21 Speeches That Shaped Our World: The people and ideas that changed the way we think

(Paperback)

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A thought-provoking collection of 21 speeches that have shaped the modern world In this fascinating book, Chris Abbott, a leading political analyst, takes a close look at 21 key speeches which have shaped the world today. He examines the power of the arguments embedded in these speeches to inspire people to achieve great things, or do great harm. Abbott draws upon his political expertise to explain how our current understanding of the world is rooted in pivotal moment of history. These moments are captured in the words of a range of influential, including- Emmeline Pankhurst, Martin Luther King, Jr, Enoch Powell, Napoleon Beazley, Kevin Rudd, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, Osama bin Laden, Margaret Beckett, Winston Churchill, Salvador Allende, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, Tim Collins, Mohandas Gandhi, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Robin Cook, Deval Patrick, Marie Fatayi-Williams and Barak Obama. The speeches in this book are arranged thematically, linked by concepts such as 'might is right', 'with us or against us' and 'give peace a chance'. Each transcript is accompanied by an insightful commentary that analyses how the words relate to our modern society. Fresh and relevant, this is a book that will make you stop in your tracks and think about what is really happening in the world today.

Reviews

A fascinating gallery of speeches and turning points in recent history. * New Internationalist *
A unique compilation of catalytic speeches...relevant to some of the biggest choices that face humanity in the 21st century. -- John Sloboda, Oxford Research Group
Illuminates many of the most important trends of our times. -- Paul Rogers, Professor of Peace Studies, University of Bradford
Chris Abbott has done a great service in reminding us of of these people and of their continuing relevance for today's world. -- Rosie Houldsworth, founder and director, TalkWorks
An interesting selection of speeches...Throughout, Abbott provides a thorough historical context and argues convincingly for the continuing relevance of the ideas expressed. * Financial Times *

Author Bio

Chris Abbott is a freelance writer and researcher specialising in international and security affairs. He is Sustainable Security Consultant to the Oxford Research Group (one of Europe's leading international security think tanks, of which he was Deputy Director until 2009) and Visiting Research Fellow in the Department of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford. His first book, Beyond Terror- The Truth About the Real Threats to Our World, co-authored with Paul Rogers and John Sloboda, is published by Rider and is now available in five languages. See www.chrisabbott.info for more information.