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When they go low, we go high : speeches that shape the world and why we need them / Philip Collins.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: New York, NY : The Overlook Press, 2018Description: viii, 424 pages ; 24 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9781468316162
  • 1468316168
Subject(s): Summary: "When First Lady Michelle Obama approached the podium at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, nobody could have predicted that her rousing and emotional "When they go low, we go high" speech would go on to become the motto for the political left and an anthem for opponents of oppression worldwide. It was a speech with the kind of emotional pull rarely heard these days, joining a long list of addresses that have made history. But what about Obama's speech made it so great? When They Go Low, We Go High explores the most notable speeches in history, analyzing the rhetorical tricks to uncover how the right speech at the right time can profoundly shape the world. Traveling across continents and centuries, political speechwriter Philip Collins reveals what Thomas Jefferson owes to Cicero and Pericles, who really gave the Gettysburg Address, and what Elizabeth I shares with Winston Churchill. In telling the story of great and sometimes infamous speeches--including those from Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, JFK, Martin Luther King, Jr., Disraeli, Hitler, Elie Wiesel, Margaret Thatcher, and Barack and Michelle Obama--Collins breathes new life into words you thought you knew well, telling the story of democracy. Whether it's the inaugural addresses of presidents or the revolutionary writings of Castro, Pankhurst, and Mandela, Collins illuminates and contextualizes these moments with sensitivity and humor. When They Go Low, We Go High is a strong defense of the power of public speaking to propagate and protect democracy and an urgent reminder that when great men and women speak to us, their words can change the world."--Inside dust jacket.
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 808.85 C712 Available 33111009240058
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Can a good speech save democracy? "Anyone interested in the past, present and future of speeches and speechwriting will find [this] a fascinating read." -- The Spectator

When First Lady Michelle Obama approached the podium at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, nobody could have predicted that her rousing line "When they go low, we go high" would become the motto for the political left and an anthem for opponents of oppression worldwide. It was a speech with the kind of emotional pull rarely heard these days, joining a long list of addresses that have made history. But what was it that made this speech so great?

When They Go Low, We Go High explores the most notable speeches in history, analyzing the rhetorical techniques to uncover how the right speech at the right time can profoundly shape the world. Traveling across continents and centuries, political speechwriter Philip Collins reveals what Thomas Jefferson owes to Cicero and Pericles; who really gave the Gettysburg Address; and what Elizabeth I shares with Winston Churchill. In telling the stories of famous and sometimes infamous speeches--including those from Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, JFK, Martin Luther King, Jr., Disraeli, Hitler, Elie Wiesel, Margaret Thatcher, and Barack and Michelle Obama--Collins breathes new life into words you thought you knew well, telling the story of democracy.

Whether it's the inaugural addresses of presidents or the revolutionary writings of Castro, Pankhurst, and Mandela, Collins illuminates and contextualizes these moments with sensitivity and humor. When They Go Low, We Go High examines the power of public speaking and serves as an urgent reminder that words can change the world.

"Hits on three unassailable truths: rhetoric and democracy must go hand-in-hand; democracy, for all of its flaws, is superior to tyranny; and democracy is currently under assault." -- Paste

"Collins . . . understands intimately the mechanics of rhetoric. He believes that we, as human beings, possess the capacity to extract ourselves from the swamp in which we have sunk." -- The Times

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"When First Lady Michelle Obama approached the podium at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, nobody could have predicted that her rousing and emotional "When they go low, we go high" speech would go on to become the motto for the political left and an anthem for opponents of oppression worldwide. It was a speech with the kind of emotional pull rarely heard these days, joining a long list of addresses that have made history. But what about Obama's speech made it so great? When They Go Low, We Go High explores the most notable speeches in history, analyzing the rhetorical tricks to uncover how the right speech at the right time can profoundly shape the world. Traveling across continents and centuries, political speechwriter Philip Collins reveals what Thomas Jefferson owes to Cicero and Pericles, who really gave the Gettysburg Address, and what Elizabeth I shares with Winston Churchill. In telling the story of great and sometimes infamous speeches--including those from Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, JFK, Martin Luther King, Jr., Disraeli, Hitler, Elie Wiesel, Margaret Thatcher, and Barack and Michelle Obama--Collins breathes new life into words you thought you knew well, telling the story of democracy. Whether it's the inaugural addresses of presidents or the revolutionary writings of Castro, Pankhurst, and Mandela, Collins illuminates and contextualizes these moments with sensitivity and humor. When They Go Low, We Go High is a strong defense of the power of public speaking to propagate and protect democracy and an urgent reminder that when great men and women speak to us, their words can change the world."--Inside dust jacket.

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