You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.55 AVERAGE
4.55 AVERAGE
Perhaps I'm biased because we know some of the protagonists, but this was an inspiring look behind-the-scenes during a particularly intense period of Obama's presidency. The author, Cody Keenan, was Obama's chief speech writer during his second term. 'Grace' is his memoir of those years - with an emphasis on the ten days between the horrific mass murder by a white supremacist of nine members of a black church in Charleston and President Obama's eulogy for the pastor of the church. Keenan ends his book by encouraging all of us to get more involved in making our country, and the world, a better place.
This book is an absolute must read and probably my favorite book of the year thus far. Keenan enlightens his audience on the inspiring attitude of former President Obama to the point that one cannot help but feel a little inspired from his attitude and that of his teams'.
There are plenty of quotes I highlighted throughout the book but I'll simply copy the one that shone a little brighter than the others while also encapsulating the quintessential hopeful attitude towards America that Obama fought for throughout his presidency: "The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word We. We the People. We Shall Overcome. Yes We Can. That word is owned by no one. It belongs to everyone. Oh, what a glorious task we are given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours."
There are plenty of quotes I highlighted throughout the book but I'll simply copy the one that shone a little brighter than the others while also encapsulating the quintessential hopeful attitude towards America that Obama fought for throughout his presidency: "The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word We. We the People. We Shall Overcome. Yes We Can. That word is owned by no one. It belongs to everyone. Oh, what a glorious task we are given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours."
inspiring
fast-paced
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I am not immune to propaganda
More of a 4.5, but I will toss an extra half star to a fellow speechwriter. Really engaging—no surprise. I was interested in how the sausage got made, as a sausage-maker myself for a prominent-but-not-quite-as-prominent principal. Keenan has a researcher, fact-checkers, and amazing access to the person he writes for.
I, on the other hand, can see the sun from my office.
I, on the other hand, can see the sun from my office.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Beautiful storytelling that gave a glimpse into life as a senior White House staff while masterfully articulating the core values and ideals driving the senior staff's actions and worldviews.
I've read a handful of memoirs from the Obama years, so it was interesting to read a book that was an account of a singular moment in his presidency from a speech writer's perspective. Callbacks to moments in presidency that shaped his response to the Mother Emanuel AME shooting, and other personal anecdotes from his time in the White House shaped this narrative to be a full view of the experience.
I remember this speech, the days and events surrounding it, and this account brought me back to that time. As soon as I finished reading, I watched the speech in full. Obama is one of the greatest speakers of all time as far as I'm concerned, so learning about the process for how he works with his speech writing staff only solidified that point in my mind. And ooof. The recount of the speech, watching it again, moved me once more.
I remember this speech, the days and events surrounding it, and this account brought me back to that time. As soon as I finished reading, I watched the speech in full. Obama is one of the greatest speakers of all time as far as I'm concerned, so learning about the process for how he works with his speech writing staff only solidified that point in my mind. And ooof. The recount of the speech, watching it again, moved me once more.
This book was fascinating and so enjoyable to read! I enjoyed learning about the “behind the scenes” of a president’s chief speechwriter, and he did a great job of recounting the consequential nature of these 10 days.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced