. In Please Don''t Revive Us Again! he presents a unique picture of authentic Christian men and women and the joys, pains, and serendipities they experience along their faith journey.As preaching and teaching minister, Cotham offers a collection of humorous, irreverent, and sometimes sad stories and observations from his long career within one unique Christian tradition. Informative and entertaining, he discusses situations and people culled from church life, ministerial training at a Christian college, and the practical realities of a spiritual vocation.Literally hundreds of fascinating and colorful personalities are named and stories narrated. Containing a delightful mixture of the good, the bad, and the ugly, Please Don''t Revive Us Again! gives insight into the life of a minister and shares the advice and lessons he learned along the way. Some readers may disagree with Cotham''s applications or feel discomfort with some of his stories, but most will find it difficult to put this book down.

Public addresses make a difference-a huge difference! Whether we think of public addresses as orations, as speeches, or as persuasive written documents, so many of these public addresses are intricately linked to the kind of nation and society we experience in the United States in the early twenty-first century.American Rhetorical Excellence is the most complete and up-to-date single volume on American rhetoric and oratory. In a readable and interesting style, Dr. Cotham explains what makes a speech great and enduring, and he dares to list and rank the top ten public addresses in American history. Altogether, 101 famous public addresses are discussed in brief essays, and Dr. Cotham offers insights into both the context and practical application of these important addresses. A wide range of other topics are discussed, including American political speaking, presidential debating, campaign speaking, famous pieces of written rhetoric, and American demagoguery.Although choosing from the veritable pantheon of American speakers and speeches is a difficult and even contentious challenge, American Rhetorical Excellence will equally challenge students of history, political science, and communication to think deeply about the fascinating ways in which American rhetoric has shaped the politics, culture, religion, and reformation of the United States.