My Fellow Americans: The Most Important Speeches of America's Presidents, from George Washington to George W. Bush (Book & CD) [Audio CD]

Michael Waldman (Editor), George Stephanopoulos (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2003

The history of the United States lives in the words of its presidents-words that heal, inspire and sometimes divide a nation and the world. My Fellow Americans brings to life two centuries of American history, as you read and hear the presidential speeches that defined our nation's most dramatic moments.

My Fellow Americans presents, in text and on two audio CDs, more than 40 of the greatest speeches from American presidents. Former White House chief speechwriter Michael Waldman introduces them, telling their dramatic stories and explaining their impact. In original essays, Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton describe the talks that influenced them the most. Included are captivating photographs, illustrations and handwritten manuscripts, including:

-Never-before-seen handwritten speech notes used by President Clinton
-The speech, announcing an attack on Cuba, that President Kennedy did not have to give during the Cuban missile crisis
-An actual photo of Lincoln at Gettysburg

And much more...

The accompanying audio CDs let you hear these great speeches as they happened-some recordings are more than 100 years old-and reenact speeches from before the dawn of recorded audio. We hear the voices of every president since Benjamin Harrison. Experience some of our greatest moments, such as "The Only Thing We Have to Fear, Is Fear Itself," "Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You" and "Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall." Hear Lyndon Johnson adopt "We Shall Overcome" for all Americans; John F. Kennedy proclaim "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" at the Berlin Wall; and a fascinating account by a man who saw and heard President Lincoln deliver the Gettysburg Address.

My Fellow Americans presents a fascinating journey through American history that can be shared with your family and friends, whether you're reliving the event, or hearing it together for the first time.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Don't know much about American history? This multimedia collection of the great words of American presidents is for you. While this guide covers the entire American presidency, it is understandably weighted heavily toward the last 75 years. The early speeches-Washington's inaugural words, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, Woodrow Wilson's WWI speech-are read credibly by actors. But this valuable collection really picks up steam with FDR, when the presidents themselves do the speaking. (Most of the recent presidents, with the exception of Jimmy Carter, have more than one speech included.) There will be those who may wish other speeches were added, but it's hard to quibble with those included: John F. Kennedy's words during the Cuban missile crisis, Lyndon B. Johnson's speech upon assuming the presidency, Ronald Reagan's speech calling on Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall. With introductions given for each speech-former Clinton aide Stephanopoulos narrates the CDs-this collection is no less than a primer on U.S. history and the ways issues of government, race and democracy have been viewed during the past 225 years. And there are some surprising moments as well: Richard Nixon's speech to his staff explaining his resignation from the presidency after Watergate shows an emotional side of Nixon rarely seen by the public. 100 b&w illus.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Here is an excellent combination of print and CD: presidential speeches transcribed in the text and captured live on the accompanying pair of discs. Waldman, formerly director of speechwriting under Bill Clinton, selects what he feels are the 43 most important speeches by American presidents from Washington to Bush and supplies context-setting introductions to each of them. Predictably, the speeches of earlier presidents (Lincoln, Wilson, FDR) stand up better as prose, while the efforts of the post-television heads of state read like strings of sound bites. Listening to the CDs, which are introduced by George Stephanopoulus, showcases the personalities and their speaking styles (every president from Grover Cleveland onward is represented). Younger listeners will respond immediately to the magnetism of FDR and JFK, the oratorical stiffness of Nixon, the straight shooting of Teddy Roosevelt. And, of course, beyond the personalities, these 43 speeches encapsulate key moments in American history. Whether as curriculum support or nostalgia, this print-audio package belongs on library shelves. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Sourcebooks MediaFusion; Har/Com edition (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402200277
• ISBN-13: 978-1402200274
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 9.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #498,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Presidential Tour Guides, February 11, 2004

By 

Craig L. Howe "The Pointed Pundit" (Darien, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Fellow Americans: The Most Important Speeches of America's Presidents, from George Washington to George W. Bush (Book & CD) (Audio CD)

The history of the United States comes alive in the words of its presidents.

There comes a dramatic time in the life of a person, party, organization or nation that cries for the uplift and release of a speech. Someone is called upon to articulate the pride, hope or grief of it all. The speaker becomes the center of attention and the world stops to listen.

That responsibility is often shouldered by our President. Great Presidents not only act as the country's head of state, but also the voice of its people. They help define who we are and what we experience. In my opinion, their speeches constitute one of the best expressions of the nation's mood.

This book presents 40 of the nation's greatest Presidential speeches. Former Clinton Speechwriter Michael Waldman, introduces them, anchors them in history and explains their impact.

Acknowledging that speeches are written for the ear, not the eye, this book contains two CD that allow you to hear many of these actual speeches. Some of the recordings are more than 100 years old. The voice of every President since Benjamin Harrison is included.

This book takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the nation's history guided by the words of our Presidents.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Splendid Approach to Learning History, October 31, 2005

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Fellow Americans: The Most Important Speeches of America's Presidents, from George Washington to George W. Bush (Book & CD) (Audio CD)

This book has a concept or format that is guaranteed to make American history come alive as never before. It's a reprint of the most significant speeches by all of America's presidents. In addition it is supplied with two CD's. These contain the actual voices of every president since Benjamin Harrison in 1889. It also includes comments by ex-presidents Ford, Carter and Clinton on the speeches that influenced them the most.

This book is a capsule of American history done in a way that brings it home faster and easier than any standard history textbook. It's a large format book and at 480 pages it can contain a lot of material and it does. It is a splendid book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference book, March 23, 2006

By 

Derek Gordon "Beatlemaniac1964" (Hoboken, NJ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: My Fellow Americans: The Most Important Speeches of America's Presidents, from George Washington to George W. Bush (Book & CD) (Audio CD)

I actually heard Michael Waldman (the author) give a lecture regarding the genesis of this book. Mr. Waldman was President Clinton's chief speech writer for 5 years. When Mr. Waldman once asked an aide for a reference text on the most important presidential speeches in history, he was told that no such text exists. It is my understanding that this was the primary motivation for Mr. Waldman to write this book.

I thoroughly delight in reading the speeches that Mr. Waldman has selected. In particular, I am in agreement with Mr. Waldman regarding the centrality of Abraham Lincoln's speeches in American History. I have come to agree that the Gettysburg Address is "the most important speech" ever given by a president.

This is a book that I have read over and over again. It continually inspires and challenges my views of myself as an American. I highly recommend it to everyone.