The Words Of our Time: Speeches That made A Difference 2001 - 2011, by John Shosky, is a particularly appropriate book of the week, as not only is it brilliant and newly released, but because this week has been a good one for speechmaking.
We’ve had the Queen’s speech and Nadhim Zahawi’s Loyal Address, both given in the grand setting of parliament, dressed up in all its finery. Nick Clegg and David Cameron’s coalition relaunch speech, given in the grand setting of a...um, tractor factory. In the world of showbiz, Damon Albarn laid to rest one of the great scandals of our time, as he told the BBC that he would have waited to let Adele finish her Brit Awards speech.
The Words Of Our Time (or TWOOT, as we’ve come to know it in the office) is a collection of the most influential speeches given since entering the new millennium. It is a timely book, capturing contemporary and powerful expressions of ideas and reasoning. Global in perspective, these speeches stand as unmediated and authentic testaments to the profound impact of great words and persuasive vision. During this period our mindset and culture have changed, reflecting the immense national and international changes the age has witnessed: the global financial crisis, the outbreak of international terrorism, the rise of new wealth in the developing world, austerity in Europe and the United States, and new opportunities for investment and influence. These speeches define our recent history and will be used by historians to understand us in the years and centuries to come.